his place at least once a day with food. He's not used to being pampered.'
'What about your sister? I know how close you and Sydney are. Aren't you going to tell her?'
'Have you forgotten? She's in L.A. She starts film school in just a couple of weeks, and she's busy getting settled.'
'That's right, film school. I forgot all about that.'
'If Sydney knew about the surgery, she'd come home, and I don't want her to do that. If it's bad news, then of course she and Mother will need to know right away.'
'Yes.'
'But for now it's just you and me. Are you up for this?'
'Absolutely.'
They talked for another few minutes and then hung up. Kate stayed in complete control while she gathered up the papers from the table and dumped them into a laundry basket. She wanted to put it all in the trash, but that wouldn't solve anything.
She still had a little time before the roof came crashing down and the creditors were banging on the doors. There was enough money in the checking account to pay the current bills. When she returned from Boston, she would figure out what to do. She wouldn't tell her sisters about the financial disaster until then.
She turned the lights off and carried the laundry basket upstairs to her room. She put it in her closet and got ready for bed.
She didn't start crying until she was under the sheets.
Chapter Eight
Jordan had never been on time for anything in her life, and today was no exception. Kate was waiting with her bag at her feet outside the airport doors when her friend pulled up to baggage claim. Jordan put the car in park but left the engine running, popped the trunk, and got out so she could hug Kate.
'I'm so glad you're here.'
'Me, too.'
'I knew you'd come.'
'Of course.'
A policeman motioned for Jordan to move the car. Neither Kate nor her friend said another word until they were on the airport exit road heading toward Jordan's apartment.
'How late was I?' Jordan asked.
'Just fifteen minutes.'
She glanced at Kate, smiled, and said, 'You look like hell.'
'You look worse.'
Kate was teasing. Jordan always looked beautiful. Though her hair was a deep auburn color, she had a redhead's complexion. She usually had that ail-American, freckle-faced, Ralph Lauren model look about her, but not today. There was very little color in her face. Even her freckles looked pale.
'No wonder we're best friends. We're both painfully blunt.'
She concentrated on merging onto I-90, then cut over to the middle lane and shot forward. 'I wish you'd move here.'
'I do love Boston, but…'
'I know. You have to keep the home fires burning for your sisters.'
'Mostly for Isabel, and just for a little while. She deserves to have some family at home. Of the three of us, Isabel was closest to Mom, and she's had a hard adjustment.'
'Is she still headed to Winthrop?'
'Yes,' she answered. 'She's very excited. It's the perfect school for her.' If I can come up with the money for more them one semester's tuition, she silently added. 'I'm hoping that going away to college will help her grow up a little. Mom always treated her like a baby.'
Jordan nodded. 'She is the baby in your family, but she's got a good head on her shoulders. She'll be okay.'
'How scared are you, Jordan?'
The abrupt change in topics didn't faze her friend. Her mind worked just like Kate's, bouncing from one thought to another. 'Very,' she answered.
'What did the specialist tell you?'
'I've gotten three opinions, and all of them have poked, prodded, and taken enough blood to fill a bathtub.'
'That's a pleasant image.'
'They have to prepare me for the worst.'
Kate nodded. 'What happens tomorrow?'
'Dr. Cooper will do the surgery. He's gone over all the options with me. He'll do the biopsy… and then we'll see.'
Kate took a deep breath. She knew she had to keep it together. Her friend needed her to be strong.
They were on Storrow Drive now, and Kate stared out the window at the Charles River. The sun made the water glisten.
'We'll get through this,' she told Jordan.
'Yes.'
'So what time do we need to be at the hospital?'
'Six.'
'We aren't going to be late, even if I have to use electric shock to blast you out of your bed.'
Jordan laughed. 'You'd do it, too. Dylan threw a soaked towel on my face once to get me to wake up.'
'Did it work?'
'Oh, yes.'
'Bet you didn't wake up happy.'
'You're right. I didn't. I wanted to get even, so the next morning I threw a glass of cold water on him. He roomed with Alec, and you know what a slob he is, and I guess I just didn't think it through. As soon as the water hit his face, Dylan came off that bed… I still shudder thinking about it. I've never seen anyone move like that. I had my getaway all planned, but I tripped over one of Alec's shoes and went careening into his bedside table. I cut my knee open and started screaming. I think Alec slept through it all, but poor Dylan ended up carrying me downstairs to Mom. I had to have stitches.'
'How old were you?'
'Ten or eleven.'
'You sound like a hellion.'
'I had my moments. Tell me something. How come you didn't want Dylan to know you sat with him in the hospital?'
'I was there for you, not him.'
'Yeah, right.'
'And if he knew,' she continued, 'he'd never let me live it down. Your brother loves to tease and torment.'
'All my brothers like to tease.'
'Yes, but Dylan's the worst, bless his little ol' heart.'
Jordan grinned. 'You southern girls mask your criticisms behind the 'bless your heart' you always tack on the end.'
'Southern girls never criticize,' she said, deliberately exaggerating her accent. 'We are raised to be soft- spoken ladies. We always tell the truth but in a kind, genteel way.'
Jordan rolled her eyes. 'That's a load of…'
Kate laughed. 'What?'
