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“Hi, Jensey! I miss you. When are you coming?”
“I’m on my way back now. I miss you, too, and can’t wait to see you.”
“Me, too. Daddy and I got an operation.”
“Mommy told me. I’ll be there, I promise.”
“Okay.”
“Are you having fun with Daddy?”
I knew it pained Jensen to ask, but I was glad he did. We had to treat the situation as normal and make her feel secure that all of us were here for her and united in putting her first.
“Yes. He’s not here right now.”
“That’s okay. I’m sure he’ll be back, and I’ll play with you when I get there.”
“Okay!” She was happy and unconcerned.
“Can I talk to Mommy, squirt?”
“Okay. I love you, Jensey.”
“I love you, too, babes.”
Remi handed me the phone. “Here, Mommy.”
“Hey.”
“Where did Chase go?”
I turned away from Remi and moved to the other side of the room. I made sure my voice was low. “He went to Greenville to see his folks.”
“Today?” His voice was accusatory.
“His father called and found out Chase was in Atlanta. He wanted to know why and Chase thought it best to tell them in person.”
“I see. Did they tell you when she is getting the radiation?”
“Tonight. They’ll put her out so she won’t be scared, but after that, we can’t be with her until the transplant starts to work.”
“Let’s pray this works.”
“It has to.”
“I know. I’ll be there in about three hours. My plane is about to take off.”
CHASE
I drove into the driveway of the small acreage my parents owned outside of Greenville. It hadn’t changed since the last time I was here.
It hadn’t really changed since I was a kid. I’d called Kat and Kevin and asked that they be here, too. Kat knew, but Kevin didn’t, and I didn’t want to explain this shit more than once. My mother would be furious with Kat for not telling her, and so, even though I was still angry with her, decided we didn’t need more family friction and it was better to keep her cover-up a secret. No one would benefit from throwing her under the bus.
The tires crunched on the gravel driveway as I pulled up to the house. It was a nice two-story that my dad had built for my mother when his business started seeing success and saved a shit load by wiring the whole thing himself. We’d lived here since I was eight years old, and most of my childhood memories were built in this house and on this land. The tree house my father built for us was still in the huge oak tree to the left of the house. It, and the tire swing hanging from a branch below it, probably got a lot of use from Kat’s three boys and Kevin’s twin girls. I couldn’t help thinking how much fun Remi would have playing with her cousins and being doted on by my parents. They were the epitome of indulgent grandparents.
Kat’s minivan and two of the company trucks sat in the drive by the house. Everyone was here. I took a deep breath and gathered up the photos of Remi I’d left strewn on the passenger seat after I’d looked through them before I got out of the black Nissan I’d rented. My mother came running out of the house with open arms, and the other’s followed behind.
I was body slammed as my mother threw herself into my arms. “There’s my baby!”
