by Mona Ingram
“Hi,” she said, stepping out of the elevator. Jodi was behind the counter, peering at a computer screen. “Do you have time for lunch?”
Her friend’s eyes narrowed for just a moment. Ariana wouldn’t ask her to leave the studio at this time of day unless there was a good reason, and Jodi knew it. “Sure. I’ll just go and ask Chrissy to keep an eye on the desk.” She came out from behind the counter and spoke to a young woman who was working with a client. “All right, let’s go. It’ll have to be somewhere informal with me dressed like this, but something tells me you don’t care.” Jodi’s built-in radar rivaled that of NORAD; Ariana had given up trying to keep anything from her a long time ago.
“Hi Trang.” Jodi greeted the diminutive Vietnamese man with a broad smile. “Is that little table out on the balcony available?”
The owner smiled and led them outside. The sheltered table was perfect for a quiet conversation. “Do you think we could have a couple of bowls of that delicious noodle soup you gave me last time?” she asked before he scurried away. “And a pot of tea, please.”
They sat and she turned to Ariana. “Sorry to take over like that, but now we won’t be bothered with people shoving menus in our face.” She took a good look at her friend. “Speaking of faces, you look like hell. Spit it out.”
A float plane pulled away from a nearby dock, offering a moment’s reprieve. If Ariana didn’t put it in words, it didn’t exist... right? The sound faded away and she raised her eyes to meet Jodi’s determined stare. “I have breast cancer.”
Jodi’s only response was a slight tightening around the mouth. A few silent moments later, Ariana wondered if she’d actually said the words out loud. But she knew her friend well, and waited.
“Okay,” Jodi said at last. “We’ve got this, right?”
Ariana nodded. “Right.”
She relayed everything the doctor had told her, watching as Jodi took the information on board. For all her tough girl exterior, Jodi had an analytical mind. “So we don’t really know where you’re at until you see the oncologist.” She nodded, waiting for her friend to agree.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“And then we’ll really know where we’re at.”
Ariana closed her eyes for a moment and some of the tension drained from her shoulders. There had been many times during their long friendship that she had resented Jodi’s inclination to take over, but today she was grateful. When Jodi said “we”, anything became possible, and for the first time since leaving the doctor’s office, Ariana felt a glimmer of hope.
“They’ll want Jeremy to go to the oncologist’s office, of course.” Jodi cut to the chase. “I’d go with you, you know that, but it should be him. It’s going to be tough, so if he hears the details from the doctor, at least he can’t accuse you of exaggerating or whatever.”
“That wasn’t nice.”
Jodi brushed off her objection with a wave of her hand and leaned both elbows on the small table. “Listen to me, my friend. This is your life we’re talking about, so no more bullshit about Jeremy Logan, okay?” She looked up as their server brought tea and poured. Then she glared into the teacup as though it had personally offended her. “Before you ask, it’s nothing I’ve heard. Quite the opposite, in fact. It’s what I haven’t heard.” She took a deep breath. “I haven’t heard you mention Jeremy in that lovey-dovey voice for a couple of years now. You already know I’m not crazy about the man, but he’s your choice, and I decided a long time ago to keep my mouth shut about him. But this is about more than hurting your feelings by forgetting your anniversary.”
Ariana looked up sharply, but Jodi continued. “I didn’t mention it because what would it prove? I already know I’m right about him, so what did I have to gain by bringing it up? The old “I told you so’ routine doesn’t give me any pleasure. But we’re at war now. That’s the only way I can deal with this cancer business... face it head on.” She reached across the table and took Ariana’s hand. “I’m here for you, all the way, but you already know that.”
Ariana nodded, unable to speak.
“Have you told Jackie?”
“No, not yet. I wanted to practice on you, first.”
Jodi thought for a moment. “Maybe tell her after you’ve seen the oncologist. She might be a little miffed that you didn’t tell her first, but she’ll get over it. You’re lucky to have such a cool grandmother.”
