Page 1 of Finding A Wife for My Husband

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Faith

Faith had beenthrough this enough times to know the news wouldn’t be good when her doctor asked her to come in. Almost five years had passed since her third battle with lymphoma, but no amount of time would make her forget the symptoms. When she couldn’t deny the pain, coughing spells, and tiredness anymore, she made that dreaded appointment and hoped her body was just playing tricks on her, but Faith was prepared either way.

“It’s back,” Doctor Ryan informed, voice low and eyes sad.

This fourth time around, Faith didn’t even have the energy to react. To feel anything but the tiredness that had been consuming her for the past few months.

“What stage?” she asked softly. “And where?”

The first time, it was directly in the center of her chest. The second time, it was closer to her heart. The third time, it was more under her arm. This time… it was in her left lung, which would explain the constant coughing and chest pain.

With a tired sigh, Faith’s head dropped. A tear fell as Doctor Ryan squeezed her shoulder gently. He’d become a second father figure to her, not just offering her help physically but praying for her and keeping her uplifted spiritually and emotionally as well. This time, though, Faith didn’t see anything or anyone making this battle easy or one she wanted to fight… not even her husband, Sincere.

The doctor’s words went in one ear and out of the other as he gave the usual spiel, telling her that she’d need to start scheduling her chemo appointments quickly if she didn’t want surgery and what to look out for to ensure she got to the hospital as quickly as possible if she gained any blood clots. All Faith did was nod, knowing already that she wouldn’t put her body through another surgery or round of chemo. A part of her hated even knowing the cancer had come back, because now, it would be on her mind on a daily basis. If it was going to kill her, she’d at least want to go in ignorant bliss.

After leaving her appointment, Faith went downtown to her usual hideaway spot. The alley was often filled with cars whose owners needed a brief escape. While some smoke or drank, others listened to music or cried. Faith wanted to do all of the above, but she just stared into the sky instead. For her name to have been Faith, she was starting to have less and less of it. It was hard to have faith in a God that seemed to be punishing her for merely living.

All of her life, she’d tried to live a life that was pleasing to God. It didn’t matter how many times she was told He gave His toughest battles to His strongest warriors… this battle would always make her want to be weak. How was she supposed to have faith as she fought against her own body?Repeatedly? Faith was sure God was trying to take her out, and this round, she might let Him win.

With a shaky breath, Faith pulled her phone out and called her and her husband’s best friend, Keisha. She smiled, thinking about how she and Sincere had met. They were all in college, and Keisha was supposed to have a blind date. Because she had to work a double shift, she asked Faith to go in her stead and get a feel for him. Faith ended up having such a good time with Sincere that she took him to Keisha’s job so they could meet. They ended up hanging out after her shift, but there was no doubt in Keisha’s mind that Sincere was a better fit for Faith than herself.

They all became friends, and eventually, Keisha began to date Sincere’s best friend, Pierre, which was how they all kept in touch. Even though Keisha saw something between them, Faith was too loyal to date Sincere. When they graduated college, Faith went on to marry and conceive, but when she won her first battle with cancer, she lost her first child and hadn’t had any others since.

Faith remained married to Jaxon for three years before they split, which, ironically, was the same time Sincere returned to Memphis. They started as friends again but eventually became more. After a year of dating, Sincere proposed. They were married a year later and had been happy ever since.

Though Faith had shared a few details about why her first marriage ended with Sincere, she hadn’t been completely honest with him. She hadn’t told him that her sickness created a wedge between them that caused Jaxon to cheat. That when she needed him most, he was most concerned withhisneeds and wants. How that whole through sickness and health thing was just fluff for their vows, not something he actually meant.

Five long years.

Five long years had passed, and Faith thought she wouldn’t have to deal with this again. How was she going to break this to her husband?

“Doctor Evans’ office,” Keisha’s receptionist answered.

“Hi, is Doctor Evans available?”

“May I ask who’s calling and what this is in reference to?”

“It’s Faith.”

Faith heard the smile in her voice when she said, “Oh, hi, Faith! Your timing is perfect. Her last patient for the afternoon just left, so she should be in her office.”

Faith nodded as she sniffled. “Great.”

“One second.”

“Okay.” Head resting against her seat, Faith closed her eyes as she waited to hear her best friend’s voice. Keisha was the OBGYN that shared the great news about her baby, and she was also the one who helped her mourn the loss.

“This is Doctor Evans.”

“Hey, it’s me,” Faith spoke, forcing herself to sound better than she felt.

“Hey, boo. What’s up?”

Faith’s tongue ran across her teeth as she tried to find the right way to tell her friend the news. More than anything, Faith was worried about how her family would react. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt them and have them worrying over her again. And it was that thought that caused her to say…

“Do you have any lunch plans? I have the rest of the day off and was going to swing by.”

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