Page 22 of Forever Your Touch

Viktor stood staring out the window in his office, his face drawn. Something was wrong.

“Brat?”

Viktor turned to face Mason. He was shaking. “Mason, take a seat.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s Papa.”

His stomach bottomed out. His papa had been sick for a while, a cough that wouldn’t go away. “What about Papa?”

“Sit down, Mason.” Viktor went to his desk and pulled out a bottle of bourbon. He poured two glasses, sloshing some over the side because of how badly his fingers shook. He picked them up and handed one to Mason, leading him to the small couch.

“Just tell me.”

Viktor nodded, holding his drink so tightly his knuckles were white. “Mama called a few minutes ago. They got Papa’s test results back. He has stage two lung cancer.”

“No,” Mason whispered, fear taking hold of every part of his body. “No.”

“They’re going in tomorrow to sit down with the oncologists in Russia to work out his medical regimen.”

“He can’t be sick. He’s Papa. He can’t…Viktor.No.”

“I don’t want to believe it either,brat, but heissick.” Viktor tossed back his drink and set the empty glass on the table. “I called Conner as soon as I got off the phone with Mama. He’s flying out tonight and bringing them home, whether Mama likes it or not. We have better doctors here in the States.”

Mason nodded. “He needs to be home, but he’s still on active duty. He can’t just leave his post.”

“Conner will take care of it. He’ll drag them back kicking and screaming if he has to.” Viktor ran a hand through his hair. “We kept trying to get him to go to the doctor. He was supposed to go last year, but then that mess happened in Afghanistan, and he was shipped over there to help out. Mama made him go to the doctor last week when he came home coughing worse than when he left.”

“He should have already retired.” Mason jumped up, unable to sit, and started to pace. “Why the fuck would he go and not check his health? Why wouldn’t the Marines give him a physical before they sent him anywhere?”

“You know Papa, Mason. He does what he wants.”

Mason clenched his hands, fear and anger warring inside. He needed to scream, to hit something, to do something.

“I’ll take the semester off, get on the first flight, and help Conner pack them up and bring them home.”

“No, you won’t.” This time there was some bite to his brother’s tone. “It would hurt them to see you sacrificing your education. You know how Papa feels about that. Conner will bring them home, and then we’ll all pitch in and help. Make sure he does what he’s supposed to. He’ll be here soon enough.”

“Fuck!” Mason put his head in his hands. He didn’t know how to deal with this. His papa, the strongest man he’d ever met, had cancer. Eating away at his lungs. His papa, sick. No.

Strong arms wrapped around him, and the tears burst through. His shoulders shook as he sobbed. “Shh,brat, it’s going to be okay.” Viktor’s voice was low and rough with his own tears. “He’ll be okay.”

But they couldn’t know that. Cancer was a beast of a disease, and there really was no cure. If it had spread from his lungs, chances were they wouldn’t be able to do anything.

“He can’t die, Vik, he can’t.” Mason sounded more like the little kid who’d just lost his puppy when he was six than a grown-ass man, but he didn’t care. His whole world had just crashed down around him.

“He’s not going to die.” Viktor’s voice shook. He didn’t believe it either.

Mason finally pulled away from his brother, brushing the tears from his eyes. “What are we going to do, Vik?”

“We’re going to get him the best doctors money can buy.” Viktor walked over to his desk and poured himself another drink. “Then we’re going to pray and hope for the best. It’s all we can do.”

Mason nodded, feeling numb. He didn’t know how to process or deal. He just stood there in the middle of the floor feeling helpless.

“Why don’t you stay the night? There’s no way I’m going to get any sleep, and you’re in no condition to babysit.”

“No.” Mason finally turned to face his brother. “You and Sara look about ready to drop. You need some sleep. I have Jo with me too. She’s apparently an expert babysitter.”

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