“Well, this afternoon promises to be a good time,” Liz
commented as she rinsed her hair.
“Why’s that, Babe?” Ty asked over the hiss of the shower.
“OB-GYN visit and mammogram, so much fun. ‘Mrs. Hadley, good
to see you. We’ve devised some new tortures to visit upon your body in the name
of practicing medicine, beginning with a nicely chilled speculum and ending
with the pressurized fun of a mammogram. Welcome to your mid 40s, Elizabeth,’”
Liz answered. “‘By the way, did we remember to recommend that you have a
colonoscopy, too? Just a thought.’”
She heard Ty chuckling.
“You make sure that prostate stays in good working order,
Ty. I’m not done with it yet.”
“You got it,” he said laughing.
Liz raised her left arm over her head and began making firm
circles on the skin of her left breast with her right hand, feeling for
irregularities underneath. “Okay, so far, so good.”
“What’s that?” Ty asked.
“Breast self-exam,” Liz answered. “Every month, like
clockwork, haven’t missed in 9 years.” She put her right arm over her head and
repeated the procedure on the right breast.
“Want me to do it for you?” Ty asked. “Be no trouble at
all.”
Liz laughed, “Thanks for the offer, but it’s not really
all…that…ero…tic…” The circling stopped and she returned to the spot and felt
again. No, she hadn’t imagined it. “No. Oh, God.”
The shower curtain snapped aside.
“What just happened?” Ty’s eyes were fixed on her hand. He
reached out to touch, imitating Liz’s hand and circling, pressing her wet
flesh. “You found something?” Liz heard the fear in his voice.
“I’m not sure,” she admitted, “Could be my imagination.
Could be a cyst.”
“Could be cancer,” Ty finished hoarsely. He yanked a towel
off the rack and wrapped Liz in it, sarong-style, then pulled her close. They
stood there for a minute, Liz holding as tightly to Ty as he held her. He was
only wearing a towel around his waist and Liz needed the intimate contact of skin
to skin.
“God damn it,” she heard Ty growl, “God damn it.” She could
feel the anger in him beginning to build.
Liz put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. She slid her
hand up to Ty’s face and looked into his eyes.
Quietly, she said, “Look. This may be nothing, okay? Let’s
stay calm until we know for sure.” She brought Ty’s face down for a kiss that
took on more urgency the longer it lasted.
Ty broke off first. “I love you, Liz. I don’t want to think
about losing you.” He kissed her forehead and left his lips pressed to it.
“Ever.”
He kissed her again. “That’s it. I’m coming to the doctor
with you.”
Liz buried her face in his shoulder, smiling. “No,
Counselor. I can handle this. Besides, if there is a lump, the doctor will
refer me to someone else for a biopsy and that will take a few days to
schedule, so you’d be terrorizing the doctor today for no good reason. Take it
out on opposing counsel instead, okay?” She kissed Ty again, deeply. “I love
you.”
“I love you, Liz,” Ty said. “Sure you’re okay with doing
this by yourself?”
“Done it before, remember? I know the drill.” Liz felt him
relax slightly.
Luckily, Liz thought, she’d done pretty good job of hiding
her own terror.
“These Foolish Things” is
a response to all the love stories that begin with young lovers and end
immediately after mutual declarations of love. Life continues after youth and
love can happen anytime, anywhere.
“At Last” picks up where
“These Foolish Things” leaves off. Elizabeth Gardner and Ty Hadley seem
destined for “happily ever after,” but fate has challenges in store that could
tear them apart. Is their love strong enough to survive?
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