“Yes, I know.” Ariana’s gaze drifted out over the harbour. “I’ve always looked up to her. When I was small I thought she could do no wrong... still think that way as a matter of fact. These days she’s even more formidable, with her snowy white hair, her ‘good’ pearls and her designer clothes.”
“Not to mention her considerable fortune.”
Ariana shrugged. “I never think about that. But there’s something about Jacqueline Beaumont I’ve never told you.”
Jodi tipped her head sideways and waited.
“You must never let on that I’ve told you this, but I discovered a couple of years ago that she swears like a drunken sailor.”
“Get out!”
“I’m serious. I dropped in on her one evening and she’d been drinking. That in itself surprised me, but she’d gotten herself all worked up about something. I can’t even remember what it was right now, but the words that came out of her mouth were pithy, to say the least.”
Jodi sat back. “That’s perfect. I knew I liked that woman.”
“Really?” She raised an eyebrow. “It scared the you-know-what out of me.”
“Listen to you,” said Jodi with a laugh. “You’ve just told me that the elegant Jacqueline Beaumont swears and you won’t even say ‘crap’.”
Ariana bristled. “So?”
“Don’t get all huffy. It’s just funny, that’s all.”
Ariana acknowledged her friend’s comment with a smile. “She’s never done it again, though. I guess it was a one-off.” She picked up her chopsticks, examined them and then set them carefully across her bowl. “I’m lucky I have you two on my team.”
Jodi grinned and picked up her own chopsticks. “You’ve got that right. Now eat your damn noodles.”
Chapter Four
BLAINE ROLLED HIS STOOL back, flexed his shoulders and examined the afternoon’s work. Today had been his third session with this client. One more to go, and the intricate tattoo would be finished.
“Thanks, man.” The customer studied the new ink in a hand-held mirror. “By the way, were you able to do anything for my friend? I sent him over to see you... Marvin Nichols.”
Blaine tried not to show his distaste. While he didn’t expect to like every customer, there were some who rubbed him the wrong way, and this customer was one of them. The man had some outlandish notion that he could wrangle himself a discount because he’d referred a buddy. As if that would happen in this lifetime. Blaine’s schedule was booked solidly for as far ahead as he allowed; even a consultation was hard to come by. INK ME was the most popular studio on Vancouver Island. He surrounded himself with talented artists who specialized in a variety of styles, but his designs and work commanded a premium, and he was worth every dollar he charged.
“’Fraid not.” He made an appropriate face. “He wasn’t ready.”
His customer started to object, but Blaine cut him off with a polite but firm shake of his head. “I don’t do tattoos when I know the customer will regret it. Maybe not next week, or next month, but eventually he’ll regret it. Ink isn’t something you slap on because you’re momentarily inspired, or as in the case of your friend, temporarily heartbroken.”
The knucklehead didn’t seem to understand. “But it’s all business, man.”
Blaine managed to hold himself back. “Perhaps for someone else, but not for me.” He gestured to the front of the shop. “If you’d like to see Zoey on the way out, she’ll set you up with your next appointment.”
He was still seething when a familiar voice reached him over the partition.
�
��Where is the great man? Or do I need an appointment?”
“Someone get that red-headed freak out of my shop,” Blaine ordered, coming out of his cubicle and enveloping his friend in a fierce hug. “Good to see you man. Missed you.”
A weapons engineering technician with the Canadian Armed Forces, Shaun Foster and Blaine Bennett had become friends several years ago when they both participated in a marathon for charity. Shaun’s easygoing exterior masked a keen intellect; the friends were more alike than either realized. Shaun’s latest deployment on a destroyer out of Esquimalt had lasted just over two months.
“I stopped by earlier but you were busy with a customer, so I touched base with Manny. He said you guys went out last night.”
