Indiscretion

“You look better.” I smiled walking into my sister’s hospital room. Frannie sat upright in bed, wearing regular clothes instead of a hospital gown, watching TV, and eating what looked like ice cream.

“I feel so much better.” She set the Styrofoam container on the portable tray and pulled out her red T-shirt so I could see the wording on the front. “Like my new threads?”

“Threads? I don’t think you’re cool enough to pull off that word.” I chuckled and leaned over to read what was printed on her shirt. “There’s no party like a swab party?”

“The bone-marrow-registry people gave it to me. The website where you can get a free swab kit is on the back. I got you one, too, but yours has the slogan and website all on the back. I figured you’d like the bright red and maybe we could also put that fat ass that Mom gave you to work as you walk down the streets of New York and find me a donor.”

I laughed. “You really are feeling better.”

“Good as new.”

I’d spoken to her oncologist in the hall on my way in and knew that wasn’t true. The transfusions were only a temporary Band-Aid. Frannie needed a bone-marrow transplant, or this was going to keep happening. But she was in good spirits, and I wasn’t going to bring her head down by reminding her of that.

“Did they come in to draw your blood yet? I saw Dr. Stern in the hall, and he said discharge would depend on how your blood count holds.”

“Not yet. But the hematologist is really cute, and he should be in shortly. You should unbutton another button on that blouse. He doesn’t wear a wedding band.”

“Why are you trying to fix me up with the good doctor? You’re single too.”

Frannie snort-laughed. “I’m such a catch. A thirty-four-year-old widow with two kids and cancer.”

“You’re a catch, even with all that, and terrible taste in music.”

“You’re just jealous that Mom didn’t leave you her Barry Manilow album collection.”

I laughed. “Just because she left them to you doesn’t mean you have to play them daily.”

“He’s the showman of a generation.”

“Yeah, our great-grandmother’s generation. I’ve been introducing your kids to real music while you’re gone. I already have Molly humming Taylor Swift and Gaga.”

“Speaking of Gaga, how are my little monsters?”

Since my sister seemed like herself again, I thought it was time to be honest. “You need to tell them, Frannie. Ryder definitely knows something is going on. You feel better now, but the doctors said this was likely to keep happening until they can find you a donor. What are you going to tell the kids next time? You went to the same sushi place and got sick again?”

She sighed. “I know. I just don’t want to scare them. The C word is a lot to handle. I still remember when Mom told us she had it the first time twenty years ago. I was devastated and terrified. And back then there was no Google to fill your head with awful pictures and outcome statistics.”

“I get it, but they’re scared anyway. Ryder is playing his usual tough guy, but he’s smart. Dawson told me he even asked him what was really wrong with you.”

“What did Dawson say?”

“Bad sushi. He wouldn’t say anything out of turn.”

Frannie blew out a breath. “I’ll tell them when I get home.”

“I think it’s the right thing to do.”

“Okay, but no more depressing talk now. All I do is sit here and think about depressing stuff all day. The oncology ward is not a cheery place. Tell me something juicy.” She pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around her knees. It made her look so young.

“Juicy? There’s nothing in my life that’s juicy. Heck, I don’t even eat juicy steak.”

“That boss of yours is pretty juicy.”

I smiled. “Dawson is handsome, yes.”

“He’s into you, too.”

“And you know this how? From the two minutes you were able to assess him from the backseat during the drive home from Hoboken before conking out?”

“He drove you to Jersey. Most men who live in New York won’t even do that for a blow job.”

I laughed. “Dawson is a good person. It just took me a while to allow myself to see it.”

“Why would you not want to see it?”

“Because I’m insanely attracted to him.”

“Attractive and a good person. That’s not exactly a bad combination, you know.”

I sighed. “Dawson isn’t the relationship type, and the last thing I need is to get hurt again.”

“You’ve gone out with men since you and Brad split up.”

“I know. But not ones like Dawson.”

“What does Dawson have that the others didn’t?”

I looked into my sister’s eyes. “Everything.”

“Oh wow. You really like him?”

“I think he has the potential to be important in my life, and that scares the crap out of me.”

