Fight: Chapter Three and Four
Chapter 3
Kate shifted uncomfortably in her seat, avoiding eye contact with her Commanding Officer. A tense silence fell over the Bridge, broken by the bubbly voice of the youngest Sailor approaching her superiors. ‘X, I bought you something,’ she said, failing to notice the presence of the CO. She thrust her hands in front of her, a sandwich sliding across the plate slightly, almost falling to the ground before she quickly righted herself. ‘Oh Sir, I didn’t see you there.’ Offering the plate to the older woman, Bird was surprised when the older woman shook her head in refusal, ‘I’m fine thanks.’
‘Bird, take over from the X, I need to speak with her a moment.’ The young woman nodded her ascent, stepping aside to let the Executive Officer through. Kate made no attempt to move from her perch, an action that didn’t escape the notice of her Boss. ‘Lieutenant McGregor, that wasn’t a request. I want to speak to you in my cabin, now,’ he said, leaving no room for argument. Glaring at him, she complied with his request, dropping her feet to the floor and standing, stretching out her stiff muscles before following him out of the Bridge.
Mike closed the door behind them as they entered his cabin. Kate watched as he ran a hand through his hair, obviously not sure how to start the conversation. ‘Kate,’ he began, using her given name, only to be interrupted.
‘Sir?’ she questioned, pushing the dull ache in her side to the back of her mind. His face fell at her formality and he took a deep breath, trying to collect his thoughts. ‘Kate, is there something wrong?’ he asked, deciding to cut straight to the point.
‘I don’t understand what you mean Sir,’ she responded, deliberately avoiding his question, dropping her gaze to the floor. He reached out, placing two fingers under her chin to raise her eyes to meet his. The tears that had formed didn’t go unnoticed and he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame, offering comfort for reasons he didn’t understand. Tightening his grip on her, he unknowingly pressed against her left breast, squashing the sensitive area between their bodies. The sudden sharp pain caused her to jump back, colliding with the wall as she let out a loud curse. Now aware that she could no longer hide her ailment from him, she reached up to wipe the fresh tears from her eyes. ‘Kate,’ he said, ‘that wasn’t nothing; please tell me, what’s wrong.’ Swallowing another sob, Kate cradled her breast gently, trying to will away the throbbing pain. Grasping her elbow gently, he led her to his chair, helping her to lower her body into it. Kneeling in front of her, he grasped her hands in his, his thumb rubbing across the back of her hand in a gesture of comfort. Seeing the concern in his eyes, she knew she couldn’t hide her condition from her any longer. Pulling one hand from his grasp, she reached up to run her hand down his face. ‘I…’ she started, pausing for a moment, as if figuring out the best way to tell him the little she knew. ‘I found a lump in my breast,’ she whispered quietly, as if saying it too loud would offend it somehow, ‘I went to the Doctor, they couldn’t tell me what it was,’ she continued, her voice still barely above a whisper. He squeezed his eyes together, realising the enormity of her admission and attempting to stop the tears that had formed in their ducts. His free hand reached up, running his hand down the side of her face, mimicking her earlier gesture. ‘Kate…’ Mike trailed off, not knowing what to say to alleviate her obvious fears. She leaned into his touch, finally allowing the emotion that had been building up for two weeks, to spill over.
* * *
Her tears stopped for now, Kate pulled back from Mike, taking a shuddering breath as she regained her composure. He ran his hand down the side of her face once more, pressing a reassuring kiss to her forehead. ‘I’m here Kate, whatever you need,’ he whispered into her hair, the first words spoken between them in almost an hour. She pulled her head away, looking up at him, her eyes puffy from the tears she’d shed. ‘When will you know?’ he asked, his voice barely audible.
‘I had a needle biopsy done today, should have the results in a couple of days,’ she responded, just as quietly.
