“You don’t need to thank me. I wanted to help.”
“But why? Do you always do random acts of kindness for others?”
This time it’s my turn to laugh. “Another first for me,” I admit.
Maddie jumps from my lap when the door opens and an orderly walks in, pushing a wheelchair. I recognize the woman from the photos I saw, but even if I hadn’t seen them, the family resemblance is unmistakable. The woman is looking a bit frail at the moment with a face that’s too pale and a body that’s a tad too thin, but the eyes are the same, just blue instead of grey, and so is the big smile she gives us.
“What did they say?” Maddie quickly asks and then covers her mom with blankets when she’s back in the bed.
“Oh, they don’t tell me anything, you know that, sweetie. I just do what I’m told and wait for the doctor to explain it all.” She pats Maddie’s hand and looks over at me. “You must be the mysterious new boss.”
Even as lousy as she must be feeling, there’s a mischievous glint to her eyes, and I immediately like her. I step closer and hold my hand out. “I’m Volodya. It’s nice to meet you. Although, I’m sorry it couldn’t be under better circumstances.”
She shakes my hand. “I’m Kristy. Thanks for coming down. I’m glad Maddie’s not stuck here alone.”
I’m not sure what all Maddie’s told her mom about me or about us, and I briefly think about playing the part and keeping my distance, but fuck that. I wrap an arm around her daughter and pull her in close to me, kissing the top of her head.
“She’s definitely not alone.”
Kristy smiles and pats my hand while we both ignore Maddie’s shocked face. She’s saved from further embarrassment when the doctor walks in and our attention turns to him. I squeeze her shoulder when she starts to fidget as we listen to what he has to say.
“The tumor isn’t responding to treatment,” he says, and Maddie’s knees nearly buckle. She wraps an arm around me, clinging to me for support.
“What are their options?” I ask.
“Some of them are costly,” Dr. Gibson warns.
“Kristy has a foundation that’s paying for everything, so the cost doesn’t matter.”
Kristy raises a brow at me but doesn’t say anything while Dr. Gibson continues.
“There’s an experimental drug that I’d like to try. I’ve had great success with it in other patients with breast cancer, but it’s not covered by insurance companies.”
I wave the concern of money away. “When can she start it?” I look down at Kristy. “I mean, if you’re willing to try it.”
Kristy smiles and sits up a little taller. “I’m willing to try anything at this point.”
“I can get you started on it today, but I want you to stay here overnight so we can monitor you and make sure you’re not going to have a bad reaction to it.”
After the doctor leaves, Maddie squeezes her mom’s hand and sits on the edge of the bed. “This is great, Mom. I know this is going to work. I’ve got a really good feeling about it.”
Kristy smiles and pats her hand. I can tell she’s trying to remain positive for her daughter. “Honey, would you mind grabbing me a juice from the vending machine?”
“Yeah, of course.” Maddie jumps up and grabs the money I’ve already pulled out, giving me a smile before walking out the door.
I turn to her mom and give her a smile. “I’m guessing you wanted to talk to me alone.”
She laughs and pats the bed, scooting her legs over so I can sit on the edge. She runs her eyes over the tattoos that she can see poking out from my shirt, spilling out onto my neck and hands.
“Should I be worried, Mr. Tough Guy?”
I laugh because I appreciate the bluntness. “Not at all. Your daughter is safe with me, Kristy. I would never let any harm come to her.”
“Her last boyfriend broke her heart.” She fidgets with the IV tube before meeting my eyes. “I’d hate to see her get hurt again.”
“I had the unfortunate luck of meeting Derek the other night. He’s a real asshole.”
Kristy laughs, appreciating that I’m just as blunt as she is. “Yeah, he really had us all fooled.”
