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Although that was satisfying to be done with, I am still in contact with Olivia via email, text, and an occasional phone call—as much as it hurts. The last time I spoke to her, which was over a week ago, she had a bad cold. It seems like since she moved to Chicago, she’s been sick a lot. Her stomach has been bothering her, and she’s had other problems over the weeks.
I texted her this afternoon to see how she was doing. She said that her cold is almost gone, but her boss is not too happy with her absences. She found a job with a software company that makes education programs for grades K to 4.
With it being Friday, I’ve resumed my dinners with Lexi and her family; well, my family too since Rory married into the Lawsons. I stop by a bakery on my way over and purchase a Dutch crumb and a regular apple pie. Fall is almost upon us, and I love apple pie.
When I get to Lexi’s, JC lets me in. No one is there yet, and Lexi is sitting on the couch, her hands full of balled-up tissues. Right away, it worries me.
“I thought dinner was tonight?” I double-check, confused.
“We canceled. I guess we forgot to text you,” JC informs.
“What happened? Lexi, why are you crying?”
“You’re going to want to sit down for this.”
“Please tell me,” I say as I take a seat next to her.
“You know how Olivia’s been sick lately, right?”
“Yeah, she had a bad cold and a stomach virus before that.”
Lexi starts to cry, and JC comes to sit next to her, giving her comfort.
“Lucian, Olivia has cancer. Colon cancer. She just found out,” JC says.
I feel like I’ve been punched in the stomach, and I sit there gulping for air.
“But she has a cold,” I repeat like an idiot.
Lexi shakes her head. “She’s lost weight, is always fatigued, and her fiancé is an asshole to her. Money is tight because she’s not working. Even though she just started her job a few months ago, she has no sick time until she’s there six months. So, no work, no pay.”
“What is she going to do?”
“Lexi told her to come back to New York,” JC interjects. “We’d take care of her.”
“Does she have family other than Matty?”
“Her father died several years ago, and her mother is not well. She’s in an assisted living facility in New Jersey. Matty pays for her care.”
“I told Olivia she could stay here,” Lexi tells me. “We could probably move Arabella in with Johnny. They can share a room for a little while until Olivia gets better.”
“Or she can stay with me,” I offer.
Both Lexi and JC look at me at the same time. “She wouldn’t allow it,” Olivia protests.
“She’s my friend too. I want to help. You can’t have her around the kids if she’s sick. If she has chemo, her immune system is going to be shit. Kids bring home all kinds of crap from school.”
“JC, he’s right. We could be compromising her.”
“You gotta think about how hard it’s going to be for you to care for her with two children and a household to run. I can be here for her. I don’t need to go to Eltech every day. I can take her to her chemo treatments.”
“You need to talk to her then. We can’t decide for her.”
“I’ll call her tonight,” I promise. “Then we can make arrangements to transport her back to New York. I’m not sure what would be the best way.”
“It’s being taken care of by Emma’s fiancé. Jordan has a private plane, and he offered to supply a nurse for the flight. The nurse can take a commercial flight back. We said we’d pay for it.”
“I’ll pay for the flight. I’ll call her tonight.”
