Chances Are

by Abramson, Traci Hunter

  Trent motioned to an elevator. “We have a suite reserved for us upstairs.” He handed a hotel passkey to Ben and told him the room number. “Go on up. As soon as I find Mr. Magnor, we’ll come join you.”

  Ben took the key, already worried about the upcoming interview. When he looked down and saw Maya’s face, immigration became the last of his concerns.

  Chapter 38

  Maya struggled to find the energy to follow Ben out of the crowded elevator and down the hall. Her energy was sapped, and her mind was whirling. So many times she had dreamed of hearing Ben say the words he had spoken today, but never in a million years had she imagined she would hear them as an outright lie.

  One of the things she had grown to love and appreciate about him was his honesty. Now, the first time she’d heard a falsehood come out of his mouth, it was about the one thing that mattered more to her than anything. As much as she wanted to believe his words, she couldn’t fathom that there was any truth to them. Just that morning they had talked about how they would have to lie to cover up the real reasons behind their marriage.

  They had been married and living together for two months, and not once had he ever expressed such sentiments. The memory of the kisses they had shared just a couple of hours before erupted in her mind, but one private moment didn’t mean he really loved her.

  Her toe caught on the carpet, and she stumbled forward. Ben caught her by the arm before her reflexes managed to kick in. As she straightened, she saw little sparks of light and her vision blurred.

  “Are you okay?”

  She nodded, but the slight movement of her head sent the hallway spinning.

  “I’ve had you do too much today. I’m sure there’s someplace you can lie down for a bit when we get inside.”

  When they reached their suite, he drew out the passkey and unlocked the door. He pushed it open, motioning for Maya to enter before him. She did so, but not before putting her hand on the doorjamb to steady herself.

  His hand on her arm, Ben guided her inside and started across what appeared to be a living room. Vaguely, her mind registered the enormous size of the suite, but the room kept coming in and out of focus. She blinked several times, knowing she wasn’t strong enough to make it all the way to the bedroom. She motioned to the nearest couch. “This is fine.”

  “Okay.” Ben helped her sit down, and she immediately let herself sink into the soft cushions.

  She took several seconds to gather her strength. Then she spoke softly. “You didn’t have to say that.”

  Ben sat beside her. “Say what? That I love you?”

  “I don’t want you to have to lie because of our situation.” Pressure built behind her forehead. Ignoring her increasing dizziness, she forced herself to say the words. “One of the things I’ve always admired the most about you is your honesty and integrity. I don’t want you to change for all of this.”

  She felt him shift beside her, his hand lifting to cup her chin. He turned her face so she was looking at him, and despite her currently blurred vision, she couldn’t miss the intensity in his eyes.

  “Have I ever lied?” The question was direct, and his tone was no-nonsense. “In all the time you’ve known me, have you ever heard me say anything that wasn’t true?”

  “No. That’s what I’m talking about. I don’t want you to start telling lies because of me. I feel sick knowing you would say something that isn’t true in front of a room full of people.”

  His eyes darkened. “Maya, what makes you so sure I’m lying?”

  “Because you said . . .” Her voice trailed off, and her mind tried to catch up with Ben’s words. “You never said anything before about . . .” Again she trailed off.

  “I told you before that I’ve never regretted marrying you.” He shifted her closer and leaned down to press his lips to hers for a tender kiss that left her even dizzier than before. His voice was thick with emotion when he pulled back. “I wasn’t lying then, and I’m not lying now.” He paused, waiting for her eyes to meet his. “I love you.”

  The opening lay in front of her, the chance to step into a real marriage by returning those three little words, yet she was utterly speechless. Her heart flooded with emotion as her pulse pounded painfully in her head. Pain and pleasure. She felt them both keenly and tried to fight back the pain.

  She opened her mouth, determined to share her love, but found herself overcome by another jolt of pain. Her hands fisted as the throbbing increased, and she searched for the simple words she so desperately wanted to give Ben.

  “I . . .” She closed her eyes as pain sliced through her with even greater intensity.

