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“And I will stay, through your first round of treatment,” I say. “That’s nonnegotiable.”
Fern and North share a look, but they don’t say anything.
“After that, if you’re doing well, if Fern and North believe they have this covered, I’ll go back to New York,” I say.
Grandma doesn’t manage to hide her smile. “Great.”
“With conditions,” I say.
“Of course.” She motions for me to continue.
“Three visits a year,” I say. “At least one here and one there, if you can manage the trip.”
She nods. “Doable.”
“Complete honesty about your treatment,” I say.
“Sure,” she says.
“And you invest in my new company,” I say. “My own press.”
Grandma lights up.
See, that’s the trick. She wants this more than I do.
“Of course,” she says. “But I have a condition of my own.”
“You’re not in a position to make demands,” I say.
“Come on, River, you’d really deny a sick woman?” Fern asks.
“That’s messed up,” North agrees.
This is how it always works. Three against one.
“Do you love Deanna?” Grandma asks.
“Obviously he loves her!” North motions to my face. “Look at him. He looks like he got hit by a truck.”
“Three trucks,” Fern says.
“I really appreciate your support,” I deadpan.
They both smile.
“You need to fight for her,” Grandma says.
“I’m not a fighter.”
“You are, though,” she says. “You fight me about staying here. You fight your sisters about…everything. You fight for what you want, you just do it differently.”
“Yeah, did you tell her you love her?” North asks, as if it’s that simple.
“I did. But we have different ideas of what love means.”
North and Fern share a knowing look.
“What?” I ask.
