heart had started pounding again, but for a different
reason. I got al kinds of texts and cals in strange hours,
but this one felt wrong, and I didn't recognize the number.
'Ms. DeMarco?'
'Yes, who's this?'
'This is Dr. Philips at the Hershey Med Center. I'm sorry
to cal you so late, but your mother's surgery has had some
to cal you so late, but your mother's surgery has had some
complications—'
I had to blink twice to make sure I wasn't stil dreaming
and even then I wasn't convinced. 'I'm sorry, hold on a
second. Her surgery?'
'The breast-reconstruction surgery had some complica
tions,' he explained patiently, probably used to waking
people up to give them bad news. 'She's running a high
fever and has been hemorrhaging.'
My mother had gone and got herself a boob job. I gritted
my teeth. 'You're her plastic surgeon?'
'Yes. I've been working closely with her oncologist, Dr.
Frank, since your mother was diagnosed.'
I was stil stupid. 'Wait a minute. Her oncologist? I thought
she was having her breasts done.'
'Your mother had a double mastectomy,' the doctor said.
'With a planned reconstruction. But as I said, there are
complications.'
I sagged against the headboard. 'What kind of
complications?'
complications?'
'Can you come to the hospital?' he said. 'I think you should.'
Chapter 33
Leo probably hadn't even gone to bed yet when I caled
him to come sit with Arty and get him on the bus in the
morning. He was there in fifteen minutes. I should've been
relieved to see him, but I was angry, too.
'You knew?'
He nodded. 'She told me a couple months ago. When she
told me to leave.'
'Months? She knew for months and…she didn't tel me?'
Leo shrugged. 'She didn't want to worry you, Paige. Hey,
don't look at me like that. You know your mother. And
she broke up with me because of it.'
He didn't have to tel me that was worse than being kept in
the dark. 'I'm sorry she did that. Why would she?'
Another shrug. 'She said she didn't want to be a burden.'
'Did you try to convince her otherwise?' The question was
a little mean, but Leo took it in stride.
'I love that woman, and I love that boy up there.' He
pointed. 'Hel. I even took a shine to you. I was hoping
she'd reconsider once she had the operation and she saw I
didn't care about the size of her tits.'
