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“How was Taylor when you saw him?” she asks me as she tops up my cup and one for herself. This time, she moves around and pulls out one of the bar stools.
“He was good, but we didn’t talk for too long. We stayed and had a drink after the game.”
“That’s nice.” She smiles. “That you could both do that.”
“We’re meeting up for dinner tonight, actually. I’m a little nervous.” I don’t know why I confess that to her, but it’s out in the open before I can even blink.
She seems surprised. “That’s wonderful, Emmerson. He will probably kill me for saying this, but I think he’s been wanting to see you for a long time.”
“Well, we haven’t seen each other in all these years.” I sigh. “It goes by in a blink, but sometimes it feels like a million years ago at the same time.”
“I know what you mean.”
“How is everything else?” I ask her, trying to shift the conversation a little bit from me. There’s only so much talking about Taylor I can do with his mom. And I’m still a little unnerved by what we’ve already spoken about. I’m glad it’s out there, but it’s still strange for me.
She clutches her cup in her hands as I look at her. She still seems nervous about something. “Things are a little… strange at the moment,” she says finally.
I don’t know what to make of that. “How so?” I ask her.
“I haven’t even said this to Taylor yet.” She sighs.
Again, I have that feeling of dread and concern that something else isn’t being said, something not good.
“What’s going on, Gillian?” Do I want to know is really the question. I’m not sure how many shocks I can take in one day.
“I’m getting some tests done in a few weeks,” she says finally. “As I haven’t been feeling the best with constant headaches and migraines, dizzy spells and that kind of thing.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. That sounds terrible.”
“I’ve persevered for months with it, until a friend of mine I used to coach with convinced me to go to the doctor and get things checked out.”
“Is everything okay with it?” I ask tentatively.
She looks down at her hands, that glassy look in her eye appearing as she looks back at me.
Shit.
It’s not good news.
She shakes her head. “I don’t think it’s good, Em. There’s a possibility I have a cancerous brain tumor.”
I stare at her in disbelief, my stomach clenching. “What?”
She nods and lets out a breath, looking up at me. “Taylor doesn’t even know yet.”
“Oh, Gillian.”
“I’m booked in for a neurological exam and imaging tests.” She folds her head into her hands, and I see her shoulders shake before I hear her crying.
My heart breaks seeing what is unfolding before me and taking in the words. I slide off my stool and reach out to embrace her. “So you don’t know for sure what it is yet?” I ask her softly.
She holds me like I’m the only thing keeping her upright and literally sobs into my shoulder. “Not yet, but my doctor suspects it from the symptoms I’ve been having. I just don’t know if I want to know, does that make sense?”
I swallow hard, nodding. Though, I’ve no idea what this must really feel like. It’s more than a case of rotten luck, this could be life changing. “How soon will they know after the tests?”
“Usually forty-eight hours.”
I feel rooted to the spot, not even comprehending everything right now. “Gillian, I’m so sorry.”