‘Do you need me to come with you?’ Looking up, seeing the concern reflected in his eyes, she responded, her voice cracking, ‘It’d mean the world to me if you did.’ She stood, stretching out her stiff muscles, groaning as her joints clicked back into place. ‘I’ve got some paperwork to finish, I’ll be on the Bridge if you need me,’ she told him, giving his hand one last gentle squeeze before leaving the security of Mike’s cabin.
Making a quick stop in her cabin to collect the remaining folders and her laptop from the desk, Kate paused to check her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were puffy and red from the flood of tears that she’d shed that evening, and her hair was skewed from its original position. Stepping into the small bathroom, she splashed water on her face, washing the grit from her eyes, picking up a soft towel to dry her face. Pulling the elastic from her hair she ran her fingers through it, before putting it back into its ponytail. Shutting the door to the small bathroom, she collected the items from her desk, carrying them towards the Galley to grab a fresh Brew before heading back to the Bridge. Watching the liquid swirl in the mug as she stirred it, Kate took a moment to reflect on the events of the past hour. The pain in her side was still there, though not as sharp, and she felt like a massive weight had been lifted from her chest after speaking with Mike. Kate still felt uneasy about what the results might show, and truth be known, she was terrified that she would have cancer. What would become of her career if she did? What would become of her life? Would she survive? That was the hardest part for her, the fear of the unknown, not knowing if she would still be here in a year, or if she would become just another statistic. Realistically she knew she had given herself a chance by rushing to the Doctor as soon as she had arrived in Port, but there was still that nagging voice inside that was telling her she should have noticed something amiss earlier. Filing her doubts away to pursue another time, Kate picked up her computer and her files, resting them in the crook of her right arm, collecting her steaming mug from the bench and heading back to the Bridge to finish her Watch.
Chapter 4
A buzzing noise disturbed Kate from her paperwork. Looking at the number flashing across the screen she recognised it as the number from of the Hospital. Picking it up nervously, she answered the call, her voice cracking as she spoke, ‘Kate McGregor.’
‘Kate, Marcus Green speaking. How are you?’ the voice on the other end responded.
‘I’m fine, how are you?’
‘Good, thanks. Are you still in Port?’
‘I am,’ Kate replied, not offering any additional information.
‘I have your test results here, are you free to come in this afternoon to discuss them?’
‘I can be there in an hour,’ Kate told him.
‘That’s fine, I’ll let reception know, and I’ll see you then.’
‘Thank you Doctor.’ The line clicked, signalling the end of the conversation. Kate pulled the phone away from her ear, staring at the item in her hand. Dropping the phone to the desk, she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, fear gripping her every sense. A knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts, and the door opened before she could respond. ‘X, have you…’ Mike began, pausing when he saw the terrified look on her face, ‘Kate?’ he asked, rushing to her side.
‘The Doctor called my test results are back,’ she whispered, ‘I have to go in an hour.’ Mike nodded, reaching his hand up to run it down the side of her face, ‘Do you still want me to come with you?’ he asked, a hint of fear in his voice.
‘Yes,’ she whispered, allowing the fear she was feeling to creep to the surface as she grabbed his larger hand with her smaller one, his strong grip reassuring her that she didn’t have to do this alone.
* * *
An hour later, two Navy officers, clad in their Whites strode into the waiting room at Barry General. Their arms hung loosely at their sides, their hands brushing together in featherlight touches as they walked. Kate approached the dour receptionist, clearing her throat loudly to get the woman’s attention. The chubby woman looked up, eying Kate curiously, ‘Yes?’ she asked rudely, annoyed at having been pulled from her computer, which, from the corner of her eye, Kate could see was logged into Facebook, a chat window in the lower corner flashing indicating a new message. ‘Lieutenant Kate McGregor, I’m here to see Dr. Green.’
‘Take a seat over there,’ she said, pointing blindly in the direction of a bank of chairs, before returning her attention to her online conversation. Containing her anger, Kate walked over to where Mike was seated. However, the sight of her Commanding Officer, and sometimes lover, thumbing through an old copy of the Woman’s Day was enough to dissolve her anger, even if it was only for a moment. Dropping into the seat next to him, she resisted the urge to kiss his gorgeous face, currently skewed in concentration as he read what was apparently a very interesting article. Shaking her head and chuckling, Kate was surprised when he looked up, ‘What?’
