Page 46 of Falling for His Best Friend

Cam nodded.

‘How long have you known?’ Kitty was struggling with the fact that Jess’s cancer had spread and yet no one had told her.

‘We only got confirmation three weeks ago.’

‘Three weeks! Why haven’t you said anything?’

‘That was Jess’s decision.’ Cam ran his fingers through his hair, making it even more dishevelled. ‘She thought you had enough to worry about, and then she wanted you and Joe to have some time together where you could just focus on him and you. She knew you’d worry and want to move back in with us. She didn’t want that.’

‘What’s her prognosis?’ Kitty was almost afraid to ask. She already knew it wouldn’t be good.

Cam’s expression was dazed when he looked at her. He was probably in shock and perhaps it was unfair of her to grill him like this right now as he had a lot on his plate, but she had to know. They should never have kept this from her.

‘The oncologist is talking weeks, a few months at best.’

Kitty sank onto a chair in the waiting room and wrapped her arms around her pregnant belly. She hadn’t thought this day could get any worse. She’d been wrong.

Cam was crying now. Silent tears rolled down his cheeks. ‘We’re just hoping she’ll be around to see the baby.’

‘Has she been having treatment?’

Cam shook his head. ‘There isn’t anything they can do except for palliative options. Radiotherapy was suggested but Jess isn’t keen.’

Kitty was stunned. Shocked. This seemed incomprehensible. ‘I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.’

‘I’m sorry, Kitty, but Jess insisted. She didn’t want you to worry,’ he said, just as Anna reappeared.

Kitty took a moment to register her return and another moment to realise Anna didn’t know who Cam was. She stood up to introduce them. ‘Anna, this is Cam, Jess’s husband. Cam, this is Dr Lewis.’

‘Is she all right?’ Cam’s question was abrupt. All sense of the social niceties had gone by the wayside, lost in the concern for his wife.

‘She’s OK.’ For now. Kitty imagined Anna’s unspoken words. ‘She has a pleural effusion. I’ve called her oncologist and we’re going to drain the fluid and hope that eases her breathing.’

‘Can I see her?’ Cam asked.

Anna nodded. ‘Briefly.’

Cam followed Anna, leaving Kitty alone. Even the baby was quiet, which just served to heighten Kitty’s sense of isolation. Was the baby asleep or in shock, like the rest of them? Kitty didn’t know. She didn’t know anything at the moment. She was swamped, drowning in emotion. She was worried for Jess but angry with her too. How could she have chosen not to tell her? Why had she chosen to keep this from her? Cam’s explanation wasn’t good enough. Jess was her sister. Kitty deserved to know.

She sank back down onto one of the plastic chairs, barely aware of how uncomfortable they were, and she was still sitting there, alone, when Joe arrived.

Kitty burst into tears when he walked through the door.

Joe rushed to her side and gathered her into his arms.

‘What’s happened?’

She knew he was expecting the worst and she fought back her tears long enough to tell him that the worst hadn’t happened. Yet.

Cam came back just as Kitty finished updating Joe. His face was ghostly white.

Kitty stood up. Icy tendrils of alarm wrapped themselves around her heart but Cam reassured her. ‘She’s OK. They’re just about to try and drain the fluid.’

Joe stayed by Kitty’s side, offering comfort, waiting until Jess’s procedure was complete.

‘That went well,’ Anna said as she came back to where they waited. ‘Jess is sleeping now. You’ll be able to see her later.’

They continued to wait. Joe held Kitty’s hand but they sat in silence. Kitty was lost in her own thoughts but took strength from Joe’s presence. As always, he was there for her in a time of crisis.

Cam went to see Jess when she woke, and he was looking more relaxed when he returned to fetch Kitty. ‘She’s asking for you,’ he said.

Jess was pale but seemed to be breathing more easily when Kitty entered the room. ‘How are you feeling?’ Jess looked better—she’d lost the blue tinge around her lips—and Kitty needed to know how she was. Any grievances Kitty had would have to wait, now was not the time to air them. ‘Are you in a lot of pain?’

‘No more than I have been for a while,’ Jess replied.

‘Cam said you could have radiotherapy. Why haven’t you done that?’

‘It’s not a cure.’

‘I know, but it might make you feel more comfortable.’

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