crushed body of her brother at the foot of Mount Masada, about climbing the sheer cliff on a steel cable, about throwing the Arab boy over the edge and stabbing the other one in the eye with Srulie’s bloody bone. She wanted to tell him everything, but she knew he would never understand, would never again look at her with the same loving naiveté.
He cradled her hand in his large, soft palm.
When she knew her voice wouldn’t betray her, Masada said, “I went crazy, did something really stupid, and went to jail. And I’m still angry, because Srulie and my parents didn’t have to die.”
On the kitchen counter Masada found two packages. Drexel’s secretary must have brought them in, finding the front door unlocked. One contained the silver statue of the newsboy, the other a tray of chocolate brownies with M&Ms forming the letters T-I-R . She handed it to Rabbi Josh. “Raul likes chocolate, right?”
The rabbi took the tray. “Actually, it’s his birthday today.”
Dr. Gould dropped Elizabeth McPherson’s chart on his desk. “I got the MRI results.” He glanced at her abdomen, shaking his head. “If there ever was a curve ball.”
Elizabeth gulped, rubbing the bulge on her lower belly. She knew what he was going to say. Colon cancer. Spreading.
“Problem is I spend too much time looking in people’s colons. My wife complains I suffer from tunnel vision.” He formed a hole with a thumb and a finger. “Got it? Tunnel vision?”
“I had to prepare for a trial,” Elizabeth said. “That’s why I missed the last appointment.”
“Don’t blame yourself.” He flipped the pen between his fingers. “I should have put you on something, just in case. But after all these years, I assumed it can’t happen. Call it nature, I guess. God. Allah. Whatever.”
Elizabeth imagined red little tumors sprouting all over her insides. What should I do?”
“My colleague, Doctor Nelly, is top notch.” He paused. “If you don’t mind me asking, is there a stable companion? A partner?”
She understood. He was wondering who would take care of her. “I’m in a committed relationship. We’ve been dating for five years.” To dispel any doubts, she added, “With a man.”
“I guessed that much!” Dr. Gould chuckled. He must have attended a seminar on breaking bad news to patients. Be cheerful!
“We were planning to move in together soon.”
“Good. It’s important to have the support of a committed partner, especially with your medical history and age. Not that I foresee any complication.”
“I already knew it in my heart,” she said.
He shook his head, still smiling. “Women always do.”
Elizabeth was determined not to cry. “How advanced is it?”
“That’s for Doctor Nelly to tell you.”
“I’d prefer you to take it out, not some stranger.”
“Take it out?” He examined his fingernails. “Is that your choice?”
Nausea rose to her palate, chased by a sense of dread. Cancer! What bad timing, just when she was winning a coveted promotion and David was about to leave his wife for her. Could she handle a deputy director’s workload while going through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation? David would help. They would survive it together. “I’ve been through a lot. I’ll beat this thing.”
“You’ll be fine.” Dr. Gould stepped to the door. “Let it sink in, give it a few days.”
She supported herself on the desk, fighting her tears. “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”
“That’s the spirit!” He handed her a note. “Talk to your fiancé. Maybe he’ll convince you to keep it.”
She paused, looking at him. “ Keep it? ”
“Why not? The clock is ticking. Your body surprised us this time, but I doubt it’ll happen again.”
“Again?”
He clucked his tongue. “Old fashion is charming, Elizabeth, but I got to tell you, this isn’t Palestine. Nobody’s going to blink an eyelid. It’ll keep you young.”
She realized he wasn’t speaking of
He cradled her hand in his large, soft palm.
When she knew her voice wouldn’t betray her, Masada said, “I went crazy, did something really stupid, and went to jail. And I’m still angry, because Srulie and my parents didn’t have to die.”
On the kitchen counter Masada found two packages. Drexel’s secretary must have brought them in, finding the front door unlocked. One contained the silver statue of the newsboy, the other a tray of chocolate brownies with M&Ms forming the letters T-I-R . She handed it to Rabbi Josh. “Raul likes chocolate, right?”
The rabbi took the tray. “Actually, it’s his birthday today.”
Dr. Gould dropped Elizabeth McPherson’s chart on his desk. “I got the MRI results.” He glanced at her abdomen, shaking his head. “If there ever was a curve ball.”
Elizabeth gulped, rubbing the bulge on her lower belly. She knew what he was going to say. Colon cancer. Spreading.
“Problem is I spend too much time looking in people’s colons. My wife complains I suffer from tunnel vision.” He formed a hole with a thumb and a finger. “Got it? Tunnel vision?”
“I had to prepare for a trial,” Elizabeth said. “That’s why I missed the last appointment.”
“Don’t blame yourself.” He flipped the pen between his fingers. “I should have put you on something, just in case. But after all these years, I assumed it can’t happen. Call it nature, I guess. God. Allah. Whatever.”
Elizabeth imagined red little tumors sprouting all over her insides. What should I do?”
“My colleague, Doctor Nelly, is top notch.” He paused. “If you don’t mind me asking, is there a stable companion? A partner?”
She understood. He was wondering who would take care of her. “I’m in a committed relationship. We’ve been dating for five years.” To dispel any doubts, she added, “With a man.”
“I guessed that much!” Dr. Gould chuckled. He must have attended a seminar on breaking bad news to patients. Be cheerful!
“We were planning to move in together soon.”
“Good. It’s important to have the support of a committed partner, especially with your medical history and age. Not that I foresee any complication.”
“I already knew it in my heart,” she said.
He shook his head, still smiling. “Women always do.”
Elizabeth was determined not to cry. “How advanced is it?”
“That’s for Doctor Nelly to tell you.”
“I’d prefer you to take it out, not some stranger.”
“Take it out?” He examined his fingernails. “Is that your choice?”
Nausea rose to her palate, chased by a sense of dread. Cancer! What bad timing, just when she was winning a coveted promotion and David was about to leave his wife for her. Could she handle a deputy director’s workload while going through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation? David would help. They would survive it together. “I’ve been through a lot. I’ll beat this thing.”
“You’ll be fine.” Dr. Gould stepped to the door. “Let it sink in, give it a few days.”
She supported herself on the desk, fighting her tears. “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”
“That’s the spirit!” He handed her a note. “Talk to your fiancé. Maybe he’ll convince you to keep it.”
She paused, looking at him. “ Keep it? ”
“Why not? The clock is ticking. Your body surprised us this time, but I doubt it’ll happen again.”
“Again?”
He clucked his tongue. “Old fashion is charming, Elizabeth, but I got to tell you, this isn’t Palestine. Nobody’s going to blink an eyelid. It’ll keep you young.”
She realized he wasn’t speaking of
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