Second Chances in Lavender Bay (The Lavender Bay Chronicles #3)

10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

A ngie arrived fifteen minutes early for her appointment with Dr. Acker the following morning. She took a seat in the waiting room after checking in at reception but didn’t bother with the magazines on the table. There was no way she’d be able to focus. She hunched forward in her seat, her arms crossed against her belly, bouncing her knee up and down, like she had a restless leg.

The office had already been open an hour, and the waiting room was packed. She hoped it wouldn’t be too long; she didn’t think her nerves could handle it. She’d been awake most of the night after spending the evening googling everything to do with breast cancer and treatment. She’d gone over every possible scenario in her head. If it was cancer—and to her that seemed a foregone conclusion—what would that entail? Surgery? A lumpectomy? A mastectomy? Chemotherapy and radiation? When would she have time for any of that? Especially the surgery part. That would require hospitalization, which would mean she wouldn’t be there to run the café. She’d already taken a day off for the biopsy; she was at her quota for the year.

“Evangeline Cook.”

Deep in thought, Angie startled but jumped out of her chair, anxious to get the visit over with and hear the bad news. She followed the nurse and was led to an exam room and asked to take a seat.

With a smile, the nurse said, “Dr. Acker will be with you shortly.” And she slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

It was fifteen minutes before the door burst open and Dr. Acker appeared. She was a middle-aged woman who had about ten years on Angie, and she was slightly breathless. Her dark hair was liberally streaked with gray. Her cheekbones were prominent, and her eyes were dark, and it could be said that she was more handsome than pretty.

“Angie!” her voice reverberated throughout the room, seeming unnaturally loud. She gave her a quick smile and rolled the wheeled stool out from under the counter and sat, pulling a pair of readers from the pocket of her white lab coat and putting them on.

“Okay, I’ve got the biopsy results.” She paused, which irritated Angie. She wished she would get on with it. Dr. Acker clicked a few buttons on the laptop and said, “The lump has come back positive for malignancy.”

Angie slumped in the chair, sagging.

Cancer?

How could that be? That was something that happened to other people.

Dr. Acker continued to read the radiologist’s impression from the report, but Angie did not hear any of it. Cancer was a big word. Any words coming after it were too small to get around the biggest one of them all.

“What happens now?” Angie asked.

“I’m referring you to an oncologist, and he’ll discuss your treatment options.”

“Will I have to have a mastectomy?” she asked. She’d only recently turned forty; how could this be?

“The oncologist will go over a treatment plan with you. I won’t say what that will be, because I don’t want to give you the wrong information.”

“Will I have to wait long for an appointment?”

“No, not at all. I’m here if you need me,” Dr. Acker said, standing up.

Angie nodded. She was pretty sure that as soon as the doctor left, she’d have all sorts of questions. But at present, her mind was blank.

She followed the doctor out of the room, paid her copay at the desk, and informed the receptionist that she did not need a follow-up appointment.

In a daze, she walked out of the Lavender Bay Medical Center and walked right past the lot where she’d parked her car, not even thinking about it. She kept walking, not seeing anything, and if she had to recall her route later, she would not be able to do so. She headed in the direction of Coffee Girl, but it didn’t seem to register with her. All she kept thinking was, “I have cancer.” But it wasn’t sinking in.

Tom stood out front of Java Joe’s with Everett, arms folded over his chest, having a laugh. Everett was smiling. Tom threw his hand up in a wave and said, “Hey, Evangeline.”

“Hi, Aunt Angie,” Everett called out.

She lifted her hand halfway and said flatly, “Hi, Tom. Hi, Everett.”

She walked right past Coffee Girl, unaware of Tom staring after her. She continued walking, ignoring the nippy air and the soft snowflakes that fell in slow motion. Not seeing all the Halloween decorations that adorned the shop fronts. She did not notice Rufus the bloodhound sitting in the front window of her aunt’s antique shop, Prime Vintage, or the crunch of leaves beneath her feet. Did not realize she’d left her fleece jacket hanging up in the medical center waiting room.

She came to a stop in front of her mother’s house on Heather Lane and stood on the sidewalk, feeling comforted by the familiar. The house was painted the same shade it had always been, for as long as she could remember, and the small front porch was decorated the same way it had been every October in recent years: A tall, rectangular black slate “Welcome” sign leaned against the corner. An autumn wreath in browns, maroons, and oranges hung on the door. And on each step leading up to the porch sat a small orange pumpkin.

The need to see her mother was strong. She supposed no matter how old you got, there were always times when you wanted your mother. Despite her spiky personality, Angie Cook was no exception to this rule. Crossing her arms over her chest and shivering, she walked up the steps to the porch and pushed through the front door.

From the kitchen came the sound of voices. Did her mother have friends over? She hoped not. But someone laughed and instantly, she recognized the voice as belonging to her sister Nadine.

She reached the kitchen doorway and froze in place, unsure how to proceed. Her mother sat at the table with Maureen and Nadine. They couldn’t hide the surprise on their faces at seeing her.

“Angie, what are you doing here?” Louise asked, smiling.

“Where’s your coat? It’s freezing outside.” This from Maureen, who would forever be the bossy older sister.

Nadine’s oversized dog, Herman, stood from underneath the table, bumping his back on the underside of it as he lumbered out and approached her, tail wagging.

“Hello, handsome,” Angie said, lavishing him with affection. His tail wagged harder.

