“Hello?”
“Hey, Paige. Just checking to see how you feel.”
“Hey, Ellie. Still knocked on my ass but not quite as bad. I feel awful that I haven’t been able to come see you guys but I don’t want little Jack to catch anything.”
Something had been off in her voice the past few weeks. When I spoke to her the day she came home from the hospital, she sounded exhausted, but still the same chipper Ellie with happiness oozing off every word she said, especially when she talked about the baby. Now our daily talks were short and overshadowed with an uncomfortable silence. When I’d press her about what was wrong, she just said she was tired.
“It’s okay. Your aunt and mom have been here the past couple of days to give me a hand. You just get better for the christening.”
“Wild horses couldn’t stop me from getting to that church, you know that. Why are they both there? Did my cousin chicken out on changing diapers?” I laughed, but she didn’t laugh with me. There was a long moment of awkward silence.
“Jack . . . hasn’t been feeling too well. Really tired. They came over to help us out so I don’t get overwhelmed.” Her voice trailed off as my heart dropped into my stomach.No. not now. He just had a baby, he couldn’t be getting sick again.
I shot up on the couch and glowered at Evan as I spoke to Ellie.
“How long has Jack not been feeling well?” Evan shut his eyes and looked away.Oh, hell no.I wasn’t going to tolerate being lied to and kept in the dark.
“Just the past week or so. Tomorrow he goes to the doctor for a transfusion, which should make him feel better. Please, Paige, I didn’t call to worry you. The baby just started crying so I better go. Your mom keeps telling me not to spoil him by picking him up so much, but I can’t help it. He’s always with me or his daddy…” Her voice cracked as it trailed off. I couldn’t find it in me to badger her for the answers I wanted. I could, however, go straight for my boyfriend’s jugular after I hung up.
“Okay, Ellie. I’ll call you tomorrow. I love you guys.”
Ellie let out a long sigh on the other end of the line. “We love you, too. Just rest and feel better.”
We said our good-byes, and then I turned to confront Evan. My face heated as I glared at him. He held his hands up in defeat.
“Daisy, I didn’t lie to you. None of us wanted to tell you Jack didn’t feel well and worry you while you’re still sick. He’s still at work, just more tired than usual. That’s why he’s going for a transfusion.” He tried to rub my shoulder but I jerked away from his grasp. I’d never been a fan of being treated like a fucking child or of being the last one to know anything. Since Jack had gotten sick, that was pretty much how I was treated by everyone.
“Aren’t transfusions a bad milestone, like he’ll start needing those more and more just to feel close to normal?”
“Daisy, I don’t know. I’m not a doctor and I don’t know much…”
“Google end stages of Leukemia. It says transfusions are a sign of the beginning of the end.” I took a deep breath as my hands started to shake. My body was absorbing the information it never wanted to receive and was rejecting it. If only it were so easy to make it go away. “I can’t even help them because I’m…” My head fell to my hands as sobs wracked my body.
“Hey…shhh…” Evan pulled me back in his arms and rocked me back and forth. “Look, you just rest, let Jack do what he needs to do, and we’ll all talk about it when we’re together, okay? Let me take care of you for now.” I lifted my head from Evan’s now tear stained shirt and nodded. We lay back on the couch, and I stayed silent as I rested my head on his chest again.
“C’mon Daisy,Grease, Rent,I’ll watch whatever you want.” Evan picked up the remote to search through the movie selections.
“Across the Universewould be good. Maybe you can sing more for me?” My tears were still falling but I managed to meet his gaze and give him a strained smile. My head was spinning and I just wanted to forget for the next couple of hours.
Evan smoothed my hair off my face and tucked it behind my ear. “I would love to sing for you, pretty girl.” I closed my eyes as he kissed the top of my head.
“I like listening to your heartbeat, it’s relaxing.”
“My heart is talking to you. You know what it’s saying?” I looked up and narrowed my eyes at him.
“No, I can’t figure out what it’s saying, weirdo.” I plopped my heavy head back on his chest, which was now shaking as he laughed.
“It’s saying ‘Dai-sy, Dai-sy’” I laughed and shook my head.
“You’re such a goofball.”
Evan kissed the top of my head and shrugged. “Please go back to the doctor for me.”
I turned to face him and ran my hand down his cheek. “Okay. For you. I’ll go. Now come on, Ringo, amaze me again.” Evan tightened his grip around me and gave me a soft kiss on the lips.
“I love you so much.”
I smiled against his lips. “I love you, too.” I kissed Evan’s cheek and snuggled back into his chest.
