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“I know,” he stated.
“You know?” What?
“Cora, I love you.” The smile he was forcing slowly fell from his lips. “I love you more than I thought it was humanly possible to love anyone, which is why when I realized you were hiding something from me I was hurt and confused…but I realized you love me, too. That’s why you didn’t tell me your cancer was back…and it’s okay. I get it. I wish you had, but I understand why you didn’t. However, that doesn’t change the fact that I know, and it doesn’t change anything, except for the fact that I’m going to be right beside you. You and I are going to fight this and win, just like we did in the past.”
I stared at him in amazement…and I was positive I fell in love with him all over again. I had no clue what I’d done to deserve him, but I would do it again. I would do anything for him.
Reaching up, I placed my hand on his cheek. “I’m sorry—”
“Cora, it’s fine—”
“I’m sorry because,” I repeated again, cutting him off. “I made you worry when I don’t have cancer.”
He was about to cut in when he paused, his eyebrows coming together in confusion as he gawked at me.
“What?”
“I’m as cancer-free as I was last year and the year before. I’m healthy and cancer-free,” I repeated.
“Wait, but Evelyn said the hospital called about you starting chemo tomorrow and you’re here today for blood work…”
“Not me, my cousin.” I hadn’t wanted to tell him because I didn’t want to talk about Imani ever again with him, not after the hell she put us all through. “She has cancer. I’m paying for it and acting as her emergency contact. She’s been calling me for weeks and honestly it’s driving me insane. I kind of hoped I’d help her get better and she’d just accept it without digging up the past. That’s why I came tonight.”
He wrapped his arms around me and took a deep breath. “Thank fucking Jesus bloody Christ.”
He laughed so hard I shook with him, wrapping my arms around his chest.
“I still get to keep the tulip right?” I asked against him.
“You can have whatever you want…” He broke away slightly. “As long as you promise never to keep secrets from me again.”
I held my pinky figure out. “I promise to never keep big secrets from my devilishly handsome husband ever again but reserve the right to have tiny secrets here and there for his own good.”
His eyebrow raised and he grinned, locking his pinky with mine. “I can live with that.”
“Are you going to come in with me? To see Imani, I mean?” I asked, and he stiffened.
“Sorry,” he said, even though he didn’t mean it. “I know she is your family and despite everything she has done you will do what you think is right, but I’m not as forgiving as you, love. Those who cross you or me are never welcomed back. It’s just the way I am. But go we can have dinner after you’re done.”
There was no point arguing; that was just how Declan was. He didn’t believe in forgiving outsiders.
“I’ll be right back.” I kissed his cheek before going around him. He stood there and waved until I could no longer see him, then I focused on the hospital around me.
I made it to the elevator as it was opening, and sure enough, there was Imani. Her brown hair was shaved, exposing her bald head, and even her eyebrows were gone.
“Cora?” She smiled at me as if we were old friends, and for some reason staring at her bothered me… Is this how I looked back then?
“Imani?”
“Shocking right?” She rubbed her bald head as the nurse pushed her out of the elevator and I backed up. “I thought I’d just get it over with. I look horrible don’t I?”
“No. You look like a fighter.” I smiled, moving to take over for the nurse behind the wheelchair. “Where are we headed?”
“I just wanted to see the city lights. I figure I’ll be too sick to get out of bed for a while so should enjoy it while I’m still feeling strong enough.”
I understood that feeling. We walked in silence until we reached the reached the exit. I took off my coat and placed it on her lap before pushing her out. The city had been astonishingly windy that month.
“Isn’t Chicago just beautiful?” she asked when I moved us over to a bench.
