Inked: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World), стр. 11

Chapter Five

Harlow

“Are you ever going to get that thing done, or do you just intend on staring at it for the rest of your days, wishing you were brave enough?”

I glance at the sketch tacked to my mirror before lifting my eyes over my shoulder to Bailey, who’s now made herself comfortable in my bed.

“Something wrong with your room?”

“Yeah, actually. It stinks of puke.”

“So you thought you’d spread it to my bed, too. Great, thanks.”

“I’ve showered, you’re safe.”

That doesn’t exactly make me feel better, but I look back to my mirror to finish getting ready. My stomach bottoms out the second I remember what exactly it is I’m getting ready for before I have a chance to push it aside.

“I’ll get it one day,” I mutter, looking at the design I came up with a few years ago for the day I was brave enough to be inked. After all the shit I did in my teen years, you wouldn’t think getting a tattoo would have been all that wild, but every time I thought about it, I chickened out. I even got as far as a waiting room a time or two, but each visit ended with me walking back out through the door with my skin as bare as when I walked inside.

“You’ve been saying that for years. Pull the Band-Aid off and just do it, H. I guarantee you’ll feel better after.”

“Says the expert,” I mutter, knowing that her knowledge of tattoos is limited to the tramp stamp on her back.

“I’m too hungover to argue with you.”

“And for that I’m truly grateful.”

“Bitch.”

“Yet still you love me.”

“That I do, sista. That I do. You look nice,” Bailey says, her eyes running the length of me.

“Dress for the news you want, right?”

“It’ll be fine. I’m pretty sure you’ve had your fill of bad luck over the years.”

“She’s been called in on a Saturday, do you really believe that?”

Dread passes through her eyes, and my stomach twists with what I know is coming. I’m about to be told that I’m losing someone else I love. They’re words that one should only hear once or twice in their lives, but for me, it’s a more common occurrence than I’d like to admit.

Bailey’s slightly green face pales. She knows I’m right.

“It will be what it will be. I’ve just got to do my best to support her through it.”

“She’s lucky to have you.”

I shrug. I can see how Bailey might see it that way, but really, I’m the lucky one. My aunt is my lifeline. She came for me when I was at my lowest, and without her, I’ve no doubt that I probably wouldn’t be here right now.

Pushing from the stool I’m sitting on, I stand and pull my purse from the bed.

“Message me when you have news.”

I nod, suck in a huge breath, and move toward the door. I’ve got to be strong for her. She might be all I have in the family department, but equally, I’m all she’s got, and I need to not fall apart when she needs me most. She didn’t when I was, so it’s time for me to pull up my big girl panties and stand strong beside her.

My aunt’s waiting at the window when I pull up to her home. In seconds she’s out of the front door and heading my way. A weak smile graces her lips, but she’s just trying to put on a show for my benefit. I can see how she’s really feeling in the depths of her dark eyes. She’s terrified but doesn’t want me to know it.

“Good morning,” she sings in her usual cheerful voice which normally brings me joy, but right now, all I want to do is cry.

“Morning,” I force out through the lump in my throat.

“You didn’t have to come, you know. I’m a big girl, I could have gone alone.”

“No chance. We’re a team, remember? We do the hard stuff together.” I repeat the words she said to me time and time again in my late teen years.

She reaches over and grabs my hand, squeezing tightly. “We both know what he’s going to say, and neither of us wants or needs to hear it. But…” She trails off.

“The unknown is worse than the reality.” She nods, a tiny smile twitching at her lips.

“Exactly. Let’s go and find out the reality and see what we’re really facing.”

My aunt was first diagnosed with breast cancer when I was just nineteen. It was like I’d just managed to sort my life out and hers was falling apart once more.

She’d saved my life, and now she was going to lose hers.

Tears burn my eyes as I recall that first appointment when we heard the bad news, and everything that was to follow. The hospital appointments, the treatment, the sickness. She handled it all with such strength. I already knew that she was one hell of a woman, but watching her kick cancer’s butt one day at a time was incredible. I was so proud of her and inspired by her resilience. She’d only recently lost the love of her life, and now she was fighting for her own. It takes a really special kind of person to be able to get through all of that unscathed. Not to mention picking up your wayward niece and bringing her back to life along the way.

I back out of her drive and force down my fear. There’s no point in me jumping to conclusions. We both know this is going to be bad, but we don’t know how bad. People live with returning cancer for years. Maybe she’ll be one of the lucky ones.

“I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but the scans show that your tumors are growing faster than we anticipated. That will account for the symptoms you’ve been complaining of. The headaches,