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Chapter Nineteen
Finley
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“Knock, knock.” I lookup from my book to see Heather slip into my room, two whipped cream covered drinks in her hand.
“Hey.” I smile, laying my book face down on the bedside table. “I didn’t know you were coming by today.”
“I can’t stay long. I’m picking up the evening shift tonight for Tracy. I just wanted to stop by and see how you’re feeling.”
“Better now.” I smile, taking the drink she extends to me.
“Mocha frap, extra whip.” She smiles.
Considering Heather is my closest friend outside of my sister, and she had no idea what was going on with me until three days ago, she’s handled the news of my cancer and surgery pretty well. If the roles were reversed I’d probably be upset if she’d left me in the dark. But not Heather. She wasn’t even a little mad. Just happy that I was doing okay.
She’s stopped in to see me the day before yesterday after she talked to Claire, which was a welcome distraction from how awful I felt after my first round of chemo.
“You’re the best,” I tell her, taking the straw from her hand before opening the wrapper and dropping it into my drink.
“Yeah, I know.” She laughs, plopping down in the lounge chair to my right. “Where’s Claire? I expected her to be here by now.”
“She should be here soon. She usually goes home after work and changes before coming over.”
“So how are you doing? Really?”
“I’m hanging in there. The nausea medication is helping, thank god. I swear I’ve never vomited so much in my life.” I giggle when she curls her nose in disgust. “How’s work?”
“Boring without you.” She pouts out her bottom lip. “Henry was pissed when you stopped showing up but he’s forgiven you now that he knows why. I dare say he’d even give you your job back once you bust out of this popsicle stand.”
“I think it will be some time before I’m able to go back to work. But I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”
“You should have told him, you know? You should have told all of us. I get why you didn’t but I still think you should have.”
“I know. Truthfully it just all happened so fast. And honestly I didn’t think I’d survive the surgery. Now that I have, I’m realizing there are a lot of things I should have handled differently.”
“Like that mystery man of yours?” She arches a brow at me. “Claire told me,” she adds when she catches my surprised expression.
“And what exactly did that big mouth sister of mine tell you?”
“Only that you met some guy that you were all starry eyed over.”
“I guess that’s one way to put it.” I slide the straw between my lips and take a long drink of the sweet, icy goodness. “God, I forgot how good these things are.”
“Right?” she agrees, taking a drink of hers as well. “So, tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“About this mystery man of yours.”
“Abel.” Just saying his name out loud makes my skin prickle. “And there’s not really much to tell. We met at a bar, spent an incredible night together, and then I left.”
“God, don’t give me too many details or anything,” she grumbles sarcastically.
“I don’t know what to say,” I admit. “I met him the day I found out about the cancer and surgery and my chances of survival. I thought my life was over.”
“So you’re saying it wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t sick?”
