whatever the tests said, it must be bad.”
Evan said, “Darlin’, this is Dr. Hunter.”
“I’ve only heard my husband mention one Dr. Hunter and he’s in oncology. So the two of you are here to tell me that I have some kind of cancer.”
Evan reached for her hand and she took it and held it tightly, but that was the only sign of anxiety.
Dr. Hunter sat beside her and said “Mary Katherine you have stage two ovarian cancer. What I’m recommending is a complete hysterectomy and a then chemo. We’ll do biopsies following the surgery and then decide how many rounds of chemotherapy you’ll need. Because ovarian cancer can be very aggressive, I’d like to go ahead with the surgery on Friday morning.”
“That’s awfully fast.”
“As I said, ovarian cancer is aggressive. The sooner the better, and I’m sure you need to talk to Evan.”
“Evan?”
“I think you should go ahead with the surgery on Friday.” She saw real fear in his blue eyes and tears he was fighting to hold back.
“What time Friday?” she asked.
Ross walked back into the dining room and took his place. The family looked at him expectantly. “Mary Katherine has ovarian cancer. They’re doing surgery Friday morning.”
No one seemed to know what to say. “Shouldn’t someone go to be with Evan?” Skip asked.
“I already told Evan I would be there.” Ross reached over and took Casey’s hand as she was crying silently. “I’m leaving in the morning. Are you going with me Case?”
“Yes.”
Skip said, “I’ll take you Dad. We can be there in an hour in the plane.”
John said, “Kel?”
“Of course we’re going John.”
Mary Katherine opened her eyes. Evan was talking quietly with Ross and John and Kel. She stretched out her arm and found his hand.
He leaned over her and said “Hello darlin.’” She smiled. It was how he always answered the phone when she called. He kissed her.
“Did the surgery go okay?”
“It went as expected. We should have the biopsy results tomorrow.”
“I just woke up and I’m sleepy.”
He kissed her again. “Then sleep. Are you okay pain-wise?”
“I’m okay.”
She closed her eyes again. Evan walked Ross and John and Kel to the door.
Ross said, “Do you need us to stay?”
“No. We’ll be okay. I do appreciate you being here last night and this morning.”
“Call when you get the results.”
“I will. Keep praying?”
Ross gave him a hug as Skip and Casey came down the hall. “Of course.”
“Mary Katherine ever wake up?” Skip asked, handing Evan a cup of coffee.
“Yes, and went back to sleep.”
“But she’s okay.” Skip had always been close to Mary Katherine.
“For now, she’s okay,” Evan said. “Are you okay Skip? I was a little preoccupied last night.”
“I’m getting better Evan. Don’t worry about me right now.”
Reluctantly they said goodbye. In two days John and Kel and Skip had to be back on the campaign trail and they had to leave, whether they wanted to or not. Evan and Casey went back in Mary Katherine’s room and talked in hushed tones until Mary Katherine woke again.
Tara thought it must have been the shortest two weeks of her life. The photographers had continued to hound her, but it was easier when Kel was with her. They kept more of a distance and seemed to bother him less than they did her. He didn’t give them anymore shots of him kissing her, but there were photos of her watching him play a polo match, of
Evan said, “Darlin’, this is Dr. Hunter.”
“I’ve only heard my husband mention one Dr. Hunter and he’s in oncology. So the two of you are here to tell me that I have some kind of cancer.”
Evan reached for her hand and she took it and held it tightly, but that was the only sign of anxiety.
Dr. Hunter sat beside her and said “Mary Katherine you have stage two ovarian cancer. What I’m recommending is a complete hysterectomy and a then chemo. We’ll do biopsies following the surgery and then decide how many rounds of chemotherapy you’ll need. Because ovarian cancer can be very aggressive, I’d like to go ahead with the surgery on Friday morning.”
“That’s awfully fast.”
“As I said, ovarian cancer is aggressive. The sooner the better, and I’m sure you need to talk to Evan.”
“Evan?”
“I think you should go ahead with the surgery on Friday.” She saw real fear in his blue eyes and tears he was fighting to hold back.
“What time Friday?” she asked.
Ross walked back into the dining room and took his place. The family looked at him expectantly. “Mary Katherine has ovarian cancer. They’re doing surgery Friday morning.”
No one seemed to know what to say. “Shouldn’t someone go to be with Evan?” Skip asked.
“I already told Evan I would be there.” Ross reached over and took Casey’s hand as she was crying silently. “I’m leaving in the morning. Are you going with me Case?”
“Yes.”
Skip said, “I’ll take you Dad. We can be there in an hour in the plane.”
John said, “Kel?”
“Of course we’re going John.”
Mary Katherine opened her eyes. Evan was talking quietly with Ross and John and Kel. She stretched out her arm and found his hand.
He leaned over her and said “Hello darlin.’” She smiled. It was how he always answered the phone when she called. He kissed her.
“Did the surgery go okay?”
“It went as expected. We should have the biopsy results tomorrow.”
“I just woke up and I’m sleepy.”
He kissed her again. “Then sleep. Are you okay pain-wise?”
“I’m okay.”
She closed her eyes again. Evan walked Ross and John and Kel to the door.
Ross said, “Do you need us to stay?”
“No. We’ll be okay. I do appreciate you being here last night and this morning.”
“Call when you get the results.”
“I will. Keep praying?”
Ross gave him a hug as Skip and Casey came down the hall. “Of course.”
“Mary Katherine ever wake up?” Skip asked, handing Evan a cup of coffee.
“Yes, and went back to sleep.”
“But she’s okay.” Skip had always been close to Mary Katherine.
“For now, she’s okay,” Evan said. “Are you okay Skip? I was a little preoccupied last night.”
“I’m getting better Evan. Don’t worry about me right now.”
Reluctantly they said goodbye. In two days John and Kel and Skip had to be back on the campaign trail and they had to leave, whether they wanted to or not. Evan and Casey went back in Mary Katherine’s room and talked in hushed tones until Mary Katherine woke again.
Tara thought it must have been the shortest two weeks of her life. The photographers had continued to hound her, but it was easier when Kel was with her. They kept more of a distance and seemed to bother him less than they did her. He didn’t give them anymore shots of him kissing her, but there were photos of her watching him play a polo match, of
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