Page 107 of Indiscretion

“Thanks.” She took the papers, lifted her pocketbook strap to her shoulder, and started to get up, but then lowered herself back down to the chair. “I know I don’t know you very well, but can I ask you a favor?”

“What do you need?”

“Will you remind my sister to take care of herself, too, while I’m in the hospital? She’s going to have the kids. Plus, she’ll be worried about me and running back and forth to the hospital, even though I’ll tell her she shouldn’t visit every day. And I’m sure she wants to work sixty hours here because she’s new and cares about you—but also, she loves her work.”

I nodded. “I’ll do better than that. I’ll make sure she takes care of herself by helping her out with stuff at home and making sure she doesn’t put extra time in here at the office. I’ll kick her ass out if I have to.”

Frannie smiled. “Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

She walked to the door of my office, then stopped and turned back. “Is your friend’s health better now? The one who treated you like you had the cooties before going into the hospital?”

My face fell before I could stop it.

Frannie’s fell, too. “Oh,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

I shook my head. “I shouldn’t have…”

She forced a smile and waved me off. “It’s fine. You didn’t do anything wrong. Take care, Dawson.”

“You, too, Frannie.”

I sat at my desk, kicking myself in the ass for a long time after she left. I never talked about Bailey. And the one time I did, I tolda cancer patientabout anothercancer patientwho died. What the hell was I thinking?

Chapter 32

DAWSON

12 years ago

“Dawson, can I talk to you a minute?” Bailey’s mom stood at her front door, holding it open. I’d been on my way home from the bus stop after baseball practice.

“Sure. What’s up, Mrs. A?”

She gestured to the house. “Come in.”

“Is Bailey home? She usually has violin lessons on Thursday after school, right?”

“She does. She’ll be home in about twenty minutes. But I wanted to talk to you alone.”

My stomach sank. “Is Bailey okay?”

Her smile was resigned. “There’s nothing new with her health. I wanted to talk to you about something personal.”

“Oh-kay.” I walked up to the porch.

“My daughter would kill me if she knew I was having this conversation with you.”

“I can keep a secret.”

Mrs. Anderson smiled. “It’s about the junior prom.”

“What about it?”

“Well, Bailey will never admit it to anyone at school, but she really wants to go.”

“I don’t think Ben asked anyone yet. I’m sure he would take her. You want me to talk to him?”

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