Page 5 of Protecting Salvation

“How long have you known about the tumour?”

Her face held an easy expression and he could see why she was so good at her job. Her patients must love her. She was calm and confident and easy to talk to. “About a year.”

She nodded and took a sip of her drink, closing her eyes and sighing in pleasure. When she opened them she cocked her head. “Type?”

“Craniopharyngioma.” He said calmly like it wasn’t the thing blowing up his whole life.

Savannah nodded once. “That explains the fainting. Low blood pressure?”

Hurricane nodded. “Yep. Headaches, blurry vision, and a few other symptoms.”

“Can I ask why you didn’t come to me? Not to blow my own horn, but I’m pretty good.”

Hurricane snorted. “Yeah, I know.” He paused, trying to figure out how much he wanted to say but then figured it was out now or was about to be. He might as well be honest about it all. “Because you can’t help me.”

“I might. Most tumours are operable in that area.”

He shook his head, stopping her. “It’s not that. Brain surgery can cause a lot of blood loss, right? And my surgeon said it would involve an open craniotomy.” He knew it did but wanted her to confirm it.

Savannah furrowed her brow. “Well, yes, blood loss is always an issue with any surgery but does it have to be an open surgery? There are other ways, and we can always have blood on hand.”

“No, you can’t. Not my blood.”

Savannah watched him, assessing him. “You have a rare blood type?”

Hurricane wiped his hand down his face in frustration, before pinning her with a steady look. “You heard of golden blood, doc?”

Savannah’s eyes went wide. “Yes, of course, but I’ve never met anyone with it. It’s extremely rare. Like only fifty people in the world have it.”

“Well, now you have.”

“Okaaay.” She spoke slowly but he knew enough to know her brain was working a thousand miles a minute. “That doesn’t make it impossible. There are special registers for rare types. We could find you a match. Or we could bank your blood?”

“Doc, I don’t exist on paper anymore. I’m a ghost, remember? Plus, I have mild anaemia, so we can’t bank my blood.”

“Are you on anything to help with that?”

“Yes, I take a supplement.”

“Good, that should help.” Savannah pursed her lips. “It might be tricky but not impossible and let’s not rule out other treatment options just yet. Who’s your doctor? I assume you’re seeing someone under a fake name.”

“Dr Marston at St Luke’s.” He felt his lips pull at her wrinkled nose. “You’re not a fan, doc?”

“He’s okay, but I’m better.”

“That’s quite the ego there, doc.”

Savannah laughed at herself. “Have you met my husband? If I didn’t have an ego, his would overshadow us both.”

Hurricane found himself laughing at that. “True.”

They both sobered and she finished her drink, standing to place her mug and his in the sink.

“Will you at least let me look at the scans?”

Hurricane wasn’t sure he wanted that. It would give him hope and he’d given up on that, but he found himself nodding. “Sure, but it won’t make a difference.”

“Maybe not, but I’d still like to look.”