Thank you.”
Leigh’s face was strained as she stood up and then bent over to pick up the blanket. Russ knew she was in pain but was trying to hide it, so he rushed over taking the blanket and folding it. He held her elbow with his free hand as they headed to the horses. After putting the blanket back in the saddlebag, he helped Leigh up by picking her up around her waist and lifting her up and onto Misty’s saddle.
“Do you want to ride with me or your Mom?” he asked Randy.
“I’ll ride with Momma.”
The whole ride back to the main house they talked about everything and nothing. Russ thought about how he would love to be able to do this with his family every day. And Leigh was part of his family just as much as Randy, his parents, and even Mary Leigh. He decided on that ride to do all in his power to win her back while keeping in mind that he might have damaged their relationship beyond repair, but he didn’t think so. They were soul mates. He had made the biggest mistake six years back, but he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and had to hope he still had a chance. Or at least every minute of the rest of her life, if that’s all he had. He would spend it with her in whatever capacity she allowed; be it husband, friend, or just her child’s father. Any moment with Leigh was better than without her.
Chapter 7
Leigh was so very happy.
She’d not felt like that about anyone except Randy in a long time; not having realized that she’d kept Mark – and even her mother – at a distance for so long. She trusted Mark. She did. But she’d been afraid that he and her mother would get hurt by associating with her and being around her. Her name was mud in Pine Grove, she had people who had lied to her to keep her away for so long, and she had an obsessed, insane stalker who wouldn’t leave her alone until she or he was dead; which with her tumor might be sooner rather than later. Why put anyone else in the mix of that?
Now, sitting here with her family and the Kennedys, like they had back when things were good, it was as if the past six years hadn’t happened. She could get spoiled by this, but didn’t want to read too much into it. She was just Randy’s mother, no longer a future Kennedy, but she was going to soak up all of the contented happiness she could, while she could.
The tumor that had been found in her last round of tests had been on her temporal lobe affecting her memory and even sometimes her hearing. She had taken to keeping a daily journal that she wrote down all that had happened that day - at least what she could still remember by the end of the night – and pictures, if she had them, so she would know and remember things for the next day. She would read it every morning when she woke to find it on her nightstand.
When they had confirmed that the tumor was malignant, her oncologist suggested a doctor in Charlotte, NC; especially when he found out she was moving to South Carolina anyway. It was only a couple of hours away. She had bought a house in the same area as the hospital she would be spending time at. That way whoever was with her wouldn’t have to worry about hotels.
Presbyterian Hospital had a cancer treatment center attached within its network that had the newest technology and treatment plans for cancer patients. In her case, if the new oncologist deemed her a potential candidate for the new laser surgery for the removal of brain tumors that have not yet metastasized, she would have the surgery and then an intense chemotherapy treatment, lasting at least a month, at two to three sessions a week. She had a long fight ahead of her, but had decided to let everyone who cared for her know so they could help in any way they felt useful. She felt like keeping it a secret was the same as lying, and she hated lies.
That day had been wonderful
Leigh’s face was strained as she stood up and then bent over to pick up the blanket. Russ knew she was in pain but was trying to hide it, so he rushed over taking the blanket and folding it. He held her elbow with his free hand as they headed to the horses. After putting the blanket back in the saddlebag, he helped Leigh up by picking her up around her waist and lifting her up and onto Misty’s saddle.
“Do you want to ride with me or your Mom?” he asked Randy.
“I’ll ride with Momma.”
The whole ride back to the main house they talked about everything and nothing. Russ thought about how he would love to be able to do this with his family every day. And Leigh was part of his family just as much as Randy, his parents, and even Mary Leigh. He decided on that ride to do all in his power to win her back while keeping in mind that he might have damaged their relationship beyond repair, but he didn’t think so. They were soul mates. He had made the biggest mistake six years back, but he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and had to hope he still had a chance. Or at least every minute of the rest of her life, if that’s all he had. He would spend it with her in whatever capacity she allowed; be it husband, friend, or just her child’s father. Any moment with Leigh was better than without her.
Chapter 7
Leigh was so very happy.
She’d not felt like that about anyone except Randy in a long time; not having realized that she’d kept Mark – and even her mother – at a distance for so long. She trusted Mark. She did. But she’d been afraid that he and her mother would get hurt by associating with her and being around her. Her name was mud in Pine Grove, she had people who had lied to her to keep her away for so long, and she had an obsessed, insane stalker who wouldn’t leave her alone until she or he was dead; which with her tumor might be sooner rather than later. Why put anyone else in the mix of that?
Now, sitting here with her family and the Kennedys, like they had back when things were good, it was as if the past six years hadn’t happened. She could get spoiled by this, but didn’t want to read too much into it. She was just Randy’s mother, no longer a future Kennedy, but she was going to soak up all of the contented happiness she could, while she could.
The tumor that had been found in her last round of tests had been on her temporal lobe affecting her memory and even sometimes her hearing. She had taken to keeping a daily journal that she wrote down all that had happened that day - at least what she could still remember by the end of the night – and pictures, if she had them, so she would know and remember things for the next day. She would read it every morning when she woke to find it on her nightstand.
When they had confirmed that the tumor was malignant, her oncologist suggested a doctor in Charlotte, NC; especially when he found out she was moving to South Carolina anyway. It was only a couple of hours away. She had bought a house in the same area as the hospital she would be spending time at. That way whoever was with her wouldn’t have to worry about hotels.
Presbyterian Hospital had a cancer treatment center attached within its network that had the newest technology and treatment plans for cancer patients. In her case, if the new oncologist deemed her a potential candidate for the new laser surgery for the removal of brain tumors that have not yet metastasized, she would have the surgery and then an intense chemotherapy treatment, lasting at least a month, at two to three sessions a week. She had a long fight ahead of her, but had decided to let everyone who cared for her know so they could help in any way they felt useful. She felt like keeping it a secret was the same as lying, and she hated lies.
That day had been wonderful
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