Around lunchtime, my phone rings on the coffee table, a local number on the screen. Chase hands it to me and sits up beside me on the couch. “Hello?”
“Is this Gabrielle Pierson?”
“Yes, this is she.” I put the call on speaker so Chase can hear as well. He grips my hand in my lap and wraps the other around my shoulder, surrounding me as the lady on the phone identifies herself as an administrator from the breast health center.
“Your results have come back, and the findings were benign.”
“Benign? So everything is okay?”
“Yes, the findings were negative. We’ll want to do another diagnostic in six months at which time you’ll meet with someone in this office to discuss the next steps or if you’re cleared back to your ob-gyn for age-appropriate screenings.”
“Thank you so much.” I hang up the phone and bury my face in my hands.
“Good news, Princess.” Chase kisses myhair and pulls me into his chest. “Really good news.” The relief in his voice is palpable.
“I know,” I cry. “I know it is.”
“Are these happy tears or sad tears?” He strokes my back as I curl in on him.
“I don’t know. I mean who would want to hear they have cancer, you know? But part of me had convinced myself that it was going to be bad news so it’s hard to pivot and feel the relief. That doesn’t make any sense. I’m sorry. Of course, I’m happy. I’m relieved.”
“Nothing for you to be sorry about. Process it however you need to. Get it out.” He moves me to straddle his lap and holds me while I cry. It’s like the dam broke and now I can’t get them to stop. Through it all, he whispers in my ear and rocks me.
“You’re okay.”
“I’ve got you.”
“Let it out.”
“Good news, baby, it’s good news.”
When I sit up and meet his eyes, the love shining back at me makes me cry again at how I almost let this all go. He swipes my tears, kissing each cheek, the tip of my nose. “I love you, Princess.” My eyes close when he presses a kiss to each of them. “Only you.” A kiss to my forehead. “Always you.” He hovers over my lips.
“I love you too. So much. So so much.” Locking my lips over his, I open my mouth to his and swipe my tongue inside, searching, seeking everything he has to give and giving him every ounce I have left. We make out on the couch until we’re both panting for more. Just when I think he’s about to take me upstairs, he says, “You should text everyone and let them know.”
“Now?” I motion to his crotch where a very pronounced hardness is pressed against me.
“Get it over with so we can be uninterrupted.” He kisses the pulse in my neck while I grab my phone.
ME
They just called. Said everything is fine.
IVORY
Thank god!
TAYLOR
That’s great news.
MILLER
How do you feel?
GABBY
I feel dumb.