“I can’t see why you would be gun-shy about jumping into a relationship. You know, since Dad left Mom a week after she was diagnosed, the love of my life up and dies on me in a car crash, leaving me with two little kids, and your ex-fiancé dumped you when you needed him most.” She smiled. “Those all sound like very positive influences.”

I chuckled. “When you put it like that, I’m lucky I drag my ass out of bed in the morning.”

“Listen, we’ve been through some ugly stuff and learned some hard lessons. But the most important one I’ve learned came recently, when the doctor told me my leukemia was back. It’s been a reminder that we don’t know how long we’re here for, and the only things that matter are the people who love you and the memories you can fall back on to give you peace of mind.”

I tasted salt in my throat as I reached for my sister’s hand. “You can’t make me cry. I have to go home to Ryder, who will see my puffy face and grill me until I break.”

Frannie smiled. “That kid is just like someone else I know.”

“Oh gosh.” I laughed. “Me and Ryder?”

She nodded. “He’s mini you. I wouldn’t be surprised if he winds up an attorney like his favorite aunt.”

“His only aunt. And I’m not an attorney anymore.”

Frannie waved that away. “Semantics.”

I looked into my sister’s eyes. “You’re going to be okay. I know it in my heart.”

“I am. But so are you. Even if you wind up getting hurt again. You’ll dust yourself off and keep trying until you find the right guy. Because you don’t want to be sitting where I’m sitting someday and have regrets about not taking chances in life, with a man or anything else. This is all we get, so make the most of it.”

I squeezed her hand. “I’ll try.”

Frannie smiled. “Considering you’ve never failed at anything, I think that’s all you have to do.”

***

Later that night, I had just put Ryder and Molly to bed when my cell phone buzzed. It was my boss.

Dawson: Just read the due diligence writeup on the client coming in tomorrow that you left on my desk. How the hell did you find out the guy has two wives?

Naomi: Public records search. He was married in Wyoming two years before he was married in New York. I figured he was divorced and the records hadn’t been updated. So I contacted the Wyoming registrar and checked. They had no record of the divorce, so I went down a rabbit hole and found both women’s Facebook pages. Both had recent photos with him. I still thought it had to be wrong, so I called both women and asked for their husband. One said he’d be home tonight, and one said he was out of town on business until Thursday. He really may be married to two women.

Dawson: Considering his honesty would be a key part of his defense, I’ll be asking that question as soon as he walks in. Thanks for digging deep.

Naomi: No problem. It was fun.

Dawson: How was your sister tonight?

Naomi: So much better. She seems like her old self again. Though the doctor said the infusions are only a temporary fix. She needs a bone-marrow transplant or this will likely keep happening. Her body isn’t able to produce enough healthy blood cells on its own anymore.

Dawson: I’m sorry. Will they keep her until they find a match, or will she get discharged?

Naomi: The doctors came by for rounds right before I left. They said if her platelet count stays in the same range overnight, she can probably go home tomorrow.

Dawson: Awesome. Glad to hear it. If you need to take the day, it’s not a problem.

Naomi: Thank you. I appreciate that. They said she’ll probably be ready to go between eleven and twelve. If it’s okay with you, I’m going to come in early. That way if her discharge takes a few hours, I can still get a full day in after I get back if I work until five.

Dawson: You don’t need to put in a full day. But do whatever you want to do.

Naomi: Thanks. How did your afternoon with Emily turn out?

The dots on the phone jumped around, then stopped, then started jumping around again before stopping once more. It was a full two minutes before my phone buzzed. Not a long time, per se, but our exchanges had been constant, one after the other, until now.

Dawson: It was…interesting.

Well, now my curiosity was piqued.

Naomi: How so?

Dawson: Do you really want to know?

I felt my brows pull tight. Of course I did.

Naomi: Why wouldn’t I?

The dots did the same jumping and stopping thing again for a while.

Dawson: Let’s just say your attempt to make her jealous at the wedding succeeded. And then some.

Naomi: She told you she was jealous?

Dawson: Didn’t have to. Found her sitting at your desk naked after our clients left. That said it all.

Naomi: What happened?

Dawson: The usual with her. Things got heated.