Page 95 of Dublin's Danger Dancer

“The technical term for what Miss Ahern is suffering from is Peritoneal Mesothelioma.”

“What the feckin’ hell is that?” He asks.

“Ciara has a growth in a layer of tissue in her stomach. Now it’s very early. We have been treating her successfully for over two years.”

“You’ve known about this for two years? And you’ve been stripping with cancer? Are you completely off your feckin’ head?” Liam turns to the doctor. “Doctor, has she had a psychological evaluation? She’s not making smart choices for herself. Surely there’s something you can do to help her?”

“Mr O’Shaughnessy. The treatments and her activity levels are keeping the disease at bay. But there have been small progressions, which we must tackle.”

Liam threads his hand through mine as if I had never been spying on him to send him to prison. Water rims his lower lashes.

“So you can’t have the baby with this condition?” He says, his lower lip trembling.

“She could, but it would be very risky for her. There is a fifty-fifty chance with this she should make it and the baby would have to be delivered by caesarean. And she’d have to be monitored daily as the pregnancy progresses to see what impact it’s having on her condition.”

Liam squeezes my hand as several heavy tears drip down his face.

“Why don’t you tell me any of this? I’d been there for you. I’d have helped you.”

“There’s nothing that can be done.” I say returning his squeeze.

The doctor sucks in a sharp breath and stacks his fingers together on top of the table. “Well, as I explained, there are some promising treatments in America.”

“What treatments?” asks Liam, practically jumping out of his chair like he is being electrocuted.

“There are two drugs, one called Terra and the other called Gemcitabine. They’re having significant results and they’re safe during pregnancy.”

“Then we go to America.”

“It’s Miss Ahern’s decision.”

“Ciara, you’ve got to want to do this?” Liam asks.

“Why don’t we talk about this in private?” I say.

“When can we go to America?” Liam asked the doctor

“I can make some calls. You could be there in a few days.”The doctor clears his throat. “I guess you know that it’s going to be very expensive?”

“I’ve saved a lot on legal bills, so there’s money,” Liam says, a small smile appearing at the corners of his lips.

He tries to help me from my chair as I get up.

“I can walk Liam. I’m not—” I stop because I am dying. It is a terminal condition but I can walk.

“Thank you, Dr Choo,” I say, shaking his hand. “I’ll be in contact.”

“Thank you, Doctor. And sorry about bursting in like that.”

“Maybe you’re the miracle she needs,” he says.

Liam shakes his hand vigorously and turns towards me to leave. We are barely out of the doors before he’s on one knee, tears rolling down both cheeks, speaking at speed about how he doesn’t want me to die, and how he wants us to get married and have the baby.

“So, marry me, marry me please Ciara.”

“Stand up you idiot,” I say, as passer-by gawp at us.

“Isn’t it enough that you just got off thirty-five years in prison today?”

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