  Concern filled Ben’s voice, and he seemed to understand something wasn’t right. “Where are your pain pills?”

  She put a hand on her purse but didn’t have the energy to open it and fish out the bottle. A moan escaped her with the next wave of pain. “I can’t think. It’s too much.”

  Ben took her purse from her, riffling through it himself until he came up with the correct medication. As soon as Ben stood, Maya swayed dangerously to one side.

  “Careful.” Ben’s hand gripped her shoulder, and he steadied her, shifting her back so she could lean more firmly against the cushions on the couch. “I’ll get you some water.”

  She barely registered the sound of his footsteps across the plush carpet, followed by water splashing into a glass. A moment later, Ben pressed two pills into her hand. “Here you go.”

  Maya mumbled her thanks, placing the pills in her mouth before accepting the water glass from him. As soon as she managed to wash them down, Ben took the glass and set it on the end table beside her.

  “Can I get you anything else?”

  The door opened, and Maya was aware of Trent and the immigration officer entering the room. She tried to look at them, to see the face of the man who would determine her future, but their shapes blurred together, blending into the bone-colored walls. She reached for Ben’s hand, unable to find it.

  Panic shot through her as her vision continued to blur and fade. Apparently sensing her need for contact, Ben put his hand over hers. “Are you going to be okay?”

  It took all of her energy to speak. “I don’t think I can do this.”

  “I’ll help you into the bedroom, and you can lie down while I talk to Mr. Magnor,” Ben suggested.

  Unaware of Maya’s declining physical condition, the man with Trent spoke brusquely. “I’m sorry, but the interview must be with both of you.”

  Weakly, Maya tried to respond, but the room continued to darken, the light streaming through the windows fading until everything went black. Fear snaked through her, and she struggled to find her voice. “Ben?” Her grip on his hand tightened, and trepidation filled her words. “Ben, I can’t see.”

  * * *

  Alarmed, Ben shifted off the couch, kneeling in front of Maya, concerned as much by her lack of color as by her declaration. “Can you see anything?”

  “Everything’s gone. It’s all black.” Her grip tightened on his hand as though she was holding on to a lifeline. Her voice hitched. “Ben, I’m scared.”

  Realizing Maya needed to keep the physical connection between them, Ben turned to Trent. “Call an ambulance.”

  “What’s wrong?” Trent asked, already retrieving his phone from his pocket and dialing.

  “I don’t know. This hasn’t ever happened before.” Ben lifted his hand and put it against Maya’s forehead to find her skin cool and clammy. His stomach clutched as he found himself facing the unknown. Unlike the other two times he’d taken her into the hospital, today he had no idea what was causing the problem.

  Behind him, he could hear the 9-1-1 operator’s voice through the phone asking, “What’s your emergency?”

  After requesting an ambulance and giving their location, Trent tried to answer the operator’s questions. A moment later, he handed the phone to Ben. “The operator wants more details than what I can give her. She told me to go downstairs and wait for the
ambulance so I can guide the paramedics up here.”

  Ben took the phone from Trent with his free hand and watched him disappear from the room. Trying to keep his voice calm, despite the negative thoughts that swirled through his mind, Ben didn’t bother with a greeting, instead asking, “What do you need to know?”

  The operator asked about Maya’s health history, her medications, and any possible injuries. Ben answered one question after another, using his shoulder to hold the phone in place so he could retrieve Maya’s wallet from her purse. After the incident in Cincinnati, she had started keeping the list of her prescriptions there for just such an emergency.

  Ben explained how quickly her condition had degraded in the past few minutes and gave the operator Maya’s doctor’s name as well as what pain medication he had just given her. All the while, he kept Maya’s hand in his, asking her questions as directed by the emergency operator.

  He could see her energy fading, his concern growing with each passing minute. Finally, the door opened, and Trent escorted two paramedics inside.

  It didn’t take long for them to decide to take Maya to the hospital. Ben issued the request for her to be transported to George Washington University Hospital.