They were all staring at her and finally, Nadine asked softly, “What’s wrong?”

Angie started shaking, opened her mouth but no words came out. She didn’t know what to say or how she could tell them.

Her mother and her sisters jumped up from the table and circled around her. Even Herman nudged his nose between Nadine and Maureen to get closer to her, sensing her distress.

“What’s happened?”

“Are you hurt?”

“Were you in an accident?”

“You’re shivering. Let me get you a sweater,” Louise said, heading to the front hall closet. She returned with a heavy cardigan and held it out for Angie to slip into. They led her to the table, where Maureen handed her a tissue so she could wipe her nose, which was cold and runny. As she sat, Nadine poured her a cup of coffee and set it down in front of her.

Once they were all seated around the table, Louise said, “Now, tell us what’s going on. You’re as white as a ghost.”

Angie looked around at the concerned faces of her mother and her sisters. “I just found out I have breast cancer,” she said.

Her mother blinked and gasped. Nadine threw her hand to her mouth, and Maureen sat there with her mouth hanging open. Then came the volley of questions.

“When?

“How do you know?”

“Are you sure?”

“When did this happen?”

“Have you been to the doctor?”

She nodded, cradling the warm coffee cup in her hands, and slowly poured out the story of her first mammogram, the suspicious mass, and the follow-up biopsy. She concluded with an account of her earlier appointment with Dr. Acker.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Louise asked, her face full of worry.

Angie had anticipated this question. “Because I didn’t want you to worry about it until I knew for sure. What if it had turned out to be nothing?”

Nadine began to weep. Maureen reached over and placed a gentle hand on her arm and gave her a reassuring rub.

Although Angie wasn’t a crier, she certainly felt like it. Her chin quivered, but she reined it in.

“What happens now?” Maureen asked.

“I’m waiting for an appointment with an oncologist, who’ll go over my treatment options.”

“Don’t wait for it. Call them and see if you can get in as soon as possible,” Louise suggested. “In fact, insist on it.”

Angie didn’t want to be that patient.

“Will you have to do chemotherapy and radiation?” Nadine asked, wiping her eyes with a tissue.

Angie shrugged and sipped her coffee. Between the hot coffee and the heavy sweater, she was beginning to warm up. “I won’t know anything until I see the oncologist.”

“I’m going with you,” her mother said.

Before she could protest, Maureen and Nadine chimed in. “Me too.”

She held up her hand and said, “Not necessary.”

“It’s good to have someone with you. At least one person, because you won’t remember everything the doctor tells you,” Louise said knowingly.

Angie supposed that was true. After all, she couldn’t recall anything Dr. Acker had read from the biopsy report earlier that morning.

“It isn’t necessary for all of you to go,” she said.

But they ignored her.

“I’ll drive,” Maureen said.

“As soon as you find out the date and time, let us know,” Nadine said.

Angie sighed. It was a losing battle. They weren’t listening. But she lacked her usual energy to fight with them.

Her mother stood. “I’ve got some nice salami,” she said. “I’ll make you a sandwich.”

“Mom, you don’t have to do that,” Angie said. She hadn’t eaten her breakfast yet, and salami was her favorite, but she didn’t want to see her mother going to any trouble.

But Louise was already pulling a deli bag out of the refrigerator along with a jar of Weber’s mustard. It didn’t take her long to make a sandwich, and she did a half turn and asked Maureen and Nadine, “Would you like one, girls?”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Sure.”

In the end Louise made four, one for each of them. Nadine brewed another pot of coffee.

As she finished the last bite of her sandwich, Angie said, “I really have to get back to work.”

“Work?” Maureen repeated.

“You can’t go back to work,” Louise protested.

“Why not?” Angie asked. What was she supposed to do, climb into bed and wait? That wasn’t how she operated.

“You should go home and take it easy,” Nadine said.

“But I don’t feel sick,” Angie said. “And I don’t know what kind of treatment I’ll need, and I’ll probably have to take some time off then.”

“Did you get things straightened out with Melissa?” Maureen asked.

“I did. We’ve come to an agreement,” Angie said, deciding to keep it vague. But at the same time, in light of her recent news, it was a big relief to think she’d be able to rely on her assistant manager.

“Will you let her utilize her skills?” her mother asked. So much for keeping it vague.

“Yes.”

“Good girl,” Louise said.

Finally, Angie stood. If she didn’t get going soon, she’d never get to Coffee Girl. She was sure her employees were wondering what had become of her.

“I really have to go,” she said.

“Okay, but I’ll talk to you later,” Louise said.

Angie scratched her head. “Can someone drive me back to the doctor’s office? I left my car and my jacket there.”

Both Maureen and Nadine jumped up.

“I’ll do it,” Nadine said to Maureen. “You have a work appointment.”

Maureen waved her off. “I can be late.”

Angie made the final call, or they’d be debating about it all day. “Okay, Maureen, go to work. Nadine, thanks for the ride. Mom, I’ll return your sweater later.”

“You can keep it,” Louise said.

They all walked to the front door.

“Come on, group hug,” Louise said with outstretched arms.

Angie rolled her eyes but stepped forward into her mother’s warm embrace. Her sisters joined in. They broke away laughing.

Her mother placed her hands on either side of Angie’s face and smiled, just like she used to do when she was a kid. “Everything is going to be all right, you’ll see.”

More than anything, Angie wanted to believe her.