Barefoot in the Sun (Barefoot Bay)(45)







When Zoe arrived at the clinic she was braced to see Oliver, but a much younger version greeted her when she walked into Pasha’s room.

“Hello, Evan,” she said when he looked up. “Didn’t expect you to be here.”

“My dad didn’t want to ask you to babysit since he figured you’d want to spend time here today.”

A little bit of guilt zinged. She had offered to watch him and then done her disappearing act. Although Oliver hadn’t called her all morning, either. So they were both on eggshells.

“Do you know where Pasha is?”

“The nurse said she’s getting tests, then coming back here.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a deck of cards. “Wanna play Rat Screws while we wait?”

It was, actually, the last thing she wanted to do. “Sure. Where’s your dad?”

“Meetings, I think.”

She sat down opposite him at the tiny round table by the window, studying the face that was so much like the one that had haunted Zoe’s dreams all night. “Is he going to be here today?”

Evan nodded and started to shuffle, eyeing her as he did.

“What?” she asked after an uncomfortable moment.

“So you and my dad knew each other a long time ago, huh?”

Whoa. She hadn’t seen that one coming. “Very long time ago.”

“Before Mom.”

Actually, after. “More or less.” She gestured toward the cards. “You gonna split that deck, cowboy?”

“I’m counting the cards.”

“With your thumbs?”

He nodded, then split the deck and handed her half. “I can remember what order they come out in, too, so I know if you’ve been through your deck once what the next card will be.”

Her jaw unhinged. “You would be quite valuable in Vegas, you know.”

“That’s what your aunt Pasha said.”

Zoe snorted. “She would.”

“I like her. ’Cept when she calls me Matthew.”

“She does?” Zoe shook her head. “She likes to make up names for people. You can go first.”

He put a card down and Zoe responded with a king, then he slapped down three more cards and the last one was a jack, so Zoe had to put one down. A seven.

“Oh.” She made like she’d been shot. “You get the jack.”

“That’s how you win this game,” Evan announced as he scooped up the pile.

“Sure is.”

“Can I ask you a question, Zoe?” He looked up with eyes so big and deep her heart nearly folded.

What did he want to know? About his father? About their past? She took a deep breath, prepared at least to color the truth if not lie outright to protect this child. “Sure, what do you need to know?”

“It’s kind of, I don’t know, out of line for me to ask.”

“Out of line is my specialty. Fire away.”

He leaned forward. “Would you talk my dad into getting me a dog?”

“Is that Evan I hear?” Pasha’s voice came from the hall, sparing Zoe the answer.

“Hi, Pasha.” Evan popped up from the table, his face bright. When the nurse wheeled her in, Pasha’s expression matched.

An entirely unbidden thought popped into Zoe’s head: What if they really could work this thing out? If Pasha could live and be free, maybe Zoe really could stop running and Evan could stay with them and all four of them could live in a big house together. Forever. Maybe they could have another child, and that dog Evan wanted.

Inside her chest, a pain as palpable as the one Pasha complained of gripped Zoe so hard she couldn’t breathe. She had no right to have fantasies like that, like some kind of fairy—

“Zoe, are you all right, honey?” From her wheelchair, Pasha scowled. “You look worse than I feel.”

“Oh, I’m fine.” She stood quickly to give Pasha a kiss hello. “I’m just…” Dreaming like a fool. “So happy to see you looking bright and chipper.”

“I don’t know how bright I am, but they said all the tests are done for today and now I can rest.” She turned to Evan, putting a hand on his face. “How wonderful to see you, little one.”

He gave a shy smile. “Hi, Pasha.”

“Oh, I know, you’re not little,” she teased. “And I see you brought the cards for us.”

The nurse came around the front of the chair. “I don’t think you’re going to be playing cards, Miss Pasha. Dr. Bradbury has strict rest orders today since the treatment begins tomorrow and you need to sleep.”

Pasha’s shoulders slumped like a disappointed child. “Right away?”

“Well, let’s get you into bed and we’ll see.”

The nurse, Wanda, easily got Pasha into the bed and smoothed the covers. The two of them obviously shared a nice rapport. For the second time in a few minutes, Zoe let contentment and hope roll over her.

“Thank you,” Zoe said to the nurse when she’d finished. “I promise we won’t keep her up too long.”

Wanda cocked her head toward the hall and gave Zoe a look to come out and talk to her. Evan settled into the chair next to the bed, so Zoe gave her aunt another pat on the shoulder.

“One game,” she said sternly. “And no swearing. Either of you.”

They both gave her fake smiles, neither one willing to make a promise they knew they wouldn’t keep. She rolled her eyes and followed Wanda into the hall.

“She really does need to sleep,” the nurse said. “Tomorrow’s a full transfusion and that’s going to really exhaust her.”

“I promise we’ll cut out in a few minutes.” She glanced down the hall, unsure what she should do about Evan. “Is Dr. Bradbury here?”

“He’s looking at the bone-scan results,” she said. “And I can tell you that test gave us some excellent news.”

“Really?”

She nodded, her dark eyes dancing. “This is unofficial, but I can tell you that scan showed no cancer in the bone.”

“Was there a chance of that?”

“There’s always a chance of that. The reason it’s good in this case is because they can focus on the soft tissues. I know you have other oncologists giving outside opinions on the test results, but assuming they agree, there’s going to be a T-cell transfusion here tomorrow.” She reached for Zoe’s arm. “That’s historic and exciting for all of us. Thank you for giving us this chance.”

Zoe took the nurse’s hand. “Thank you for being so kind to her and making her comfortable. It’s made everything so much easier.”

“Oh, I haven’t done much,” Wanda said. “She really has a good attitude.”

Some laughter came from the room, reminding Zoe that Evan had a lot to do with Pasha’s change in attitude.

“You can’t underestimate how important that is,” the nurse continued. “Especially after what she’s been through, it’s understandable.”

Had Pasha told this nurse what she’d been through? Impossible. “You mean collapsing and going to the ER the other night?”

“She told me everything.”

“Everything?”

Wanda waved her hand. “Don’t be shocked. People tell me stuff all the time. I think it’s the combination of the dark test room and the lorazepam. That stuff’s like truth serum. No surprise she’d mention her son.”

“Her son?” Zoe had to be sure she’d heard that right.

“Well, I guess he’d be your uncle, if she’s your great-aunt.”

But she’s not my great-aunt. “My…uncle?”

“She said he died when he was seven, so obviously you never knew him but, oh, what a tragedy. It’s no wonder sometimes she wants to end it all and be with him, but today she seemed quite happy about being alive.”

Zoe had no idea what the nurse was talking about. “He died when he was seven?” she asked.

Wanda gave her big eyes. “And how awful that he was murdered.”

Murdered? For a second it felt like the world slipped away and left Zoe behind. All she could hear was the sheriff’s words.

But she was cleared of that murder.

He’d been talking about another Patricia Hobarth. Hadn’t he? Cold trickled through her veins.

“Don’t look so stricken, honey. The drugs bring out all the skeletons.” Wanda patted her arm. “Really, don’t worry. Secrets are safe with me. I won’t even remind her that she told me her real name is Patricia.”

All the happiness and hope started to seep out of the balloon that she’d dared let fill her chest.

“Zoe, there you are.”

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