‘I can’t believe you’re reading that trash. I thought you were smarter than that,’ she said, pulling the magazine from his grip and tossing it back onto the table.
‘Hey! I was reading that,’ he exclaimed, watching as his Executive Officer burst out laughing. Her laughter proved infectious as he too broke out laughing. Watching as she wiped tears from her eyes he was glad that he’d done something to take her mind off the reason they were here, if only for a few minutes. Her laughter stopped as suddenly as it had started as she saw Dr. Green approach. ‘Kate, how are you?’ he asked, offering his hand. Ignoring the outstretched hand, she nodded in response, eying the folders he carried suspiciously. Finding her voice, she introduced the man sitting next to her, ‘Commander Mike Flynn,’ she said, offering nothing on the nature of their relationship, ‘Marcus Green.’ Mike shook his hand politely, watching as the Marcus gestured towards his consulting room. Kate followed Marcus slowly, a last ditch attempt at avoiding what was awaiting her in the papers he held. Stopping in the doorway, he allowed Kate and Mike to enter before he followed, shutting the door firmly behind him. Taking his seat, he gave the couple sitting before him a few moments to settle, watching as Kate’s hand positioned itself next to Mike’s, the latter taking her smaller hand in his.
Flipping the cream folder open on his desk, Marcus spoke, ‘How have you been feeling Kate? Any discomfort around the lump?’
‘A little, but I expected that.’
‘Do you mind if I have a quick look, just to check for any infection.’
‘Go ahead,’ Kate told him, rising from her seat. Mike watched as she sat on the bed situated on the far wall, pulling her shirt free from the confines of her pants before removing it and laying it across the bed. Marcus closed the curtain around them, giving a degree of privacy while Mike sat nervously in the chair, his gaze wandering the pieces of paper sitting on the wooden desktop.
Tuning out from the conversation continuing behind the curtain, he took a moment to think about the implications of the results which were to be delivered to Kate in the next few minutes. He didn’t doubt her strength to face this battle head-on if need be, but he had reservations about his own strength. His feelings for her ran deeper than friendship, and he knew enough about this disease to know that it didn’t just affect the person suffering from the illness, but had a profound affect on those around them, and deep down he was concerned about whether he could stand to see her suffer, potentially to her death. And children? He knew that she wanted kids, had told him so months earlier, and this could certainly throw a spanner in her plans. His mind flashed to an image of a young girl, maybe three, blonde pigtails swinging through the air as she ran around the playground. Kate watched from a short distance away, feeding a young boy, his hair dark like his fathers. The boy, more interested in running around with his sister than eating, batted the spoon away with his chubby little hand. Giving up on feeding the stubborn boy, Kate places the jar on the bench beside her, lifting the boy out of his pusher before placing him gently on the ground, allowing his little legs a moment to balance before she let him go, smiling as she watched him toddle over to his big sister. A pair of arms wrap around her from behind, kissing her neck softly as he ran his hands over the small swell in her stomach. ‘Mike…’ something grabbed his hand, pulling on it lightly, interrupting his daydream.
‘Mike?’ a female voice asked again, ‘Are you ok?’ she questioned, noticing the far away look in his eyes.
‘Huh?’ he said, confused, ‘Oh sorry?’ he apologised, noticing Kate sitting back next to him, confusion etched on her features.
‘Where did you go just now?’ she whispered, not wanting to disturb Marcus who was furiously writing notes on the pages in front of him.
