by Lee Wardlow
She ignored him for now. Sophie didn’t want to worry Josh until she had to. The lump was most likely nothing. She had convinced herself that Ben was overacting between his office and the center.
Sophie shoved her shoulder-length, black hair over her shoulder and stepped out into the hallway. She was nervous, clutching the gown around herself.
The young tech who was going to do her mammogram had light reddish-blonde hair with a beautiful smile and freckles on her nose. She was as wholesome as Sophie was dark and mysterious in her looks. Her hair was pulled back tight in a ponytail that swung when she walked. She was sweet and perky and young.
Sophie rolled her eyes and tried to not be disgusted. She was a cheerleader at one time, Sophie was sure of it. How did she know? She was one too, over twenty years ago.
Her name was Kaylee. She kept smiling at Sophie, trying to be encouraging. “Ready?” She asked.
“As I will ever be,” Sophie replied trying to not sound exasperated with this process. It wasn’t Kaylee’s fault she had to do this or that she was now grumpy.
“We’re just down the hall.” The young woman was probably only a few years older than Heath. Twenty-four or twenty-five. She wore the typical, light green scrubs of the hospital that was associated with the Imaging Center.
Sophie didn’t know a woman who enjoyed this test. Didn’t find it uncomfortable. There had to be a better way to determine what was going on inside a woman’s breast than smashing it between two, plexiglass plates. Sophie rolled her eyes while following Kaylee down the hall and into the imaging room.
The tech was kind and understanding considering she didn’t have a clue what was about to happen to Sophie. “Will I know something today?” Sophie asked her.
“Dr. Hillard will call you with the results. He asked for a rush on this,” Kaylee explained while she did something on the computer and Sophie stood around, staring at the machine.
“I don’t have breast cancer in my family,” Sophie mumbled. She was beginning to worry again, probably for nothing, she reminded herself.
“You have two breasts.” The young woman looked at her with sympathy. “I’ve seen it happen to more than one woman who didn’t have cancer in their family.”
She joined Sophie at the machine and told her to open her gown on the left side. Then Kaylee guided her breast into the machine. “Now hold steady. I know it hurts. Don’t breathe,” she told Sophie.
Not a problem. Holding her breath was easy. It made the pain in her breast as the machine smashed it in its death grip much easier to bear. The loudness of the machine filled Sophie’s ears as it scanned her breast, doing its thing, taking the image, then it released, and she gasped letting the air release from her lungs.
Kaylee took a side image too. Then Sophie slipped her arm into the gown. “Doctor Hillard wants a picture of both breasts,” Kaylee informed her.
Sophie nodded and grumbled then slipped her other arm out of the gown to complete the test. The tech explained to Sophie that she could get dressed and wait in the lobby where she picked her up while the radiologist looked at the images to be sure they didn’t need anything else.
Sophie went back to the dressing room and changed into her own clothes. She followed the exit signs to the waiting area where she sat in one of the overstuffed chairs that were comfortable by waiting room standards.
It wasn’t that long ago that she and Kai and their spouses sat with John Overly waiting for Micki to come out of the OR after her emergency C-Section. A happy occasion after a little scare. The twins were beautiful. A boy born first they named Simon John. Their daughter who came second had been in distress. They had named her Everly Rose. Both children had a thatch of dark hair, their mother’s big brown eyes and they were the happiest babies Sophie had seen.
Over the weekend, she had just seen them with Kai and Roman who brought Alexander. Her friends were getting babies and she was getting breast cancer.
She turned slightly so she could see the sunlight filtering through the tinted glass. Then no one could see the tears, threatening to spill from her eyes. Sophie rested her chin in her hand. She heard her phone dinging again and sighed. Sophie knew that she had received another text message, probably from Josh wondering if everything was all right. It wasn’t like her to not respond. As Kai liked to say, her phone was attached to her hip. It rarely took her more than five minutes to respond to anyone’s message.
She dug through her purse searching for her phone. There were three messages from her husband.
How was Doctor Ben? Everything go well?
Hey Sophie, not like you to not answer. That phone is attached at your ear all the time. Everything ok?
Got the voicemail, really starting to worry now. Please call me.
Sophie’s hand trembled that held her phone. She was okay. Right? She had no breast cancer in her family. Her lump was probably a cyst, right? Breast cancer happened to other women, not her. She didn’t know anyone with breast cancer or any cancer for that matter.
She hated that fear that consumed her right now. It felt like the fear she had when Josh or Kai forced into going to a scary movie. She always sat between them. She hated it because she couldn’t escape. At times she was on the edge of her seat looking over her shoulder waiting for the axe to fall like in a Michael Myers movie.
