Page 29 of Bad Blood

“Sorry about Mr. Dramatic over there. I can’t take him anywhere.” Liam shakes his head and rolls his eyes.

I slide a couple of forms in front of Liam. “Here’s a list of potential side effects. You can read this when you leave, but I have to because of the legal stuff. Here are the major symptoms to look out for. Check the list for the rest. Let me know if you have questions. Symptoms usually start during the first few weeks of treatment and may become more intense with each cycle. I wanted to point out something that’s a little more common with Ewing Sarcoma and isn’t on the list.”

I grab the pen from my breast pocket, draw an asterisk, and scribble ‘focus point’ next to secondary cancers.

Dax leans forward and glances at the folder in Liam’s hands.

“This is why we need to establish the boundaries of what is already present. ES has a high propensity to spread.”

Dax grabs the hat off his head and folds the bill in his hands, pinching his eyes closed.

“We have a sixty to seventy percent success rate with the treatment options I’ve provided.” I give them the only reassurance I have.

“And the other thirty to forty percent?” Dax shifts his weight and sucks in a deep breath, replacing his hat and pulling it lower over his face. “What about that?”

Liam watches his brother and claps him on the shoulder. “We’ve already been through a shit-ton. We can handle this.”

“That’s not the point,” Dax mumbles.

“Let’s do this.” Liam shakes his head and gazes at me out of the corner of his eye, annoyed. He pushes up the sleeve of his sweatshirt on his right arm, tapping near his elbow over the veins.

I chuckle and motion for him to relax. “That’s not how it works. CT scan first, and we’ll start chemo after port placement.”

Lauren enters the room, impeccably timed, and hands me the last of the paperwork to have him fill out. I roll across the linoleum and hand Liam the forms requiring his signature.

He signs everything without a second glance. “Do I get the scan before I leave?” Liam directs the question at me, but Lauren answers.

“Yes, I already have you scheduled for ten-fifteen in radiology.” She scoops the papers off the table, slides them in front of me, and points to where I need to sign. Dread settles into my core at the idea of signing anything I haven’t read, but I think better of it knowing she’s not to blame. I give Lauren a tight-lipped smile and start scribbling my signature.

The voice in my head reminds me I should refer him and tell them I don’t keep cases with patients in his age range who have Ewing Sarcoma, but the similarities between him and Grady tug at my heartstrings. I sneak a peek at Dax and feel compelled to help them because I’ve been in their shoes. And there’s something else—something I can’t put my finger on.

Kline won’t like it, and this would be in straight defiance of protocol, but considering everything I’ve gone through today, I don’t give a shit. These two need me like I needed someone when my brother died. I’m never going to hear the end of this, but I’ll keep his case. It’s not like I’d make the same mistake twice. Besides, I can explain everything later.

A heaviness lifts from my shoulders with my decision.

Liam nods at Dax and stands. “Guess I’ll see you later.”

“The CT scan is on the first floor in radiology. I’ll bring Liam back when he’s done.” Lauren’s voice steals me from my thoughts as she props the door open.

Dax remains unresponsive, staring straight ahead, his eyes vacant.

“See you in a few.” Liam’s gaze bounces from Dax to me and back again before he extends a hand. “It was nice to meet you.”

“If you have questions, please call.” I shake his hand and hazard another glance at Dax before I continue. “I may not be available immediately, but I’ll get back to you before the end of the day, every time. Promise. It’s the people beside you who matter. We’re here. All of us. You two aren’t alone.”

Lauren makes a tiny squeak, and I turn to face her, praying she can read in my eyes that this is a conversation we can have later and not bring up that this isn’t typical practice, and I usually refer cases like his.

Her brow creases with a frown, but she nods. I’m never going to hear the end of this, but I have to go with my gut. And my gut is screaming at me to keep this case. Nothing will change my mind.

Dax is standing, staring at the linoleum beneath his feet. I’ve been in his shoes and know exactly how their lives are about to change. I take a step closer to him, giving him a warm smile when he finally looks up, and Lauren ushers Liam out.

“We’ve got this.” I wait for the door to close. “This facility takes a group approach to ES. The staff will meet all of Liam’s needs. We have a team like no other.”

This earns me a husky, condescending laugh. I accompany Dax to the door. At the last second, he swivels on me, about to ask something, when we’re caught together in the doorway. Oh my, he smells good. He leans back into the room, and I follow his movements, catching us in an awkward dance of back and forth. I glance up into his eyes, seeing the flecks of gold, and stumble over coherent thought as I look away.

“But you’re the best doctor. What’s a team matter?” he asks gruffly, but when I look at him, he’s fighting a smile. My pulse mimics the rapid fire of a machine gun.

“I can’t do this alone,” I mumble under my breath. And I wouldn’t want to if I could.

---