‘Nowhere,’ he replied, visions of their children drifting from his mind. He watched as the other man sat up, facing the pair. Seeing the emotionless expression on his face, Kate grabbed Mike’s hand again, squeezing it as tight as she dared. ‘Kate, I have your results here. What I’ve done is compiled the biopsy results with those of the mammogram, and from your initial examination with Doctor Peters, so we have a complete picture of this issue,’ he paused, unsure of how to tell the young woman the next part, ‘The biopsy we completed earlier in the week confirmed our suspicions that the lump is malignant.’ Kate squeezed Mike’s hand tighter as her fears were realized, tears rolling from her eyes as the word “malignant” rolled around in her head. She had cancer. Test results confirmed it. Barely thirty-five and she was facing death. She unsuccessfully choked back a sob, reaching for the tissues she’d spotted on the desk as she dabbed at her eyes. Having delivered news like this on more than one occasion, Marcus gave her a few minutes to process the information before continuing. ‘The cancer itself is defined as stage two, and I’ll give you some information regarding treatment options, but having spoken with an oncologist about your case, we believe the best course of treatment would be for you to have a mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy. I know this is a lot to take in, but the good news is we’ve caught this cancer fairly early and with swift treatment, I believe you can beat this.’ The older man reached out to grab Kate’s other hand, currently gripping a sopping tissue like it was the last thing on earth, squeezing it in some form of reassurance. Continuing, he spoke softly, ‘I’ll give you a referral to see an oncologist and she’ll go through the treatment options with you in more depth and will be more equipped to answer your questions.’ Kate nodded miserably, resisting the urge to bury herself in Mike’s arms. A few minutes later, after a one-sided conversation the appointment was over, Mike standing to shake the other mans hand before helping a near catatonic Kate to her feet, supporting her weight as she all but collapsed into his arms, the diagnosis proving to be too much for her to deal with. Mike took the stack of paper that was offered by Doctor Green, thanking him politely as he led Kate from the room, passing the stunned receptionist, dragged once again from her online conversation by Kate’s loud sobs. Exiting the building, Mike stopped the pair in the park opposite the hospital, carefully sitting them down on the bench, tucking his pile of paper under their hats as he took the devastated woman in his arms, their tears mingling together as they processed the news that had changed the course of their lives.
Kate shifted uncomfortably in her seat, avoiding eye contact with her Commanding Officer. A tense silence fell over the Bridge, broken by the bubbly voice of the youngest Sailor approaching her superiors. ‘X, I bought you something,’ she said, failing to notice the presence of the CO. She thrust her hands in front of her, a sandwich sliding across the plate slightly, almost falling to the ground before she quickly righted herself. ‘Oh Sir, I didn’t see you there.’ Offering the plate to the older woman, Bird was surprised when the older woman shook her head in refusal, ‘I’m fine thanks.’
‘Bird, take over from the X, I need to speak with her a moment.’ The young woman nodded her ascent, stepping aside to let the Executive Officer through. Kate made no attempt to move from her perch, an action that didn’t escape the notice of her Boss. ‘Lieutenant McGregor, that wasn’t a request. I want to speak to you in my cabin, now,’ he said, leaving no room for argument. Glaring at him, she complied with his request, dropping her feet to the floor and standing, stretching out her stiff muscles before following him out of the Bridge.
Mike closed the door behind them as they entered his cabin. Kate watched as he ran a hand through his hair, obviously not sure how to start the conversation. ‘Kate,’ he began, using her given name, only to be interrupted.
‘Sir?’ she questioned, pushing the dull ache in her side to the back of her mind. His face fell at her formality and he took a deep breath, trying to collect his thoughts. ‘Kate, is there something wrong?’ he asked, deciding to cut straight to the point.
