Page 60

‘Oh, sweetheart, don’t cry. Trust me when I tell you that everything is going to be fine. More than fine. Everything is going to be wonderful. Please let me start at the beginning and listen to me. Okay?’

She nodded, and he gently brushed the hair from her forehead. This time, she turned her face into his hand and her tears dripped onto his fingers.

Connor felt like an absolute louse. He had decided the day that he had first received the news of his cancer that he was not going to tell Dru. It was something he had to deal with himself. He didn’t want to make her unhappy. He didn’t want to make her worry, especially as she was pregnant.

Their eyes met and held. ‘Dru, you are my world. If I’d known what I was doing to you, maybe I would have told you at the outset. I should have told you the truth.’

‘What is the truth? I don’t understand what you’re telling me. Have we lost all our money? Has the business gone bad? Greg’s worried too.’

Connor stood and then sat on the bed beside his wife. She held his eyes as he took both of her hands in his. Before he started his explanation, he leaned over and put his lips on hers. Dru’s lips were soft beneath his and her lashes brushed his cheeks. The dampness of her cheeks clenched his heart. He had hurt her so much.

‘Before I start, I want you to know that I’m better. I’ve fully recovered.’

He felt her stiffen against him as she noticed the circular plaster on his wrist. Her eyes travelled up his arm, from the Band-Aid on his wrist to the bruising inside his elbow.

‘What’s all that? Better from what?’

‘I couldn’t come and see you, because I’ve been in hospital since you were admitted last week. Every time I told you I was going away over the past couple of months, I was in and out of the hospital. When I was recovering, I bunkered down in a hotel until I looked well enough to come home. I was in the study and the office so much between treatments because I fell way behind on work. I know it looked bad, sweetheart, but I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t tell Greg and I know he thinks I’ve lost the plot. I was fighting for my life. For our life.’

‘Why?’ she whispered. ‘What’s the matter with you?’ Connor could tell by her expression that she had twigged already.

‘About three months ago I wasn’t feeling well and I’d felt a lump down below. I went to my GP one morning and he sent me off for some tests and the results were unexpected.’

‘What was it, Connor?’

‘Dr Mulholland has just been to see me. I’ve been discharged with the all-clear. The lump was a non-aggressive form of testicular cancer—’

Dru gasped and he held her hands more tightly.

‘Dru, it’s gone. The tests are clear.’

‘But you had to have chemotherapy, it must have been bad.’

‘I had the choice because it hadn’t spread to my lymph nodes, and I chose to have it as a double guarantee after surgery.’

‘Surgery?’ Her face screwed in confusion.

‘I had one testicle removed at the outset. That was the time I was away for eight days. But it’s okay. Dr Mulholland assures me there’s no reason we can’t have more children if we want. I’m well, Dru. It’s over. She doesn’t want to see me for another three months.’

Dru pulled her hands away from his. One shaking hand covered her mouth and she placed her other hand on her stomach. ‘Why couldn’t you tell me, Connor, I’m your wife, for God’s sake.’

Chapter 27

Darwin Royal Hospital - Tuesday afternoon

Dru

Dru reached back and gripped Connor's hand tightly as he wheeled her out of the lift and into the hospital’s foyer.

Emma and Jeremy were behind them, Emma carrying Ruby and Jeremy with Akasha. The two little girls were chattering happily. Dru closed her eyes for a moment; she was so pleased Ruby hadn't picked up on any of the unhappiness and sadness of the past few weeks.

Connor’s fingers brushed hers as she left her hand on his.

When they reached the main door, she lifted her head and held his gaze, still not used to the gauntness of his face. How could she not have noticed that he had been losing weight? What sort of life had she been living not to realise that he was hiding something from her and wasn't well?

Emma had spoken to the nurses, and they’d let Connor stay at the hospital when visiting hours ended this morning. They talked for hours, and both shed tears, but when Connor put his arms around her and Dru buried her face into the familiar-smelling skin of his neck, she knew everything would be all right.

Connor loved her.