“And now?” he asked. “If I asked you to fight, would you?”
Tears dripped down her face. She didn’t know if it would work. Part of her was afraid to try and fail. But she did have a reason to want to live now.
“I’m scared.”
He turned to lay on his side, moving her so they face
d one another. “So am I. But, baby, if there’s a chance, we have to take it. And I’ll be here for you, through it all. You might have been alone before, but you’re not now. You have a whole town behind you, you have friends, and me. You have me. I’ll fight with you. But you have to want to do it. Just know I’m with you no matter what.”
Molly realized she’d been scared to want to live because she figured she would fail. And now she was terrified to die and leave him. So in the end there was only one thing she could do. And surprisingly, it was an easier decision to make than she thought it would be.
“I do. I want to fight to live. I want to stay with you.”
“Thank you, God,” he muttered. He hugged her tightly. “You are everything to me and I will do whatever is necessary to keep you.”
“Me too. I promise, I won’t leave again. Not without saying goodbye.”
“If I have my way, you won’t ever have to say goodbye.”
14
Her stomach rolled as she walked out of the building which housed the oncologist’s office in Houston. Darkness circled her vision as they walked down the steps. Jake wrapped an arm around her, steadying her as her breath came in sharp pants.
“Easy, baby. Calm down.”
He guided her into a seat. But her airways seemed to constrict even further. She was going to pass out.
“Molly, take a deep breath. Come on, calm down.”
She shook her head.
“Molly, stop it. Stop it right the fuck now. You’re gonna breathe. You are going to calm down and breathe.”
His voice held no bend. None of the patient, gentle man was present, just the commanding Dom who would be obeyed.
“I-I can’t.” But her airways were starting to ease up, oxygen filtering through.
“You can. And you will. Look at me. I’m right here, I’m not leaving you. You’re safe and you’re not alone. You will calm down. Now.”
“You know . . . just ordering someone . . . to be calm . . . doesn’t work.” Except the world was coming back into focus, and she could breathe more easily.
“It can when I’m in charge.”
“Bossy bastard.”
He drew her close, hugging her tightly. “It will be all right, baby. I’m here. I love you.”
She leaned back, wiping at her streaming eyes. “Sorry. I’m so sorry. I just never thought . . . I mean, I’d resigned myself to dying and . . .”
And now the doctor had told her that her cancer was very treatable. He’d given her hope. Real hope.
“It’s so hard to wrap my head around.” She rested her elbows on her knees and placed her head in her hands. “Did he really say what I think he did?”
“Yes, baby. It was real. He wants to be fairly aggressive because of your family history, that’s why he recommended a partial mastectomy and radiation. But he’s optimistic, baby.”
She could live. She could stay with him.
“I want him to take them,” she said suddenly. “Both of them.”