His casual tone didn’t fool Blaine. Shaun would love to hear how he’d made out with Amber, but not because he was interested in the details of his friend’s sex life. Shaun had known Erin and Blaine as a couple, and Blaine knew that his friend was concerned for him after Erin’s death. If this new woman signaled a change, Shaun would be all ears, but Blaine wasn’t ready to discuss her... not yet.
“Yeah, I didn’t stay out too late.” He made a broad gesture. “I knew I had a couple of intense sessions today.” He glanced at his watch. “And now I have to do some paperwork and sign some cheques.”
Shaun took the hint. “So what are you doing tonight?”
A vision of a blonde woman filled his mind, but he brushed her away. “Don’t have anything planned except to grill some steaks. Why don’t you guys come over for supper and then we’ll take it from there. You can regale Manny and I with your exploits in all those foreign ports. Who knows, some of your stories might even be true.”
Shaun punched him lightly in the shoulder. “You got it. I’ll bring a case of cold ones.”
Blaine checked his supplies against tomorrow’s schedule. Another busy day, but that was the norm. He picked up a vial of ink and stared at it without really seeing it. Why was he thinking of that woman he’d seen this morning? Were his protective instincts coming to the fore, or was his body finally awakening... responding to the sight of a beautiful woman? It had certainly responded last night, but this morning he hadn’t even seen the woman’s face.
That didn’t matter, he decided. She’d had an air about her... a vulnerability. She’d been gone when he jogged back, and for a moment he’d been disappointed. None of it made sense. Maybe life was throwing a few curveballs at him, just to see how he reacted. But he didn’t believe in stuff like that... did he?
Chapter Five
ARIANA STUDIED THE selection of white wine in the cooler as if she knew what she was looking at. Jeremy purchased all of their wine, thus ensuring that an inferior bottle never crossed their threshold.
Glass in hand, she wandered over to the French doors that led onto the back patio. She loved this time of day, when the setting sun bathed the landscape in a rich, golden hue. For several long moments she stood there, left hand crossed over her stomach and right hand holding the glass of wine. Nothing about the sight of her perfect yard pleased her tonight. She turned away, headed back to the kitchen and flicked off the light switch. That was better. Ambient light filtered through the windows, casting the room in shadowy darkness. Settling herself on one of the tall bar stools, she sat at the black granite countertop to wait.
By the time she heard the garage door, it was almost completely dark. She glanced at the clock on the stove: eight fifteen. There was no sense asking him where he’d been, because he wouldn’t give her a straight answer. And truth be told, she didn’t care.
The door leading to the garage opened. Jeremy strode in and tossed his keys onto the small counter where they kept their keys, their mail, and their device chargers. Ariana had hired an electrician to install a small, under-counter light in the area and he flicked it on and then picked up the waiting stack of mail, glancing at each envelope as though it didn’t deserve his time.
In the beginning of their marriage, the first thing he’d done when coming in was call out to her. When had that stopped? The under-counter light emphasized the harsh, unrelenting angles of his face. She looked at him dispassionately, wondering how much work it would take to get their marriage back on track – or if she even wanted to try.
She set down her wine glass and the small clink startled him.
“Jesus, Ariana. What are you doing sitting there in the dark? You startled me.”
She shrugged and reached for the bottle, surprised to find it almost empty. For someone who rarely drank, she had consumed a lot, but for some reason she didn’t feel intoxicated.
He flicked another switch and the hanging lights over the bar came on. Ariana turned her head away, blinking against the sudden light.
“You’re drinking,” he said, his tone flat. Taking the bottle from her hand, he held it up in front of the light. “And it looks as though you’ve finished most of it off.” He poured the remainder in her glass and walked the empty bottle over to the recycling bin; she was surprised he knew where it was.
“Now what’s this all about?” he demanded impatiently.
She took a sip of wine and set down the glass with exaggerated caution. Maybe she was a little drunk.
“I have cancer, Jeremy.”
He braced himself against the counter, his hand clenched. “Oh, for God’s sake, Ariana. Cut out the dramatics and just tell me what’s wrong.”