  As the paramedics prepared Maya for transport, Mr. Magnor headed for the door.

  “I’m really sorry about this,” Ben heard Trent say. “Can we call you and reschedule after Maya is better?”

  “There’s no need for that,” Mr. Magnor told him.

  Ben stiffened with frustration, his attention now on the man standing across the room. “You can’t hold this against her. It’s not like she got sick on purpose.”

  Mr. Magnor held up his hand. “I’m not suggesting she did. The reason it’s not necessary to reschedule is that I’ve already seen everything I need to.” He took another step toward the door. “I hope your wife recovers quickly. As for my report, I will document my opinion that this marriage is valid and convey my recommendation to reinstate Maya Evans’s permanent resident status.”

  Ben stared blankly for a moment, barely able to process the words. After several seconds, he managed to find his voice. “Thank you.”

  When the paramedics started wheeling Maya toward the door, Ben turned his attention back to what was most important: getting Maya better so he could take her home.

  Chapter 39

  Ben sat in the back of the ambulance, watching helplessly as a paramedic continued to monitor Maya’s vital signs. Ben kept Maya’s hand in his, murmuring reassurances, trying desperately to believe his own words.

  He felt a jolt of panic when Maya’s hand suddenly went limp in his. That panic heightened when the paramedic immediately relayed the change in her condition to the hospital.

  “Patient has lost consciousness. Pulse irregular. BP dropping.”

  The driver’s response was to increase their speed. Ninety seconds later, the ambulance pulled up in front of the hospital, and the paramedics quickly unloaded the gurney and wheeled Maya inside. Ben jogged along behind them. He saw a security guard beside a set of double doors, and for a moment, Ben was afraid the man was there to keep him out of the emergency room.

  The paramedic spoke to the guard as they approached. “He’s her husband.”

  With a nod of understanding, the man pushed a button that opened the doors, granting them entrance. As soon as they passed through, Ben found himself in a swirl of unfamiliar chaos. A doctor met Maya before she had made it into an examination room, the thirty-something-year-old man barking out orders as he walked alongside the gurney.

  Ben tried to shift out of the way when Maya was lifted from the gurney onto another one of similar size. Straining to see Maya through the bodies of medical personnel now surrounding her, he asked, “Is she going to be okay?”

  His question was ignored, and another nurse entered, forcing him farther into the corner of the room near the foot of the bed.

  The newest nurse, a petite blonde in her midtwenties, administered some kind of medication into Maya’s IV, and the doctor began probing Maya’s neck and shoulders. “We’ve got a lot of inflammation here.” He glanced back at Ben briefly. “You said she lost her eyesight? How long ago?”

  “Fifteen, twenty minutes ago. It was right before we called 9-1-1.”

  “The call came in at 4:12.”

  The doctor glanced at his watch. He ordered another medication and reached his hand out, apparently knowing the nurse was ready to give him Maya’s chart. He looked at it for several seconds; Ben hoped desperately that he would find something to help Maya, something to give him the assurance that she’d be okay.

  The doctor’s next words sent his hopes into a tailspin. “Call and get Dr. Schuster’s ETA.” He hesitated briefly and then added, “And you’d better call in the surgeon.”

  “What’s wrong?” Ben asked, panic filling his voice. “What’s happening to her?”

  A nurse was still dialing his number when Dr. Schuster hurried into the room, firing off his own questions that quickly took priority. He began his own examination of Maya, immediately probing her neck, where her tumor was located.

  The two doctors spoke in medical jargon that was gibberish to Ben. Then their words rang out clearly, the meaning stabbing through his heart. “Move her up to ICU. We have to get her stabilized before the surgeon gets here. We’ll only get one shot at this.”

  Ben reached out and put his hand on Maya’s foot before they could wheel her away. “Will someone tell me what’s going on?”

  “Take it easy, Ben.” Dr. Schuster motioned for two orderlies to take Maya out of the room. Ben watched helplessly as they wheeled her away, panic clawing at his throat and bringing tears to his eyes. “Let them get her to ICU, and I’ll explain everything.”