‘I don’t understand what you mean Sir,’ she responded, deliberately avoiding his question, dropping her gaze to the floor. He reached out, placing two fingers under her chin to raise her eyes to meet his. The tears that had formed didn’t go unnoticed and he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame, offering comfort for reasons he didn’t understand. Tightening his grip on her, he unknowingly pressed against her left breast, squashing the sensitive area between their bodies. The sudden sharp pain caused her to jump back, colliding with the wall as she let out a loud curse. Now aware that she could no longer hide her ailment from him, she reached up to wipe the fresh tears from her eyes. ‘Kate,’ he said, ‘that wasn’t nothing; please tell me, what’s wrong.’ Swallowing another sob, Kate cradled her breast gently, trying to will away the throbbing pain. Grasping her elbow gently, he led her to his chair, helping her to lower her body into it. Kneeling in front of her, he grasped her hands in his, his thumb rubbing across the back of her hand in a gesture of comfort. Seeing the concern in his eyes, she knew she couldn’t hide her condition from her any longer. Pulling one hand from his grasp, she reached up to run her hand down his face. ‘I…’ she started, pausing for a moment, as if figuring out the best way to tell him the little she knew. ‘I found a lump in my breast,’ she whispered quietly, as if saying it too loud would offend it somehow, ‘I went to the Doctor, they couldn’t tell me what it was,’ she continued, her voice still barely above a whisper. He squeezed his eyes together, realising the enormity of her admission and attempting to stop the tears that had formed in their ducts. His free hand reached up, running his hand down the side of her face, mimicking her earlier gesture. ‘Kate…’ Mike trailed off, not knowing what to say to alleviate her obvious fears. She leaned into his touch, finally allowing the emotion that had been building up for two weeks, to spill over.
* * *
Her tears stopped for now, Kate pulled back from Mike, taking a shuddering breath as she regained her composure. He ran his hand down the side of her face once more, pressing a reassuring kiss to her forehead. ‘I’m here Kate, whatever you need,’ he whispered into her hair, the first words spoken between them in almost an hour. She pulled her head away, looking up at him, her eyes puffy from the tears she’d shed. ‘When will you know?’ he asked, his voice barely audible.
‘I had a needle biopsy done today, should have the results in a couple of days,’ she responded, just as quietly.
‘Do you need me to come with you?’ Looking up, seeing the concern reflected in his eyes, she responded, her voice cracking, ‘It’d mean the world to me if you did.’ She stood, stretching out her stiff muscles, groaning as her joints clicked back into place. ‘I’ve got some paperwork to finish, I’ll be on the Bridge if you need me,’ she told him, giving his hand one last gentle squeeze before leaving the security of Mike’s cabin.
Making a quick stop in her cabin to collect the remaining folders and her laptop from the desk, Kate paused to check her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were puffy and red from the flood of tears that she’d shed that evening, and her hair was skewed from its original position. Stepping into the small bathroom, she splashed water on her face, washing the grit from her eyes, picking up a soft towel to dry her face. Pulling the elastic from her hair she ran her fingers through it, before putting it back into its ponytail. Shutting the door to the small bathroom, she collected the items from her desk, carrying them towards the Galley to grab a fresh Brew before heading back to the Bridge. Watching the liquid swirl in the mug as she stirred it, Kate took a moment to reflect on the events of the past hour. The pain in her side was still there, though not as sharp, and she felt like a massive weight had been lifted from her chest after speaking with Mike. Kate still felt uneasy about what the results might show, and truth be known, she was terrified that she would have cancer. What would become of her career if she did? What would become of her life? Would she survive? That was the hardest part for her, the fear of the unknown, not knowing if she would still be here in a year, or if she would become just another statistic. Realistically she knew she had given herself a chance by rushing to the Doctor as soon as she had arrived in Port, but there was still that nagging voice inside that was telling her she should have noticed something amiss earlier. Filing her doubts away to pursue another time, Kate picked up her computer and her files, resting them in the crook of her right arm, collecting her steaming mug from the bench and heading back to the Bridge to finish her Watch.
Chapter 4
A buzzing noise disturbed Kate from her paperwork. Looking at the number flashing across the screen she recognised it as the number from of the Hospital. Picking it up nervously, she answered the call, her voice cracking as she spoke, ‘Kate McGregor.’
‘Kate, Marcus Green speaking. How are you?’ the voice on the other end responded.
‘I’m fine, how are you?’
