I held my resolve and each day it became easier to not answer and to not feel guilty about not answering. On Friday when my phone rang, an unfamiliar number registered on the screen.
“Hello,” a stern female voice said. “This is Janet Winslow, RN on the oncology ward at Oklahoma General. I’m calling for Lila Braham.”
My stomach lurched.
Is she dead?
Regret filled me. “That’s me.” I barely pushed the words out.
“You were listed as your sister’s emergency contact. She’s been admitted after arriving by ambulance.”
“What’s wrong?” Panic threatened, but I pushed everything down.
“We aren’t sure, your sister is going through testing right now, but I wanted to alert you.” The nurse’s calm words only made me feel worse.
“I’m two hours away and leaving now. Please call if anything changes.” I grabbed my purse from the office and locked up the shop. In my SUV, I punched Dare’s number, but he didn’t answer. I clicked off and called Zayn to tell him about my sister and ask him to pass it along to Dare. I hung up right as I passed the Barden town limits. As I ate up the miles between Melody and me, I calmed down and began to feel centered. I was going to her and I needed to get there fast because I would never forgive myself if she died before I’d visited her.
I picked up my phone to try Dare again, but it was dead. Damn. I’d meant to charge it this morning in the shop.
Shit. Shit. Shit. I left my car charger on my kitchen counter, ready for our trip to the lake. No phone. No trip. No Dare.
A couple hours later, I parked in the hospital visitor lot and hurried in the door. The volunteer at the visitor’s desk gave me directions to oncology. I rushed into her room and found her laughing on her phone. She looked fine dressed in khakis and a red top.
Without hanging up, she hugged me.
“What happened?” I frowned at her.
“I’ll see you soon,” she said into the phone, and hung up before she focused on me. “Turns out it was a panic attack. The doctor will be by to talk to me before he releases me.” She clasped my hand. “I’m glad you got here before him, so you can take me right home.”
I swallowed the anger threatening to explode. She couldn’t have called me, my phone was dead, so she couldn’t have called. But there was someone I needed to call. I picked up the room phone and dialed the Marked Man, the only phone number I had memorized.
Rock answered and as soon as I identified myself said, “Lila, you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m here, but my phone’s dead so I wanted to check in. I’ll pick up a charger tonight and call back.”
“Call Dare. He’s—”
“Phone’s dead. Don’t know his number, but I’ll call tonight.”
Melody poked my arm. “Hang up, the doctor’s here. He’s sooo cute.”
“Bye, Rock.” I put the phone back in its cradle.
An hour later we headed to Melody’s house. We’d have been on the road a lot sooner, if she hadn’t spent so much time flirting with the doctor who clearly had a wedding band on his hand.
I pulled into a parking spot in front of a row of town houses. I walked inside her all-white living room. The only color came from one abstract painting over her fireplace. I sat down, and thought about how to tell her I needed to leave. I couldn’t stand an hour more of her company.
“Promise me, you’ll go to the doctor with me on Monday.” Melody grabbed my hands in hers. “I can’t face it alone.”
“I have responsibilities, a job. I can’t be gone so long.” From Dare, I added in my mind.
“You can find any job like the dead-end one you have now.” She waved away my objection. “I’m torn up and I need you—my only family—here with me.”
I remembered the regret that consumed me when I thought she might be dying. I had to face this and find peace with her. I sighed, wishing so badly to walk out the door, but some obligations needed to be tended.
“When’s the appointment Monday?”
She clapped her hands with a huge smile. “At ten, so early. You can be back to Yardly before nighttime.”
I didn’t correct the name of the town.
“Go get your bag, silly. We have to get ready for dinner.” Her eyes were lit with excitement.
“I didn’t bring a bag, just jumped in the car and came.”
What an idiot I am!
“You’ll have to squeeze into mine.” She patted my shoulder. “Not that you probably had clothes nice enough for the restaurant we’re going to.”
She dressed me like a mini-me version of her in a green sweater set too tight for my chest and khaki pants loose in the waist and too tight in the ass, but I didn’t care what anyone thought. I needed to get a charger and survive until Monday.