She studied him carefully, this man she used to love. His face was slightly flushed. Aha, she thought. He’s been drinking, but then that’s nothing new. He pushed away from the counter, went to the drinks counter and poured himself a splash of Jim. He claimed he’d grown to like it during a real estate conference in the States, but she had a feeling it was just for show... to be different from his friends.
She waited until he settled again.
“It’s breast cancer, Jeremy.”
His gaze dropped to her breasts. “Are you sure?”
“Am I...” Ariana almost choked. “If that wasn’t so pitiful, it would be funny.” Wait ‘til I tell Jodi about that one, she thought. “Yes, I’m sure.”
He frowned; here was something he couldn’t control. “But you look fine.”
“And I feel fine, thank you for asking.”
“So there could be a mistake?” Was that actually hope that flickered momentarily in his eyes? Maybe the man cared after all.
“No, Jeremy.” She owed him a proper explanation, if nothing else. “I got the results of the biopsy today. Medical people called it DCIS. That stands for ductal carcinoma in situ, which is a fancy way of saying non-invasive cancer.
His gaze returned to her breasts. “When did you get a biopsy?”
“Three days ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
She should tell him the truth... that she didn’t think he would care. But he’d loved her at one time, and for that she would give him this one gift of a lie. “I thought if I didn’t tell anyone, it might not be true.” She gave him a wry smile. “Too bad it didn’t work.”
He nodded. “What happens next?”
“I’m glad you asked. I have an appointment with the oncologist in two days, and they’d like you to be there with me.”
He took a step back. “Me?”
“Or I could take my other husband, but I choose you.”
He frowned again. “What’s going on with you?” He grabbed her wine glass, walked over to the sink, and poured it out. Ariana didn’t particularly want any more wine, but his actions angered her.
“Oh, Jeremy. That was a foolish thing to do. Now you’ll just have to open another bottle.”
“You don’t need any more.”
She slid off the stool, walked around the end of the counter and looked up at him. “You have no idea what I need, Jeremy Logan.” Her voice almost broke, but she held back. “So either pour me another glass of wine or get out of the way and I’ll do it myself.”
Surprise flared in his eyes and for a moment she allowed
herself a victory of sorts. A hollow one, to be sure, but she needed all the practice she could get if she was going to get through this.
“Thank you,” she said when he’d placed the wine in front of her. “Now about that appointment with the oncologist. Are you free on Friday at ten thirty?”
He pulled out his phone and scrolled to his appointments. “No, but I can move things around.” He looked up, all business. “Name and address?”
She gave it to him and watched as he entered it. “If you can’t make it, let me know. I’m sure Jodi will fill in.”
Jeremy’s jaw clenched. He didn’t like Jodi any more than she liked him. “I’ll be there,” he announced, his tone brisk and impersonal. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and looked around the kitchen. “I don’t suppose you’ve arranged any supper.”
“Nope, but there are some frozen pizzas and some other stuff in the freezer. You won’t go hungry. As for me, I’m going to have a long, hot bath.” She looked pointedly at the untouched glass of wine, then left him standing in the middle of the kitchen looking after her.
Chapter Six
ARIANA GLANCED AROUND at the other women in the oncologist’s waiting room before she settled down to wait for Jeremy. To her untutored eye, they represented virtually every stage of their journey with cancer, from the newly diagnosed such as herself, to the bright, determined women bravely baring their bald heads. The ones in between tended to look either completely introverted, or shell-shocked, as though they weren’t quite sure what they were doing there.
The door opened and she looked up expectantly. Jeremy had promised to be here a few minutes early. That was one thing about him – he was a punctual kind of guy. Has to be in our business, she reminded herself. Customers paying a million and more for a home don’t expect to be kept waiting. She discreetly pulled up her sleeve and checked her watch. Two minutes later than the last time she looked. He’ll come, she told herself. Surely he won’t let me down about this. Just in case, she pulled out her phone and sent him an urgent text.