Chapter 20
I stretched out on the lounge chair on
the back deck, basking in the sunlight and sipping on an ice cold Ale-8. Kahlua
lay in another corner of the deck, she'd spent most of the morning trying to
find the sunniest spot available for baking. Life didn't get much better than
this. It was Friday, December 5th and it was 65 degrees outside. Nick had been
amazed when he'd woken up and flipped on the weather channel but I'd laughed at
him and told him it was pretty typical of Lexington and that he shouldn't get
used to it because it would probably be 20 degrees tomorrow.
He'd hopped out of bed early and
called our neighbor Sean. Not 45 minutes had gone by before Sean's car pulled
in the driveway and they were off to pick up Kevin and Joey and spend the day
out playing golf. I had smiled at the sight of Sean and Nick walking down the
front walk together, Nick carrying his golf clubs and the two of them chatting
back and forth with one another as the headed off for a day of fun in the sun.
It was refreshing to see Nick so happy.
I leaned back against my chair and
picked up my day planner, flipping it open to the calender. I couldn't believe
there were less than four weeks until our wedding day. Almost everything had
been planned, flights booked, and guests invited, but I still felt like I had
so much to do. I also had to go shopping for Christmas presents... Christmas was
less than three weeks away and I still needed to buy gifts for at least half of
my family members.
I stood from my chair and stretched as
I looked out over the lake at a heron that had landed there. It was such a
beautiful bird. I grew to love this place more everyday. I went inside and
grabbed my laptop and took it back out to the porch. I had just sat back down
and gotten online to do some Christmas shopping when I heard my cellphone
ringing in the kitchen. I considered ignoring it for a few moments but then
thought it might be Nick so I jumped up and headed inside to retrieve it.
"Hello," I said hitting the
send button without even checking my caller ID.
"May I speak to Kathryn Littrell
please?" I heard the voice on the other line say. I thought she sounded
familiar but I couldn't pinpoint who it was.
"This is she."
"Oh, Hi Grace," the woman's
voice came back now sounding a little less professional, "This is Dr.
Antoinelli at UK."
"Hi," I said feeling my
heart begin to beat faster within my chest. I hadn't been expecting a call from
them this soon.
"We got your test
results..." She said pausing briefly after the last word.
"Yes..."
"Is there anyway you can make it
into the office first thing Monday morning?"
I could feel my heart sinking in my
chest as I inhaled a deep breath and tried to remain on my feet.
"Sure... what time?"
This had to be bad... they never
called you into the office unless it was bad news. Good news... they'd give you
that over the phone. But they only ever gave you bad news face to face.
"Can you be there by 9:00."
"Yes ma'am."
"We'll see you then."
I hung up the phone and laid my head
down on the kitchen counter. This could not be happening. I didn't know why I
was surprised... I knew the chances, I knew the percentages... I knew the most
likely outcome. But somehow in my deepest heart I'd kept believing in a
miracle.
I called Nick's cellphone and left him
a message. I'd barely gotten the words out and hung up the phone before I burst
into tears...
"Please come home soon..."
I'd said choking back the sobs... "I really need you."
***
