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“Well, they did, but Pops isn’t reacting too well to the chemo, so I’ve been researching. There’s this place that does chemo, but differently. They make a special mixture unique for every individual. Look at their success rate…plus, they say they specialize in people that can’t tolerate modern treatments.”
Austin looked over the website, then turned back to his mom. “Then why haven’t you called?”
“Bro,” Adam said, tugging on his shirt and pointing to the screen as he scrolled down to the place that showed the price, which was close to a hundred grand.
Austin swallowed, then turned back to his mom, who wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Mama, are you sure this treatment will work?”
She shook her head. “There are no guarantees, sweetie, but I have called, and they seemed so optimistic…and their success rate. That’s higher than any I have seen.”
He took her into his arms. “Then we’ll call them as soon as business hours open tomorrow and get the process started.” Adam looked at him and Austin met his eyes over their mom’s head. “Call Bill and tell him we’re ready to do that commercial now.”
Adam didn’t hesitate. Austin knew Adam probably feared that he would change his mind. Adam called Bill right then, walking out of the room as he answered.
Mama showed Austin some of the treatment options they had at the special clinic, and hope began to fill him.
Adam re-entered the room. “So, uh, he said we’re on, but, well, the thing is,” he said, running a hand through his hat-smashed hair.
“Spit it out, brother,” Austin said.
“To do the commercial, he’ll need us in Idaho right when you were supposed to meet with Charlotte,” Adam said. “We’ll just have to figure something else out, bro.”
Austin’s stomach turned, but he knew there was no other way to come up with that kind of money without doing something drastic, like selling the ranch or the trailer or something that would alter their life tremendously. He shook his head. “No, tell him we’ll be there, and tell him to negotiate for the price we need. We’ll make this worth it.”
“But Charly…” Adam said, his eyes going wide.
“She’ll understand. She will.” Austin tried to convince himself, but what else could he do? He’d make it up to her…if she wasn’t too busy once she started her residency. “I’ll call her…and make her understand.”
Charlotte paced Emilia’s apartment living room. It was a cute little place, right next to the campus, so she could just walk to work, but the cramped house didn’t give Charlotte the room she needed as anxiety filled her. Austin would call any moment. He always called her after dinner, and she had to make a decision.
“You’re going to wear out my wood flooring,” Emilia said, watching her from the reclining loveseat. “I thought you were gonna let go and let God?”
“I am…but He isn’t the one who has to talk to Austin about it…and I’m still not sure. What if this wasn’t a sign?” Charlotte wrung her hands in front of her.
Not even an hour ago, she got a call from the admissions lady at the California Residency Program in Chico. She and Emilia had just sat down to dinner, discussing the pros and cons of each place: Cali or Wyoming. Charlotte had just said that one of the biggest drawbacks to Cali was she had no place to live. She’d have to find a temporary place or stay in a hotel while she house-hunted…and she had to find a boarding place for Apollo.
When the lady said she had a possible place for Charlotte to live and board Apollo, Charlotte almost dropped the phone. She stared at Emilia with wide eyes…unbelieving of not only the timing but the good luck. Though she knew it wasn’t luck. Even with that knowing, she still stressed about how she was going to tell Austin.
“How could this opportunity dropping into your lap at the moment you were talking about that being the biggest problem with Cali not be a sign?” Emilia pulled her legs under her and lifted her brow. “You’re just scared.”
“I am scared,” Charlotte said. “A lot has changed in these last couple of months. After eight years, I run into the one man who I have ever seen myself growing old with. I know now that I couldn’t ever move on because he and I…well, we’re just meant to be.”
Emilia watched her with an expression turning into one of sadness. “Char, if he doesn’t support you in this, maybe it wasn’t that God was trying to bring you back together. Maybe it was…” Emilia swallowed and licked her lips as Charlotte glared at her, not wanting her to say what she feared she would. “Maybe it was to show you that he’ll never change, and you’ll always come second to the rodeo.”
Charlotte turned away, betrayal at her friend’s words filling her. How could Emilia even think such a thing…yet, she knew how…and why. Charlotte had worked hard for the last eight years to make this dream come true, and though she didn’t want her career to be so much a focus that she didn’t have time for those she loved like her parents, she wanted to be happy in it. These next two years would be full…very full.
Charlotte thought about the love pouring from Austin’s eyes. There was no way she could deny that he still loved her, and the warmth in her own heart proved she had never stopped loving him as well. Certainly, God wouldn’t have brought them together just to have her heart broken again. Right?
“It’s different this time…” she said, half to herself and half to Emilia. “We’re going to meet on my way back. We’ll figure this out together.”
“Meet where? And to go back to where?” Emilia asked, her tone still full of grief.
“I…I…don’t know. I feel like this is something we should decide together, isn’t it?” Charlotte turned back to her friend.
Emilia shrugged. “I’ve said my piece. I don’t need to repeat it.” She stood looking at her with such sorrow. “I’m gonna shower. You take some time to figure this out with Austin…but don’t forget to listen to God’s guidance.”
Charlotte fell onto the couch Emilia had just vacated and held her head in her hands. Lord, please give me guidance. I don’t want to read into circumstances, and I don’t want to leave Austin out of this decision…it affects him, too.
Her phone vibrated a moment before the ring sounded, and she answered the call right away. “Hey, Aussie.” She hadn’t called him that in years, but it slipped right out of her lips.
