Page 7 of The Ties That Bind
Tears pricked her eyes, wondering what he wasn’t telling her. “I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner, Tono.”
There was a long moment of silence on the other end. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
She felt her stomach twist. “You heard what happened to Kylie, then?”
“Marquis reached out to me.”
Brie felt a sense of dread wash over her. She knew with certainty Tono would have flown back if he could. “Please tell me what’s wrong.”
Hearing his long sigh, she knew he was carefully picking his words. “I have had a…physical challenge to overcome.”
Her bottom lip trembled. Her grief over Kylie had consumed her so completely that she’d never sensed his suffering. “I’m so sorry, Tono. Marquis never told—”
“I asked him to keep the news to himself, but I will share it with you now.”
Brie clutched her phone as she quietly sank down on the bed.
“I’d been suffering from a debilitating headache for several weeks but I never had a fever, so I continued to work, not wanting to interrupt our international tour.”
“What’s wrong?” Brie whimpered, holding her breath.
“It turns out I had strep but I didn’t have any of the classic symptoms, so it went undiagnosed. It wasn’t until Autumn came down with it that my doctor insisted on testing me.”
When she heard it was only strep, Brie wanted to rejoice, but the tone in his voice terrified her. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Because it was left untreated, I developed glomerulonephritis. It’s a disease that attacks the kidney.”
Chills coursed through Brie knowing he had donated one kidney to Faelan. “Oh, Tono…”
His voice was gentle but firm. “I am fortunate to have an excellent medical staff overseeing my recovery and I am undergoing treatment right now to prevent further damage. If things continue to progress as they have been, I can return to my daily routine with only a few minor adjustments.”
“Tono, I’m so scared for you…”
“Trust me. It’s harder for those around me than it is for myself.” He chuckled sadly. “Poor Autumn has suffered the most.”
“I can only imagine,” she whimpered.
“I’m in good hands, Brie,” he assured her again. “Do not concern yourself with my welfare.”
She cried, “You are asking for the impossible.”
“Worry has no benefit,” he chided her softly.
“Oh, Tono…” Her voice trailed off, the growing lump in her throat making it difficult to talk.
“Now you understand why I had Marquis Gray keep it from you—and Todd. The last thing Todd needs is to feel any guilt over this unfortunate situation.”
Brie knew it would be devastating if Faelan learned that an undiagnosed condition had put Tono, the man who had donated a kidney to him, at risk.
After losing Kylie, it might prove too much for him to bear.
“I understand,” she conceded, “but I wish I could rush to your side to help you and Autumn.”
“We will see each other soon enough,” he told her in his soothing voice. “Once I recover, and Autumn and I have finished out our tour, we will be free to return to the States.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to continue performing?” she asked with concern.
“It is my goal and my main focus.”
