A half-second of silence passed.
“Okay,” Joe said softly. “Tell me exactly what she said.”
Cece swiped at her eyes, her whole body shaking. “She said it might be nothing. A nodule. Something small. But she wants an ultrasound. And blood work. But she looked so serious, Joe. I haven’t felt this way since—” Her voice failed again. “Since before. This isn’t my first time going through this.”
“Oh, sweetheart.”
The way he said it without pity or panic, just sorrow and understanding, made fresh tears spill over.
“I didn’t want to call Natalie,” Cece whispered. “She has too much going on. And I don’t want to scare her. I just didn’t know who else?—”
“You did the right thing in calling me,” Joe said firmly. “That’s always going to be the right thing. You hear me? Always.”
Cece pressed her fingers to her trembling lips.
“I’m coming to you,” he added. “Where are you exactly? Still at the doctor’s office?”
“Yeah,” she said, nodding even though he couldn’t see. “I’m in the parking lot. Just sitting. I didn’t want to drive yet.”
“Good. Tell me the name of it and I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Joe, you don’t have to?—”
“I do,” he said gently. “Because you’re scared. And you shouldn’t be alone when you’re scared.”
Her breath broke again, this time softer, smaller.
“Okay,” she whispered. “It’s Greenway Internal Medicine.”
“I’m on my way.”
When the call ended, Cece curled her fingers around her phone, letting herself cry freely now, knowing help was coming. Knowing she wasn’t alone in whatever this might be.
She would tell the Queen Bees soon. She exhaled, already feeling a little better. She was going to be fine.
She hoped.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Essie hadn’t slept much. Not really. Not after the drama that had unfolded last night.
She’d drifted off sometime after midnight, only to wake every hour with the same tightness in her chest, the same image flashing through her mind: Sophie alone, angry, humiliated, and spiraling.
At least that’s how Essie pictured the poor girl.
Essie stretched out a hand toward Frank and realized he wasn’t there. She got out of bed, pulled on her robe, and went to find him.
He sat at the kitchen table with a full cup of coffee that looked barely touched, his phone in front of him, probably rereading the text thread Sophie had sent late last night. The house felt hushed in that early-morning way that usually soothed Essie. Today, it only amplified her thoughts.
Essie went to get herself a cup of coffee, thankful Frank had already made a pot. “Anything new? Have you heard from her?”
“No.” He sighed out the word, the perfect sound for how she felt.
“She must be devastated,” Essie said quietly, leaning back on the counter and hugging her mug with both hands. The warmth felt good.
Frank exhaled slowly. “She walked in on it, Essie. Another woman with Ryan in the condoIpay for.” The intensity of his voice had increased on the last few words.
Essie closed her eyes. Even knowing the details, as they’d bothseenthe photos Charlie had sent, didn’t soften the blow. Charlie had positioned himself on the roof of a nearby parking garage, which had given him a perfect shot through the side of the ocean-front condo.
