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Katie’s breath tumbled out. “Your mom had Huntington’s?”
“Yes.” Avery’s hand was steady as she took a sip of milk.
Katie couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that Avery might have this horrible disease. “Oh, Avery.”
“It’s not like I haven’t known this all my life. I just couldn’t decide what to do about it. I thought the counseling would help—I went through that after undergrad—but the pros and cons of knowing the truth seemed equally balanced.”
“I can’t even imagine what I’d do. On the one hand, if you did the test and found out you hadn’t inherited the gene, you’d be free and clear.”
“But if I found out I did have it... I’d know exactly what’s in store for me. I watched my mom go through it. The depression and personality changes, the involuntary movements, and inability to care for herself...” Avery swallowed, then her gaze met Katie’s. “In the last year I’ve finally come to a conclusion: I don’t want to know if I have it. It feels a little cowardly.”
“Not at all. I can completely understand that. It would be hard not to spend your life dreading its onset. What does your family think?”
“We don’t really talk about it. They don’t want me to feel pressured to make a decision. I haven’t told anyone else I’m not taking the test, so I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention it to Gavin. I’ll tell them when I’m ready.”
“Of course. And Avery... I’m here for you whenever you need to talk.”
“Thanks.”
Katie met her friend’s smile with one of her own. But inside her heart felt as if it had been crushed.
22
It had not been a good day. Cooper hunched over the report on the cheap metal desk, scrawling as quickly as he could. The aroma of popcorn and stale coffee permeated the space, and the window air conditioner hummed over the intermittent calls coming in to Jackie’s office down the hall. Six deputies shared two desks and two computers in the tight ten-by-twelve space, but he was the only one in the office at the moment.
This afternoon’s traffic accident was still fresh in his mind. A man texting while driving had caused two likely totaled cars and three injuries, one of them a child. It wasn’t a pretty ending to his workweek.
Earlier in the day he’d been called to the hardware store where an eighteen-year-old man was causing a ruckus. Cooper arrested the guy on a disorderly charge and found a stash of heroin in his pocket.
Following that, he’d had to serve divorce papers to a woman who had three young kids huddled around her legs. Upon sight of him at her front door, she burst into tears.
Cooper’s mom entered the office, startling him from his thoughts. She gave him that pointed look mothers everywhere had down pat. “All right, out with it. What’s going on?”
“Hi, Mom. Just finishing up some paperwork. How are you doing?”
“That’s not what I meant and you know it. I haven’t seen you in three weeks.”
“Sorry. I meant to stop by, but I’ve been busy with work and the campaign.” It wasn’t a lie. A week ago theHeraldhad endorsed Sean Curtis, raising the stakes yet again. There was so much more riding on this than a county office. Katelyn had helped him see that.
“I’ll make it over sometime this weekend.”
“No, you’ll make it over tomorrow night for supper like everyone else.”
He opened his mouth with a ready excuse.
“And don’t tell me you have a campaign obligation because Avery already told me you don’t. I’m not taking no for an answer this time.”
“What if I have a date tomorrow night?”
“You’re going out with Amber on Sunday so that’s highly unlikely.”
Darn that grapevine. Why hadn’t he made a preemptive stop to see his mom and Jeff before now? Now he had no choice but to see Kate again. Not that avoiding her had done much good. She was constantly on his mind. Maybe she wouldn’t come.
He signed the report and set it aside. “All right. I’ll be there.”
“What is it with you? Why have you been avoiding us?”
“I’m not avoiding you.”