  Ben blinked several times and struggled against his emotions. The doctor issued several more orders and finally turned back to Ben. He motioned to a chair in the corner of the room, but Ben shook his head. Whatever the news, he wasn’t going to take it sitting down, literally or figuratively.

  Dr. Schuster didn’t press the issue. “The blindness Maya experienced is the result of pressure on the nerves in her neck. Unfortunately, inflammation in the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor is one of the possible side effects of her treatment, and it becomes more common the longer someone is on this regimen.”

  “But why did she lose consciousness?”

  “Either the swelling or the tumor itself is likely pressing on the spinal cord.” His expression became even more grim. “Her body is already in a weakened state, and it’s trying to shut down. I think we can stabilize her, but if we don’t perform surgery soon, we aren’t going to get another chance.”

  Doubts and confusion dominated Ben’s thoughts, and he struggled to process the doctor’s words. “But I thought the tumor was still too big.”

  “It’s still larger than I’m comfortable with, but we no longer have a choice. If she gets much weaker, she won’t survive surgery.”

  The words hit Ben low in the gut, and he had to catch his breath before he could ask what he needed so desperately to know. “What are her chances?”

  “I’m not going to lie. Her survival rate has always hovered around 50/50, and her current condition doesn’t help it. Unfortunately, the chance of paralysis is also much higher than it would have been in a perfect scenario.” Dr. Schuster paused as though letting Ben process his words before dealing the next blow. “Even if she does survive the surgery, there is a good chance she could come out of this as a quadriplegic.”

  A whole new set of possibilities raced through Ben’s mind and left his hopes stumbling. What would it be like? A baseball player who spent so much of his time trying to stay in shape married to a woman who couldn’t use her arms or legs? The internal strife continued to wage, but he found clarity within the depths of the battlefield. “Just keep her alive,” Ben managed to say. His voice fell to a whisper when he added, “Please keep her alive.”

  * * *

  Ben stood
in the wide hallway, his fingertips brushing along Maya’s arm as two orderlies arrived to wheel her away. All night he had sat by her side, waiting, hoping, praying she would wake up. The nurses said her vital signs had stabilized, and the surgeon had arrived at six o’clock that morning to look over her case one last time. Now Maya’s fate was in the hands of Dr. Gaunt, one of the top neurosurgeons in the country, a man who had driven in from northern Virginia earlier that morning to spend his New Year’s Day trying to save Maya’s life.

  The moment Ben’s hand lost contact with Maya, he felt his heart shudder with a myriad of emotions. Fear, anxiety, anticipation, hope. He stared at his wife’s face, praying against all odds that she would survive.

  This couldn’t be the last time he would see her alive. It just couldn’t.

  His hand went into his pocket, where Maya’s rings were wrapped in a piece of tissue. The nurse had helped him take them off Maya’s finger when she was admitted, and now Ben could only hope she would wear them again soon.

  Somewhere in the back of his mind, he desperately wanted her to regain her normal life, to be able to do all of the things she had been denied over the past many months of treatment, but right now, in this instant, he was afraid to hope for anything beyond her survival.

  If she suffered serious side effects from the surgery, they would face them . . . later.

  He stood there, watching Maya get wheeled away down the long hallway until she disappeared around a corner. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he didn’t care. Maya was everything to him. The fear of losing her overwhelmed him, swallowing him until he could barely breathe.

  A hand came down on his shoulder, and Ben looked to his right to see Henry standing beside him, his weathered face serious, his eyes also damp. Henry cleared his throat and motioned to a door behind them. “Come on. Let’s head down to the cafeteria. Rumor has it you haven’t eaten anything since you got here yesterday.”

  “I’m not hungry.”

  “Oh, no you don’t. You’re not going to run yourself into the ground right now. That girl is going to need your help while she recovers.” Henry spoke with certainty in his voice, leaving no question as to whether Maya would survive. “She’ll be in surgery for several hours. We’ll be back up here long before the doctor has any news for us.”