Page 113 of Family Bonds- Garrett & Justine

His parents had to decide…do they do a partial thyroidectomy, or a full one, and if they should remove lymph nodes with it too.

That was the most aggressive approach and he was young. His life was ahead of him.

Do you go aggressive and hope for the best, or not, and deal later?

“My parents decided at the time it was best to do a thyroidectomy and removed a few lymph nodes. They were clear, but it would reduce the chances of it returning. More surgery than needed, but they were being aggressive due to my age and not taking any chances that something would be missed.”

She nodded. “It’s always hard to know what to do,” she said. “More so when you know the risks.”

“Yes,” he said. “You never think it’s going to happen to yourself, your children, or anyone in your family, but that isn’t realistic.”

“You appear fine now,” she said. “Which doesn’t explain why you didn’t tell me.”

“I am fine. Been fine for over two decades. I take my meds, and live as healthy of a life as I can, and it’s all you can do. But I know what it’s like to be told I have cancer. I can relate to my patients and, yes, it makes me more sympathetic and understanding to them.”

He knew what his father did for a living.

No twelve-year-old wanted to know if they were going to die.

If he’d have to go through chemo as his father and mother talked about with his father’s patients.

The sickness. Losing his hair.

His friends judging him, or worse yet, pitying him.

“And I think that just puts more on your shoulders too,” she said. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“How can you say that?” he asked.

“Easily,” she said, throwing her hands in the air. “I told you almost immediately that my stepmother killed my father. One might wonder how you say that too.”

She had a point.

“I’ve had women in the past not understand,” he said. “They worried that I’d get sick again. That maybe they’d have to care for me.”

“Are you kidding me?” she asked, her face visibly angry. “Then they weren’t worth your time.”

“No,” he said. “They weren’t.”

“Don’t lump me in with those women,” she said. “I know I run and avoid a lot in my life. But I’d never turn away from that and I’m hurt you’d even think that.”

“I messed up,” he said. “I should have said something.”

Just like he was purposely keeping his meds in the drawer now rather than on the counter where she might have seen them.

He’d consciously made that decision.

“You should have,” she said. “I don’t want you to think I’m snooping either. There was no more toothpaste. I was looking for it and this bottle was next to it. I should have let it go and am not normally nosy, but guess I just glanced at it when I had to take it out for the toothpaste. Maybe you had an ulcer or heartburn and took meds for that. No clue. Not a big deal either. Just like this isn’t.”

“I know,” he said. “It is to me.”

“It shouldn’t be,” she said. “I’m not sure how many times I’ve got to say that you are there for me and yet you don’t want to let me in to be there for you. That’s not a relationship.”

“Do we have a relationship?” he asked. “You’re the one that never wants to talk about things. About the future either.”

Her shoulders lifted and dropped, her body almost vibrating. “You’re going to turn that into this?” she said, pointing to the bottle.

“Yes,” he said. “I am. Maybe in the back of my mind, you’re thinking it’s temporary so I’ve got to weigh how much I should let you in.”

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