“You don’t need to.”
“I know. I just…” I reach up on my toes and press my hands to his cheeks, his scruff tickling my palms. “I hate that you didn’t have the kind of Christmas you deserve. So, I’m going to make sure this year is your best Christmas yet, and then every year after this one, I’m going to make sure we top the year before. I mean, we’re going to spend every Christmas together from now on, right?” I don’t want to sound presumptuous.
I know he’s as serious about me as I am about him. But I also know he’ll be leaving for school in the fall next year, which means he’ll be moving to the other side of the country, and we haven’t talked about what that will mean for us.
He leans down and brushes his nose against mine. “You can bet your hot ass that we’ll be spending every Christmas together. I don’t want to be anywhere but with you, babe.”
He gives my behind a squeeze, and I giggle. My fingers work their way into his long hair as he brushes his lips over mine, kissing me.
“So, that’s what you would have done this year, if you hadn’t met me? You’d be at Max’s?”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t think he minds you spending the holiday with me?”
“Nah, Max is cool.”
He kisses me one more time before releasing me. I get back to filling the cart.
Christmas is the one time of year I don’t have to scrimp on the food I buy because, as a Christmas bonus, Grady gives us supermarket vouchers.
God bless Grady.
My cell starts to ring in my pocket. I pull it out and see it’s Dad.
“Hey, we shouldn’t be much longer—” That’s when I hear the siren in the background. My heart stops. “Dad?”
“Evie, we’re in an ambulance. Casey—she-she was fine, talking to me about what kinds of mashed potatoes she was gonna have you make for dinner tomorrow. Then, all of a sudden, her speech went all slurred, and-and then she collapsed and started convulsing. She was having a fit, Evie.” His voice breaks, and tears fill my eyes. “The paramedics stabilized her, and now, we’re heading to the hospital.”
“Wh-which hospital are you going to?”
“West Hills.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can. I-I…love you, Daddy.”
He shudders out a breath. “Love you, too, baby.”
I hang my phone up.
“Evie?”
I turn to Adam, and my lips tremble. “Casey…she-she collapsed.” My voice is wobbling all over the place. “She had a fit. Da-dad called from an ambulance. Th-they’re on their way to the hospital.”
There’s no hesitation in him. “Let’s go.”
He grabs my hand, taking charge, and we abandon the shopping cart before heading for the parking lot.
“Which hospital?” Adam asks as we’re climbing into his truck.
“West Hills. Her neurologist is at the UCLA Medical Center, but maybe they’re taking her to West Hills because it’s closer. I don’t know.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll get to her soon, and then we can find out what’s happening,” he reassures me.
Adam pulls out of the lot, speeding as he does. I should tell him to slow down a little, but I don’t because I want to get to Casey as soon as possible.
I press my head back into the headrest, shutting my eyes, as I suck in a breath.
I know what this means. The tumor is back.
I feel Adam’s hand curl around mine. I open my eyes and turn my head to look at him.
“She’s gonna be fine, babe.” He looks at me with love in his eyes.
I numbly nod my head, squeezing his hand in return, but I don’t feel his words.
I’ve been here before, and she got better the last time. But now, she’s sick again, and I have a terrible feeling deep inside that things could be worse this time.
Dad is pacing the waiting room in the ER when we arrive.
“Hey.” I hug him. “How is she doing?”
“She’s having a scan done at the moment,” he tells me, releasing me. “She was conscious and talking when they took her through. I’m just waiting for the doctor to come and tell me what’s happening.” Dad turns to Adam, acknowledging him, “Adam.”
“Sir, I’m really sorry to hear about Casey.”
“Call me Mick, please.” My dad gives him a weak smile. “And thank you. And thanks for getting Evie here so quickly.”
“No problem.”
“Dad…” I catch his attention. “Is it…back?”
He knows what I’m asking. His eyes lower. “I don’t know, honey.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know.”
Adam reaches over and squeezes my hand. I step back into him, really needing the safety and warmth that only he can give me. He puts his arms around my stomach, and presses his lips to my hair.
“Do either of you want anything?” Adam asks.
Both Dad and I say, “No.”
Then, we fall into this quiet silence. We’re all just standing there, lost in our thoughts, waiting for news on Casey, while we’re surrounded by other people waiting on news of their loved ones, too.
Fortunately, we don’t have to wait too long.
“Casey Taylor’s family?”
We all turn at the same time. The doctor looks to be fortyish and is on the wrong side of hair loss but is faithfully clinging to what he has left.
“I’m Dr. Prestwich,” he says, addressing us as a group. “I’m the doctor who has been treating Casey since she arrived here.”
“I’m Casey’s dad, Mick.” My dad reaches over and shakes his hand. “And this is my eldest daughter, Evie, and her boyfriend, Adam.”
The doctor nods at us as a greeting.
“Right. Well, as I said, I’ve been treating Casey. She was taken down for a scan not too long ago, and while she was there, I familiarized myself with her history.” He looks down at the folder he had tucked under his arm. “Now, Casey was diagnosed with an ependymoma, grade two, brain tumor a year and a half ago. She received surgery and radiation therapy, which she finished just under a year ago, and the treatment was successful.”
“That’s correct,” my dad says.
“She’s been fine since? No signs of any recurring symptoms—headaches, tiredness, slurred speech, random bouts of vomiting?”
“No. She’s been fine, like she used to be before the tumor. I mean, she’s had a touch of the flu recently, but that’s it. Today, she was complaining of feeling a bit tired, but I put it down to all the Christmas excitement. She was talking to me while I was wrapping Evie’s present. Then, just out of nowhere, she just fell to the floor and started…started having a fit.”
Dad’s eyes glaze with tears. Hearing his words and seeing the tears in his eyes bring tears back to my own. I have to look away and bite my lip to stop from crying.
Adam’s arm comes around my shoulder, pulling me into his side. He presses his lips to my temple.
“Okay. So, the scan results came back, and I’ve looked at them. I’m not a neurologist specialist, but…there is definitely something showing on Casey’s brain—a shadow. I have spoken with Casey’s neurologist…Dr.…” He starts scanning his paperwork.
“Hemmings,” Dad finishes for him.
“Hemmings, yes. Thank you. So, yes, I spoke to Dr. Hemmings over at the UCLA Medical Center. I have had the scan sent over to him. He wants to have Casey transferred to UCLA first thing in the morning, so they can do more tests. So, she will stay here for the night.”
“So, the tumor is back?” I manage to get out.
The doctor looks at me. “I can’t say for sure exactly what is wrong with Casey without having further tests done. But given her history of a prior cancerous tumor to the brain…yes, it is possible that is the case. But I will emphasize not to panic because, even if the tumor has returned, it does not mean it’s cancerous this time.”
All I can hear is, The tumor has returned.
It’s happening again.
“When can we see her?” I ask, desperate to see my sister.
“Casey will be transferred to the children’s ward shortly. I’ll arrange for you to see her before she goes up. You can stay the night with her, if you wish, Mr. Taylor?”