Priceless(70)

“Peyton, are you sure this won’t be too much for her?” he asked.

“We’ll have to do a more complete assessment, of course, but I see no reason why she won’t be able to do this,” Peyton told him. “If she’s willing, of course. Is there some reason why she might not be?”

“Absolutely not,” Mack said with total confidence. “She’ll want to go ahead. There’s no doubt about that. I just need to be sure there’s no risk.”

“Any risk is minimal,” Peyton reassured him. “Do you want to call and tell her or should I? We’ll have to get her back in here as soon as possible for a complete physical before we can go ahead with Tony’s intensive chemotherapy and schedule the transplant.”

“I’ll go over there and tell her tonight,” Mack said. He glanced at Beth. “Do you want to come? It’ll probably take both of us to keep her from running straight back over here the second she hears.”

Beth nodded at once. “I’m sure we can convince her that tomorrow morning will be soon enough.” She turned to her colleague. “What about Mrs. Vitale? Have you told her the good news yet?”

Peyton shook his head. “I thought you two might want to come along. It’s because of you that we have a real hope of saving Tony now.”

“Oh, yes,” Beth said fervently. “Mack?”

Suddenly it was all too much. Mack felt this overwhelming desire to shout with joy and at the same time he wanted to cry. He was ecstatic at the promise of a future for Tony, yet fearful for his aunt. “Maybe you should go without me,” he said. “I’m not sure I can hold it together in there.”

Beth reached for his hand. “You don’t have to. This is a miracle, Mack. Even hardened football players are allowed to cry over miracles.”

“Doctors, too,” Peyton said, his gaze on Beth filled with understanding.

“Later, when Tony is out of the woods. Besides, I’ve shed more than my share of tears today,” she said, avoiding his gaze. “Now I just want to get on with things.”

Peyton gave her a knowing look that only another physician could fully understand. Mack wasn’t entirely sure how to interpret it.

“Is there something you two aren’t telling me?” he asked.

“No,” Beth assured him at once. “There’s every reason to believe Tony is finally going to turn the corner. The bone marrow transplant should put him into remission, and with luck he’ll stay there. He’ll be watched closely and given frequent blood tests to make sure his white count stays up, but this is absolutely his best shot at a normal future.”

Mack wasn’t sure whether to believe her, but he had little choice. Besides, he’d endured about all the doubts and fears he could handle for one day.

Upstairs, he hung back while Beth and Peyton broke the news to Maria Vitale. When it finally sank in that her son truly had hope, she ran to Mack and clung to him. He hadn’t expected the emotional outburst, and once again he found himself fighting tears. After a moment, though, he let them fall unashamedly.

“Maria, don’t thank me,” he pleaded, uncomfortable with the outpouring of gratitude. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You got those people to come here,” she insisted fiercely. “And it is your aunt who is the one who will save my boy. With my dying breath, I will thank her and you.”

“The important thing is that now Tony has a fighting chance,” Mack said. “I couldn’t be happier about that.”

“What will happen now?” Maria asked Beth.

“I think I’ll let Dr. Lang explain that to you. Mack and I are going to go to see Destiny and tell her the good news, then prepare her for what happens next.”

As they were about to leave, Maria came to Mack and met his gaze. “Please tell her for me that I will ask God to bless her.”

“I will, Maria.”

Mack was silent on the drive to Destiny’s. Beth kept making halfhearted attempts at conversation, but he was too drained to respond until she finally asked, “Mack, are you having second thoughts about this?”

He stared at her in shock. “Why would I have second thoughts? Besides, it’s not my call. It’s in Destiny’s hands now.”

“It’s just that you’re not saying anything. I was afraid you might be worrying that something will happen to her and it will be your fault. No one would blame you for feeling that way. I feel scared every time I recommend a risky treatment to someone, even if it’s their only hope. It’s a perfectly natural reaction.”