‘Good, thanks. Are you still in Port?’
‘I am,’ Kate replied, not offering any additional information.
‘I have your test results here, are you free to come in this afternoon to discuss them?’
‘I can be there in an hour,’ Kate told him.
‘That’s fine, I’ll let reception know, and I’ll see you then.’
‘Thank you Doctor.’ The line clicked, signalling the end of the conversation. Kate pulled the phone away from her ear, staring at the item in her hand. Dropping the phone to the desk, she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, fear gripping her every sense. A knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts, and the door opened before she could respond. ‘X, have you…’ Mike began, pausing when he saw the terrified look on her face, ‘Kate?’ he asked, rushing to her side.
‘The Doctor called my test results are back,’ she whispered, ‘I have to go in an hour.’ Mike nodded, reaching his hand up to run it down the side of her face, ‘Do you still want me to come with you?’ he asked, a hint of fear in his voice.
‘Yes,’ she whispered, allowing the fear she was feeling to creep to the surface as she grabbed his larger hand with her smaller one, his strong grip reassuring her that she didn’t have to do this alone.
* * *
An hour later, two Navy officers, clad in their Whites strode into the waiting room at Barry General. Their arms hung loosely at their sides, their hands brushing together in featherlight touches as they walked. Kate approached the dour receptionist, clearing her throat loudly to get the woman’s attention. The chubby woman looked up, eying Kate curiously, ‘Yes?’ she asked rudely, annoyed at having been pulled from her computer, which, from the corner of her eye, Kate could see was logged into Facebook, a chat window in the lower corner flashing indicating a new message. ‘Lieutenant Kate McGregor, I’m here to see Dr. Green.’
‘Take a seat over there,’ she said, pointing blindly in the direction of a bank of chairs, before returning her attention to her online conversation. Containing her anger, Kate walked over to where Mike was seated. However, the sight of her Commanding Officer, and sometimes lover, thumbing through an old copy of the Woman’s Day was enough to dissolve her anger, even if it was only for a moment. Dropping into the seat next to him, she resisted the urge to kiss his gorgeous face, currently skewed in concentration as he read what was apparently a very interesting article. Shaking her head and chuckling, Kate was surprised when he looked up, ‘What?’
‘I can’t believe you’re reading that trash. I thought you were smarter than that,’ she said, pulling the magazine from his grip and tossing it back onto the table.
‘Hey! I was reading that,’ he exclaimed, watching as his Executive Officer burst out laughing. Her laughter proved infectious as he too broke out laughing. Watching as she wiped tears from her eyes he was glad that he’d done something to take her mind off the reason they were here, if only for a few minutes. Her laughter stopped as suddenly as it had started as she saw Dr. Green approach. ‘Kate, how are you?’ he asked, offering his hand. Ignoring the outstretched hand, she nodded in response, eying the folders he carried suspiciously. Finding her voice, she introduced the man sitting next to her, ‘Commander Mike Flynn,’ she said, offering nothing on the nature of their relationship, ‘Marcus Green.’ Mike shook his hand politely, watching as the Marcus gestured towards his consulting room. Kate followed Marcus slowly, a last ditch attempt at avoiding what was awaiting her in the papers he held. Stopping in the doorway, he allowed Kate and Mike to enter before he followed, shutting the door firmly behind him. Taking his seat, he gave the couple sitting before him a few moments to settle, watching as Kate’s hand positioned itself next to Mike’s, the latter taking her smaller hand in his.
Flipping the cream folder open on his desk, Marcus spoke, ‘How have you been feeling Kate? Any discomfort around the lump?’
‘A little, but I expected that.’
‘Do you mind if I have a quick look, just to check for any infection.’
‘Go ahead,’ Kate told him, rising from her seat. Mike watched as she sat on the bed situated on the far wall, pulling her shirt free from the confines of her pants before removing it and laying it across the bed. Marcus closed the curtain around them, giving a degree of privacy while Mike sat nervously in the chair, his gaze wandering the pieces of paper sitting on the wooden desktop.
