Fighting To Stay Read Free

be.”
    His smile widens, “Good. Let’s go my warrior princess.”
    “If you say so,” I say wearily.
     

     
    Waking in the recovery area, I see my brother sitting next to my bed talking with Dr. Hepner. Clearing my throat, they both look at me. An instant smile breaks across my brother’s face and I’m just as shocked to see it on Garrett’s face as well.
    “Welcome back, Sis,” Josh says.
    “Hey,” I croak. “You’re not still mad at me?”
    “Never. You know I love you.”
    “You’re just saying that because I won’t remember you said it,” I joke.
    Looking at my brother, I can see the worry in his eyes. It kills me that I had to call him, but Vince really grated my nerves and I didn’t want him being here today. I hope that he is in a better mood when I get back home today.
    “Don’t worry about me, Joshy. I’m in good hands,” I smile at Dr. Garrett.
    “That you are, even if I have to say so myself.”
    “Okay, little lady. You’ve been given the all clear,” Josh says a few moments later.
    Dr. Garrett talks me through the waiting period and what to watch for, but for the most part, there is nothing drastic to be aware of happening. Mainly soreness is the only thing that I can feel at the moment.
    When we pull up outside of my apartment, I didn’t see Vince’s car, which makes me feel a bit of relief. There is a tension between my brother and I, which is unusual for us. We are like two peas in a pod. Well, three peas because of our sister Hailey.
    “Can you tell me what’s going on yet?”
    “I will when I know. I’ll call you and Hailey both when I do.”
    “Do you understand that my mind is running through possibilities of what this is all about and it’s driving me insane?”
    “I know, but please understand that I just don’t want to worry you if there’s nothing to worry about. You know?”
    He nods his head for a moment before eventually turning his head toward me. “But I’m already stressing out about it, Dee.”
    Sighing, “I found a lump in my breast. They believe it could be cancer. That is why I had to have a biopsy done today.”
    “You’ve got to be kidding me? You were going to try and keep this from us?”
    “I wasn’t keeping anything from you. I just wasn’t going to tell you until there is something to tell,” I reply getting a little defensive.
    He huffs out a breath. “Why didn’t Mr. Crazy take you?”
    “Because I wanted you to, is that okay?” I half lie.
    “I’m glad you wanted me there, I just… Is everything okay with you guys?”
    “To be honest, I just don’t know.”
    I could feel my brother tense next to me. “Has he hurt you?”
    “Not in the way you’re thinking. I think he has just gotten too comfortable. We need to talk.”
    “Well, if you need me, you know you can call me. We need to all get together again. I haven’t talked to Hailey in a while either.”
    “How about we do lunch when I get the results saying it’s not cancer,” I grin.
    He pokes me in my side as he always did. “That sounds like a plan. Now, in-simba-gowa-mama-coo-it.” He says in his way of getting my butt moving.
    Smiling at him, I laugh a little. “I’ll see you later,” laughing as I climb from the truck.
    “Get some sleep,” he yells as I go to close the door.
    “Yes, Sir,” I fake salute him before closing the door.
    Walking inside, I think about the talk that needs to happen between Vince and I. Would it change how he is with me? There is a part of me that still hopes it does, but then there is a part that knows this is the real him. He may be like most control-freaks and change for a while, and then boom …back to the same actions all over again.
    Wherever this road that I’m going down now leads me, please give me the strength to walk it. I send up a silent prayer.
     

 
     
     
    “What are you doing?”
    Jerking awake, I sit up quickly in bed. “What? What happened?”
    Confused, I turn toward my doorway and see Vince standing