“I think I get it.” Vicky turned serious, regarding her curiously. “Does…Michael know about Chloe?”
Cathy’s throat tightened. She shook her head quickly. “No. I haven’t told him. All he knows is that I’m divorced and a single mom.”
Vicky took a moment to absorb that. “Wow.” However, she slowly nodded as though Cathy’s admission didn’t surprise her. “So I’m guessing that I don’t know him and neither does anyone else who knows you and Chloe.”
“Right.” Cathy was barely able to gather a smile. She was anxious about what her friend was thinking. She and Vicky had known each other for years. They had always told each other everything. If one or the other had ever tried to suppress personal details, they were soon pried out. Now she was withholding something major. “You’re not mad at me, are you? I mean, for not telling you?”
“Why would I be mad? Don’t you think I can understand? Of course I can! I can understand how you could want to be with someone who doesn’t know how hard everything is for you.” Vicky snorted, shaking her head. “I’m your best friend. How could I be mad?”
Cathy let her breath out on a sigh. She deliberately forced her tensed shoulders to relax. Reaching across the table, she squeezed her friend’s hand. “Thanks, Vic,” she said softly.
By unvoiced agreement, they talked about other things. Vicky wanted to know how Chloe was doing since the stem cell transplantation. Cathy’s face lit up. “She’s doing really, really well. She is still getting the immunological shots, and she hates that, but when I talked to Dr. Richards yesterday, he said that he was cautiously optimistic.”
“That’s wonderful, Cathy! I’ll post an update on the website when I get home tonight.”
Cathy was actually a little surprised that Vicky had so easily given way in not having her undoubtedly rampaging curiosity satisfied. But this time, strangely enough, Vicky didn’t fish for information. Then again, perhaps not so strangely, she mused. The circumstances that made up her life were so out of the whack, her best friend must want to be spared some of the drama, even if that meant allowing her to have one very tantalizing secret.
Cathy remained on guard for several minutes. When Vicky didn’t try to pump her, she relaxed and enjoyed the remainder of their lunch together. Vicky insisted on picking up the check. As they finally were rising from the table, Vicky asked casually, “By the way, how’s the sex?”
Cathy’s face instantly flamed. Her gaze flew to Vicky’s very-interested expression. She bit her bottom lip, more than annoyed, knowing that she had thoroughly betrayed herself. She huffed on a sigh. “This is what comes of having a redhead’s skin,” she muttered. “I am not going to dignify that with an answer.”
“That good, huh?” Vicky’s grin was roguish, and her eyes twinkled.
“I should kill you now,” Cathy observed.
Vicky laughed and then hugged her. “You just have some fun. You deserve it.”
For once, a phone call from the oncologist’s office was not bad news.
Cathy couldn’t believe it. A blaze of happiness rushed through her. She set the receiver down carefully in its cradle. She leaned back in her chair, her arms braced straight out in front, her hands flattened on top of the desk. She could feel the grin stretching her face, ear to ear. She repeated the good news to herself. The results of the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation continued to look very promising. In fact, Dr. Richards had said that Chloe had responded so well to the transplant that in a few days she would be allowed to go home.
Cathy laughed out loud in sheer euphoria.