Tuning out from the conversation continuing behind the curtain, he took a moment to think about the implications of the results which were to be delivered to Kate in the next few minutes. He didn’t doubt her strength to face this battle head-on if need be, but he had reservations about his own strength. His feelings for her ran deeper than friendship, and he knew enough about this disease to know that it didn’t just affect the person suffering from the illness, but had a profound affect on those around them, and deep down he was concerned about whether he could stand to see her suffer, potentially to her death. And children? He knew that she wanted kids, had told him so months earlier, and this could certainly throw a spanner in her plans. His mind flashed to an image of a young girl, maybe three, blonde pigtails swinging through the air as she ran around the playground. Kate watched from a short distance away, feeding a young boy, his hair dark like his fathers. The boy, more interested in running around with his sister than eating, batted the spoon away with his chubby little hand. Giving up on feeding the stubborn boy, Kate places the jar on the bench beside her, lifting the boy out of his pusher before placing him gently on the ground, allowing his little legs a moment to balance before she let him go, smiling as she watched him toddle over to his big sister. A pair of arms wrap around her from behind, kissing her neck softly as he ran his hands over the small swell in her stomach. ‘Mike…’ something grabbed his hand, pulling on it lightly, interrupting his daydream.
‘Mike?’ a female voice asked again, ‘Are you ok?’ she questioned, noticing the far away look in his eyes.
‘Huh?’ he said, confused, ‘Oh sorry?’ he apologised, noticing Kate sitting back next to him, confusion etched on her features.
‘Where did you go just now?’ she whispered, not wanting to disturb Marcus who was furiously writing notes on the pages in front of him.
‘Nowhere,’ he replied, visions of their children drifting from his mind. He watched as the other man sat up, facing the pair. Seeing the emotionless expression on his face, Kate grabbed Mike’s hand again, squeezing it as tight as she dared. ‘Kate, I have your results here. What I’ve done is compiled the biopsy results with those of the mammogram, and from your initial examination with Doctor Peters, so we have a complete picture of this issue,’ he paused, unsure of how to tell the young woman the next part, ‘The biopsy we completed earlier in the week confirmed our suspicions that the lump is malignant.’ Kate squeezed Mike’s hand tighter as her fears were realized, tears rolling from her eyes as the word “malignant” rolled around in her head. She had cancer. Test results confirmed it. Barely thirty-five and she was facing death. She unsuccessfully choked back a sob, reaching for the tissues she’d spotted on the desk as she dabbed at her eyes. Having delivered news like this on more than one occasion, Marcus gave her a few minutes to process the information before continuing. ‘The cancer itself is defined as stage two, and I’ll give you some information regarding treatment options, but having spoken with an oncologist about your case, we believe the best course of treatment would be for you to have a mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy. I know this is a lot to take in, but the good news is we’ve caught this cancer fairly early and with swift treatment, I believe you can beat this.’ The older man reached out to grab Kate’s other hand, currently gripping a sopping tissue like it was the last thing on earth, squeezing it in some form of reassurance. Continuing, he spoke softly, ‘I’ll give you a referral to see an oncologist and she’ll go through the treatment options with you in more depth and will be more equipped to answer your questions.’ Kate nodded miserably, resisting the urge to bury herself in Mike’s arms. A few minutes later, after a one-sided conversation the appointment was over, Mike standing to shake the other mans hand before helping a near catatonic Kate to her feet, supporting her weight as she all but collapsed into his arms, the diagnosis proving to be too much for her to deal with. Mike took the stack of paper that was offered by Doctor Green, thanking him politely as he led Kate from the room, passing the stunned receptionist, dragged once again from her online conversation by Kate’s loud sobs. Exiting the building, Mike stopped the pair in the park opposite the hospital, carefully sitting them down on the bench, tucking his pile of paper under their hats as he took the devastated woman in his arms, their tears mingling together as they processed the news that had changed the course of their lives.