Page 81 of Loving Lizzy

“Nope, I’m done. Can’t say I’ll miss it,” she teased.

“I agree. I can’t wait to get my energy back,” Lizzy responded and pulled out her blanket to cover her legs. When Michael returned, he sat in front of the glass doors to keep an eye on her, and she gave him a little wave and blew him a kiss.

“He loves you very much. I hope you plan to keep him, or I might try to steal him away from you,” Barb mused as she opened the containers of treats.

“Yeah, you’ll have to find your own. He’s taken.” Lizzy grinned.

* * *

The following weekend,Michael picked up Diana and the kids. The two women sat in the sunroom while he pushed Caleb on the tire swing. Lizzy fed Faith while Diana lay on the sofa.

“Did your mom not want to come?” she asked when Michael returned without her.

“I think she’s enjoying a break from me and the kids. She’s probably collapsed on the bed taking a well-deserved nap or watching a TV show without a cartoon involved,” she laughed. “Thanks again for inviting us and giving her a break.”

“I invited Barb. She turned me down again. She said she wanted to finish a book she started.”

“Don’t take offense, she’s a loner. Even at the support group meetings, she sits off to the side. The first meeting I attended; I walked in terrified. I didn’t want to sit through meetings listening to people telling me to stay brave or hear another sad story. I sat next to her and felt her sizing me up throughout the meeting. When it finished, she handed me a cup of coffee, took one glance at me, and said, ‘I’m Barb. The bad news is we both have cancer. The good news is we aren’t alone my friend.’ I don’t know if she surprised me with her bluntness or if I appeared that terrified, she shocked me. Anyway, we always grab a cup of coffee and chat after the meetings. They do help, and the women share inspiring and courageous stories.”

“I’m glad you find comfort in going.” Lizzy sipped her tea and leaned back in the recliner.

“At first, I thought you refused to go because you didn’t want to face it. Now, after meeting your friends, you don’t need to go anywhere, your support group surrounds you.”

“The first time I went through it, I did it alone, like Barb. When I received the second diagnosis, I didn’t want Michael to see me fight it again. His mom died from complications from breast cancer. He convinced me to move here and let him help me. Now, I can’t imagine my life without him and counting down the last treatments. Then, we can begin building a life together.”

“I’m happy for you. I hope to find someone like Michael someday,” Diana murmured.

“Hey.” Lizzy extended her hand to hold hers. “Edie told me something when I first started chemo. I know you practice a different faith, but I think it fits any one of them. Sometimes we’re put on a certain journey. It may seem scary and uncertain, but you’re on it for a different reason entirely. Maybe my journey brought me to you and Barb. I can’t imagine going through chemo without the two of you. You broke the ice on the very first day.”

Diana squeezed her hand. “Don’t tell Barb, you might be on to something. You and Michael saved my family and I’ll always be grateful to you for helping us in our hour of need.”

“I hope you believe it when I tell you after we finish treatment, we want to stay in your lives. We enjoy having you around. It sucked that it took all of you getting sick for us to get you here, but I’m glad we’re friends,” Lizzy told her as she smiled.

She laughed as Michael picked Caleb up in the air and ran around the yard. The sweet boy held his arms out as Michael said something to him. The smile on his face showed pure happiness.

When they came in, he pulled mac and cheese from the oven, knowing Caleb’s fondness for it and chicken pot pie for the adults. Lizzy held the sleeping baby as they ate to give Diana a break. When Michael finished, he plucked the baby from her lap to change her diaper and feed her before they left for the drive home.

Diana’s hand grasped Lizzy’s as her watery eyes met hers. “Thank you for everything.”

Michael zipped Caleb’s jacket and pulled a toy airplane from behind his back. Delighted, the child beamed and ran to show his mom, who gathered up their things. Michael went to warm the car while they said their goodbyes.

“Let me know if you plan on coming to chemo this week and don’t worry if your doctor makes you wait another week. We want you in top condition to fight this.” Lizzy hugged the woman close.

“I’ll text as soon as I find out anything. Keep working on Barb to join us.” Diana ushered Caleb to the car. Lizzy placed the baby in the car seat and played with her.

She watched as Michael swung Caleb up and into his car seat. Diana turned and waved as she got into car. Lizzy shut the door and headed toward the bedroom to try to complete a load of laundry before he returned. She sorted the clothes and put them in the washer and went to gather hangers to hang them as they finished. Her fingers brushed against her suits and dresses and stopped on an emerald, green top she’d bought a week before finding out her diagnosis.

The top dipped down in the front showcasing her cleavage and when she’d tried it on at the store she instantly fell in love. She fingered the tag still attached to the garment. She pulled it down, walked into the bathroom, and held it against her body. She knew without slipping it on, the top would no longer fit as it once did. Tears threatened as she walked to the edge of the bed and sat down. She crumpled the now useless top into a ball and sobbed. It seemed silly, yet at the same time, the grief hit hard. She allowed herself time to miss what she’d lost.

She hung the top in her closet. Walking back to the sunroom, she gathered the remaining dishes from her visit with Diana. She added them to the dishwasher before sitting in the recliner and waited for Michael to return…home. Such a small little word to describe something that meant the world to her.

CHAPTER FORTY TWO

With Carol now engaged to Jake, she planned to move into his home. Knowing Diana and Debbie needed help and support, Carol suggested they offer them her old home.

Lizzy called Diana to discuss her friend’s suggestion.

“Hi Lizzy, what’s up?” Diana answered her phone.

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