Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Despite the upheaval in my life and the pain I’ll be facing, there is a bright spot on my horizon. I’m still very much in the mix for something good while playing for this team.
CHAPTER 4
Calliope
My phone rings and I consider ignoring it. I have my arms almost elbow-deep in dishwater, cleaning a stubborn pan. If it were any other ringtone, I likely would.
But it’s Brenda calling. It could be something as simple as a chat, but chances are, it’s something more important. With Jim having advanced cancer and an expected decline over the coming days, I can’t afford to ignore Brenda’s call.
Nor do I want to. The woman was my second mother growing up. I spent as much time in her house as mine, and there was a time I thought we’d be related by marriage, too. That clearly didn’t happen, but when Rafe broke up with me, it didn’t chill my relationship with his parents at all. If anything, it made it stronger. For the longest time after Rafe left to play professional hockey, I leaned on them because I missed him so badly. Throughout the years, our bond has continued to grow and develop, even as I moved on with my life. Despite the passage of time, Brenda is still like my second mom. She’s also one of my mom’s closest friends, and I love her dearly.
So of course I’ll answer the phone. I quickly dry my arms and hands and nab the cell by the fourth ring, just before my voicemail picks up. “Brenda…hey…what’s up?”
“It’s Jim,” she says, and there’s no disguising the worry in her voice. “He’s having a hard time breathing, and I don’t know what to do.”
“What do you mean by hard time breathing?” I ask her, placing a palm on my kitchen counter.
“It’s labored. There’s a wheezing sound. And he’s sort of lethargic.”
“He probably needs to go to the hospital,” I suggest.
While I don’t mention the medical specifics, Jim is at the precipice of where his body will start betraying him. With the cancer having spread to his lungs, this is an expected symptom. But his other organs will also begin shutting down as they fight the unwinnable battle against the cancer. He’ll need medical intervention to help make him more comfortable.
“He won’t go, Calliope.” She sighs, and I can just envision her pinching the bridge of her nose. It’s what she does when she’s frustrated. “And Rafe isn’t here. If he were, maybe he could talk some sense into his dad.”
“Tell you what,” I say as I move through my apartment to the foyer, where I grab my purse and keys. “Let me come over and take a look at him. If he needs the hospital, we can call an ambulance. How does that sound?”
“Okay, yes,” she breathes out in relief. “I’d appreciate it so much. I hate to bother you with—”
“It’s never a bother, Brenda,” I cut her off sharply. “Never. You call me, no matter what.”
My heart almost breaks when all I hear through the line is a tiny hiccup of a sob.
“I’m on my way,” I assure her.
I live nearby in an apartment complex just a few miles down the road. I chose the location because not only is it convenient for the hospital I work in, but it’s also near my parents, who I’m incredibly close to. I eat dinner with them several times a week, and before Jim got sick, he and Brenda would sometimes join us.
I arrive at the Simmonses’ house in less than five minutes. Brenda meets me at the front door and murmurs, “He’s probably going to be angry I called you.”
“I’m not worried about that,” I assure her as I follow her up to the main level of the house. We turn left and move to the end of the hallway where their master bedroom is located.
The blinds are closed, and the interior is dim. Brenda moves around the bed to where Jim is lying on the far side and turns on the bedside lamp that has been draped with a fringy shawl to keep the light subdued.
She touches his shoulder and gives a gentle shake. “Jim… Calliope’s here. She wants to check on you.”
Jim’s eyes flutter open, and he takes in a breath. I can hear the wheeze from across the room. He narrows his gaze on his wife a moment before his head turns my way. “I’m fine,” he mutters and then looks back to Brenda. “You didn’t need to bother her.”
“Let me just take a look at you, Jim,” I say as I move around the bed. Brenda steps out of my way, and I lean over, placing a hand on his forehead to see if he’s running a fever.
In this moment, I’m only a family friend taking a look to render a non-medical opinion. I can’t operate as a nurse, as his condition is outside my field of expertise. While I don’t mind helping the family with decisions and talking things through, I can’t give any type of expert opinion on his condition. Brenda probably doesn’t really understand that, and I might need to clarify it at some point.