“Hello,” Willow answered her phone on the fly. She was looking through her closet to see what she could wear to the opening for the New York gallery exhibit, flying out in three days. She was confident she had everything already sent to the gallery. Gypsy was already in New York, and Willow only had to check that she had an appropriate dress for the two opening days.
“Ms. Perkins?”
“Yes.”
“This is Nurse Julie from Dr. Hall’s office. He asked me to call to see if you could come into the office after hours tonight.”
“Why?” Wanda was so shocked she didn’t bother to temper her demand.
“To discuss the results of your blood work.”
“Ohshitohshitohshit.” Wanda dropped to the floor and began rocking back and forth.
“Ms. Perkins, are you okay?”
“No, but I will be. What time?”
“Will six work for you?”
Wanda saw it was after four and sighed. At least she didn’t have time to stew and wonder. “Yes. I’ll be there at six.” She hung up on the nurse and sat there for at least fifteen minutes before she jumped to her feet and hurried into her bathroom and took a quick shower. Trying to turn her mind off as to why the doctor wanted to see her. She threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and didn’t bother with makeup. Just before she went out the door, she rushed over to the kitchen sink and wassurprised when she lost the contents of her stomach. She cleaned up, went back upstairs and brushed her teeth. She looked at the mess on her bed and decided to go shopping after what she learned.
She refused to let her mind think of the possibilities. Every time her mind flirted with the idea that she wasn’t in remission or her body was rejecting the organ she slammed it shut and pictured how she’d look in a little black dress on the opening night of the art exhibition.
With all her focus on that she pulled into the doctor’s with the mindset that there wasn’t anything wrong, she strode into the office and right up to the receptionist with the confidence she didn’t feel at all. She went with the attitude that she would fake it until she made it. Until she heard directly from the horse’s mouth that she wasn’t in remission, or her body was rejecting the kidney, she’d fake that everything was right in her world.
“May I help you?”
“Yes, I’m Wanda Perkins. Nurse Julie called me and asked me to come in to talk to Dr. Hall after hours.”
“One moment please.” The receptionist picked up the phone and spoke into it. Not wanting to hover, Wanda sat down in the empty waiting room. She had just settled when a door opened, and a nurse called her name.
“Wanda Perkins?”
“Yes.” She stood and followed the nurse. All the time she was on the scale and had her vitals taken she was repeating in her head. ‘Please, not the office, please, not the office.’ In her experience whenever shehad to go into the doctor’s office, and not the exam room, it meant she was about to receive bad news.
“Let’s go down to the doctor’s office. He’s waiting for you.”
“Shit,” Wanda said, and had tunnel vision on her way to the office. She saw the nurse open the door and a doctor sat at his desk. She didn’t see the other doctor in a chair before the desk.
“Ms. Perkins. Thank you for coming in. Please, have a seat. I know we only see each other once a year but I’m Dr. Hall.” He held out his hand, and Wanda took it and couldn’t let it go.
“Just tell me, Doctor, Just rip the Band-Aid off.” When he frowned at her, she dropped his hand and began to pace. She didn’t see the two doctors exchange worried looks.
“Is my body rejecting the organ? Am I out of remission from my Leukemia?” She felt herself begin to get fuzzy headed and immediately pulled a chair out, dropped into it while she quickly lowered her head between her knees, locking her fingers together behind her head to keep it down. She still couldn’t get her breath. Suddenly a man was kneeling beside her with his hand on her back, rubbing it gently, but firmly.
“Slower, take slower breaths, Ms. Perkins. Take a deep breath in, hold it. Now slowly release it. Repeat.” It took a good five minutes before she felt her head stop spinning. She looked up and sighed.
“Thank you, I think I’m better. Who are you?”
“I’m Dr. Carson. I’m going to be your doctor for the next several months.”
“Are you an oncologist?”
“No, why would I be?”
“Isn’t my Leukemia back? Am I out of remission? Or is my body rejecting my donor kidney? Please just tell me.”
“Ms. Perkins. Wanda.” Dr. Carson was still kneeling, and he took both her hands in his. “Dr. Hall called you in because of your blood work results.”
