Page 124 of Love Undecided
Chapter 55
Kat
I wake up late and slightly foggy from three margaritas the night before. Brad is curled up behind me, my back to his front. One arm under my head, the other around my waist and close to cupping a breast. I move to lay on my back, trying to go slowly. His hand moves from my breast to just below my belly button as he rolls the other way to his back.
I peek over at him to see if he’s asleep, his eyes are shut, his chest rises and falls slowly with each breath. I realize I’d better get out of bed before I decide to wake him up with his cock in my mouth. He must have gotten off shift and climbed straight into bed. I ease myself out from under his arm and slip quietly from the bed so I don’t wake him. This would be a good time for soak now while I still have no disruptions.
Now that my creepy stalker is behind bars, I’m going back to naked hot tubbing as often as possible. Starting now.
I lower myself into the water and turn on the jets. As always, the feeling is one of almost immediate relaxation. I still have some unusually sore muscles in random places, thanks to Brad, and the warm water feels good swirling around them.
I get situated in my favorite lounger seat and adjust the jets to hit my lower back and feet. Both have been giving me some issues lately, just a little pain and discomfort. Probably because I have been more active and on my feet more this last week than I have in many of the months prior.
Force of habit causes me to bring my phone with me and set it on the side shelf near the hot tub. I’m not expecting a call, but this last week with Bauer and The Shower Stealer has made me realize that anything can happen at any time.
I’m still clearing my head and stretching my muscles when I hear Brad quietly come outside and leave me a cup of coffee and my pills on the shelf by my phone. I smile in his general direction even though my eyes are still shut. Allowing him back into to my life and to take care of me again has been the best decision I’ve ever made.
I reach blindly for the coffee and bring it closer to my face, inhaling the deep aroma. I’ve always loved the smell of coffee, there is nothing else like it. I take a couple sips, wash down my pills, then set the coffee back on the shelf and get ready for my meditation.
Just as I’ve cleared my head and transitioned myself into a zen like state, my phone rings.
“This had better good; you are interrupting my soak,” I say into the phone, not even looking to see who is calling.
“May I speak to Katarina Walker, please?”
“This is she,” I reply, sitting up and opening my eyes. It’s never good when someone is calling and using your full name to ask for you.
“Katarina, this is Dr. Michaels, I am calling on behalf of your oncologist, Dr. Wilder, who as you know is on vacation this week. I’ve taken a look at your recent scans and wanted to let you know I have some concerns about what I’ve seen and I’d like for you to come back in as soon as possible. Today is preferable, really.”
My head starts to swim, I feel nauseous and dizzy.
“What” my voice croaks a bit and I clear my throat “what did you see that has you concerned?”
I hear him answering me with words likemultifocal, osseous, metastatic disease scattered throughout the lower cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spineandsuspected leptomeningeal metastatic diseaseand my phone slips from my hands and into the water.
Brad comes out to the deck, already dressed for the day.
“Did your phone ring? Is everything okay? Who would call this early?”
The look on my face must have said it all, because a minute later he is in the hot tub with me, fully clothed, and gathering me into his arms.
“Baby! Babe, look at me. Kat, what happened? Are you okay? Baby, did you drop your phone in the water?”
For a long moment, all I can do is just lean into him and try to glean a sense of safety and security from being in his arms.
I’m in a fog.
My brain isn’t working correctly, I can’t possibly have cancer again. I just helped the police solve The Shower Stealer case. I wouldn’t have been able to do that if my cancer was active again. I mean, Brad and I just got back together. Remi has a new boyfriend. There is no way that this is a convenient time for this.
I look up at him, confused. “Did you come in the hot tub in your clothes?”
“That’s not important right now, baby. Tell me what happened.” He sits down and pulls me with him onto his lap and is running his hands along my arms and back.
“I think I dropped my phone,” I tell him.
“It’s okay babe, I’ve got it.” He picks it up from the side shelf to show me. It’s dripping wet. Good thing I got that ‘life proof’ case for my phone.
I take a deep breath, look up at Brad, and say, “That was the oncologist who is covering for Dr. Wilder, the cancer is back. It’s in my spine this time.”
He cups my face in his hands. “We’ll get through this, Kat. Everything will be okay.”
He says it with such tenderness, I almost believe him.
