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4
Ally
“I’m sure these are things you already know, but I still feel the need to go over them with you,” Dr. Fowler says, steepling his fingers on top of his desk. “Although the chemotherapy is a low dose, your energy levels will still decline. You’ll come in three days a week; Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The other days will be for your body to rest and to let the medication do its work. You’ll also have loss of appetite, but you need to make sure you eat as properly as you can. You may get minor headaches, which are normal. If they’re persistent or become too much to bear, call me. And I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but you’ll experience hair loss.”
I’ve lost my hair twice now. Losing it again will suck, but it’s nothing I haven’t experienced before.
“As long as I finally beat this for good, I’d go without hair all of the time,” I tell him truthfully.
He smiles at me kindly. “With the area of the cancer being so small and catching it early, I have really high hopes this will work.” He gets up from his chair and walks around with his hand held out. “We’ll see you bright and early Monday morning, Ally,”
“Thank you so much, Dr. Fowler. I really appreciate you fitting me into your schedule.”
He pats the top of my hand. “You’re very welcome.”
Feeling optimistic, I leave Dr. Fowler’s office and plug in the nearest Krystals on my GPS. As I drive through the afternoon traffic, I turn my radio up loud and bob my head up and down to the music. Fifteen minutes later, I pull into the parking lot and park, my mouth already watering. Yesterday, Ashlyn introduced me to the little slider burgers. We have White Castle up north, which is pretty much the same thing, but Krystals are so much better.
Just as I open my door, my phone rings. Checking the screen, I smile when I see Trent’s name.
“Hey, you,” I greet happily. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the bar?”
“I am. We’re slow as shit, and I was missing your voice, so I came to the back to call you.”
I lean my head back against the headrest. “I miss you too.”
His breath fans across the line when he sighs. “How are things there?”
“Good. The same as when we talked this morning,” I say with amusement lacing my voice.
“Hardy har,” he replies dryly. “What are you doing right now?”
“Sitting in the parking lot of a fast-food joint called Krystals. They’re like White Castle, but so much better. I’ll have to bring you some when I come home.”
“Or you could just take me when I come up to visit.”
I stiffen at his suggestion, knowing it’s inevitable that he won’t wait the two months it’ll take for me to complete my treatment, but still dreading when he discovers the truth; that I lied to him, and my leukemia is back.
I quickly change the subject. “How are things there?”
He takes a moment to answer, and I know it’s because of my nonresponse to him coming to see me. I hate this so much—lying to Trent and my family. It makes me feel like a terrible person.
“Everything’s fine. Chris finally talked Nick into taking a cruise.”
I laugh. Chris has been trying to talk Nick into going on a cruise for years. He keeps refusing, saying there’s no way he’ll pay thousands of dollars to go on a boat.
“I bet that made her day.”
He snorts. “I thought she was going to jump him right there.”
Giggling, I say, “Can’t say I blame her. She’s been trying for years. Sooo,” I draw the word out, “when are you going to take me on a cruise?”
“We could go right now if you come back home.”
I sigh into the phone. “Trent—”
“I’m sorry,” he says quietly. “I’m being an ass. This is just so hard, but I know it’s hard on you too. I’ll stop, okay?”
“Thank you.” I swallow, afraid I might start crying. “I hate this just as much as you do, you know? It took me hours to get to sleep last night because I missed having your arms around me. But Ashlyn needs me, and I couldn’t let her down.”
