Page 169 of Damaged Protector

“Hey, Tate. Good to see you.”

“You too, Richard,” I lied, being polite only for Jennifer’s sake. At least the guy was here, unlike our mother. “Where is Jenn?”

“They just took her back a couple minutes ago. If she’s still in pre-op, they’ll let you back to see her. Hold on.” He walked to a phone on the wall, said something into it, and then returned. “The nurse will come get you in a few minutes.”

Relief washed over me like a tsunami. We made it in time. Realizing Mallori was standing a few feet back, I gestured to her, and she approached.

I introduced the two, and Richard shook Mal’s hand before flashing me a curious glance. “I’m just here for moral support,” she explained with a kind smile.

“Mr. Gentry?” I turned at the sound of my name to see a nurse approaching. She was in pink scrubs and had her red hair pulled up into a straight ponytail. “I can take you to see your sister,” she said, and I nodded before looking with concern at Mallori.

Before I could say anything, she gave me a light shove. “Go. I’ll find a place to plug in my laptop and get some studying done.”

Three minutes later, I entered a bay that was surrounded by curtains in an ugly pink-and-orange floral print. My sister was sitting up on a hospital bed reading something on her phone. She was dressed in hospital garb and had an IV hooked up to one hand. Looking up, her face broke into a grin.

“Tate!”

“Hey, babe,” I said, a genuine smile ripping across my face for the first time since yesterday. I sat on the edge of her bed and hugged her slight frame. She smelled like jasmine, her favorite scent.

“I can’t believe you made it this fast,” Jenn said, pulling back and patting my face.

“Mallori got us on a plane that left late last night. We had a layover in Atlanta, or we would have been here sooner.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Wait, did you say we? You brought her with you?” Excitement lit up her face.

“She kinda hijacked the whole trip. I told her she didn’t have to come, but she insisted.”

“Of course she did,” Jennifer said, smugness coating her words.

Wanting a change of subject before she got started, I tugged at the puffy surgical cap that covered her dark-brown curls. “This is a good look on you. Might find yourself a doctor.”

“Ah, yes. One-boobed divorcées with blue mushroom hats are all the rage.” She was teasing, but I could sense the pain behind the words.

“How are you doing with all that?” I asked, taking her hand that didn’t have the IV between both of mine as she rested back against the bed. “I know it has to be hard.”

“You know, just dealing with it. I knew it might come to this. Losing a breast and living is better than keeping it and dying.”

The thought of her dying was like a white-hot poker directly through my chest. I nodded, unable to speak.

“Maybe I’ll embroider that on a pillow,” she said thoughtfully, and I couldn’t help but chuckle, even through my fear. My sister had a bit of a wicked sense of humor, and I thought she’d probably get along well with Taz.

“I’m glad I made it here before you went into surgery,” I told her, and she swallowed, turning serious again.

“I am too. I didn’t realize how much I needed you here until you walked through that curtain.”

Lifting her hand, I kissed her knuckles. “I’ll stay as long as you need me to.”

“Jennifer?” a voice called.

“Come on in,” my sister replied, and the red-haired nurse entered.

“It’s time to go. Are you ready?”

Jenn inhaled a long breath and blew it out. “Yeah, let’s do this thing.”

I pulled her into a hug and held her for a long moment. “I love you, Jenn. It’s going to be okay.”

“I love you too, Tate. Can you please do me two favors?”

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