“Kid had cancer?” she asked, surprised.
“He was in remission,” I offered, confused as to why my voice squeaked.
“It was a pulmonary embolism.”
“Isn’t he too young?” I knew they were rare in kids.
“It’s rare, but it happens. We did everything we could …”
Stopping where we were, I reached out for her arm drawing her to a halt. “I never thought for a second you didn’t.”
“Oh. Okay.”
I was hurt that she thought that, but I understood. Another doctor interfering always got my spidey senses going.
“I know this is unusual,” I started. “But if you’d like, I can tell the family.”
“Why?”
No one ever volunteered to tell the family. It was by far the hardest, most painful part of what we did.
“Because I know them. Because I know what they’ve been through and what this is going to do to them. Kathy and Peter have prepared themselves and braced themselves for this moment so many times over the years …”
“If you’re sure?”
Was I sure? Fuck no! This was going to hurt like a bitch, but it was the right thing to do. It was what I needed to do.
“Yeah. I’m sure,” I lied.
“Okay,” Doctor Jury conceded before spending a couple of minutes filling me in on the details.
Five minutes later, after a quick pit stop to the bathroom to splash some water on my face, I stepped into the waiting room and saw Kathy’s pale face and trembling bottom lip. It didn’t escape my attention the way she was anxiously wringing her hands together.
“Kathy,” I said quietly as I approached, stepping around other people crowding the waiting room.
“Oh, Charlotte.” She sighed, spotting me heading in her direction.
“Is Peter here?”
“He’s on his way. How’s James? Can I see him?” Collecting her bag, a backpack, and a sweater Kathy was on her feet.
Leading her into a private room, we sat down on the couch. “How have you been?”
“He’s been so great. He’s riding bikes. He joined the school basketball team and he’s obsessed with math.”
“Sounds like he’s been busy.”
“He has.”
“And I’m sure he’s not the only one.”
“He definitely keeps me on his toes. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
There was so much love in every word she was saying and everything she wasn’t, I knew I was about to break her heart.
Her phone rang and she dropped everything she was clinging to onto the floor as she went to answer. While she gave Peter instructions on where we were, I picked up everything again. When my hand wrapped around the Batman toy James had cuddled for years, tears filled my eyes. I was trying to be professional and keep my emotions at bay, it wasn’t about me, but fuck me it was hard. Knowing Batman was gone, that he’d never grow up to be the superhero he’d dreamed of being, broke my heart.
Peter fell through the door looking as panicked as his wife.