Anyway, it was like that fear. All consuming. Anxious. She wanted to crawl under her seat. Her heart was pounding right now. She was ready to start biting her nails. She had been chewing on her bottom lip. She was surprised there wasn’t a hole yet. Sophie didn’t want to scare Josh too. Why put him through this misery too?
She gazed at the phone in her hand resting on her thigh. Her eyes welled with tears. Both the phone and her hand trembled. Then she wiped away the wetness with the back of her hand. She was making too much of this, she was sure.
The radiologist who read her mammogram called her name. “I’m Sophie Russack.” She rose and straightened her jeans. Her landscaping shirt, the Russack logo emblazoned on her chest was once again tucked neatly in her pants.
Sophie approached the woman, not much younger than her. Her dark hair pulled back in a slick, ponytail like the tech wore hers. “I’m Doctor Simpson, Sophie.” Sophie shook her hand.
“Doctor Hillard’s nurse Carol is working with our scheduling office to try to get you in tomorrow or the next day to do an ultrasound and a biopsy on the lump in your left breast.”
Sophie licked her dry lips. She looked up at the bright lights to avoid crying. “Do you think it’s cancer?” She asked.
“I would rather not guess,” Doctor Simpson stated. “We think it’s important to find out as quickly as possible though, so you can start a treatment plan if it is cancer.”
Sophie nodded. “So, you think it is cancer.”
“Sophie, the lump in question does have markers that indicate cancer, so I would like to get your ultrasound and biopsy scheduled quickly but to say for sure that it is cancer…I usually prefer to wait until your oncologist has performed the biopsy for confirmation.” Doctor Simpson was no nonsense and straight to the point.
“Carol will call you as soon as it’s scheduled. Are you okay?” Doctor Simpson patted Sophie’s shoulder. She was serious but understood, the news was upsetting even though they wouldn’t know more until the biopsy was done.
“I’m fine.” Sophie’s voice cracked. “I’ll just wait for Carol’s call.”
Sophie walked away from the doctor leaving her standing in the waiting room. Leaving the waiting area without seeing anyone or anything. Sophie was shell shocked. Cancer couldn’t happen to her.
Her phone dinged again.
Sophie, I’m really, worried. Would you answer me?
What did she tell Josh?
Could you meet me at home in twenty minutes?
She knew it wouldn’t be easy for him to do, meeting her at home because he would have to leave a crew at a client’s house or property, but she didn’t want to tell him over the phon
e.
It would take Sophie that long to get to their house in Cooper. Josh didn’t ask questions. He texted her back, I’ll see you there.
Chapter 2
Josh
He was the quiet one and Sophie was his cheerleader. She always had been. As teenagers, she was on the sideline of every football game he played doing jumps, cartwheels and cheers. She was never far from him ever.
So, during the last month of their senior year in high school when she told him that she was pregnant, it was without doubt that Josh told Sophie they would get married. He had never looked back once in their marriage with regret. She was his life.
She might be his pain in the butt at times too, but she meant more to him than anything else in the world. The one thing he learned about Sophie was getting her to the doctor was a problem. He had been hounding his wife for weeks when he realized that she had missed her annual by ten months or better.
He laughed when she tried using the prostate excuse on him. What she didn’t understand was men didn’t get annual prostate exams like women got their pap smears. His nagging worked though she made her appointment.
Working with his crew at a major client today, he was supervising but even when he was onsite, Josh was usually dirty and sweaty. He didn’t just stand by and let his men sweat. He pitched in and helped them especially when the client was this important. A major manufacturer who had acres of land. The contract was worth a lot to his company.
He was walking crew to crew checking on their progress. They were cleaning up for fall. Planting some flowers at the entrance to give the place a warm welcome. Josh kept looking at his phone. Usually, Sophie would have called by now to let him know she was heading to the office.
“Boss, looking at that phone isn’t going to make it ring,” Miguel teased him.
“Waiting for Sophie’s call,” he explained.
The young man went back to work. He had been with Josh for ten years. He was twenty-eight and just had his first baby six months previously. After his wife was able, she brought his son in to see him and Sophie. Miguel was thrilled and proud. Josh remembered his own son’s birth and the feelings that had overwhelmed him. He was even present when Joshua, his grandson was born, another thrilling moment in his life.
Kai and Sophie were nervous. It was the first grandchild for the three of them. He wasn’t as nervous as when Sophie gave birth but then again maybe he was too dumb to be. He held Hannah’s hand then her leg when he was told to. His son on the other side of the bed looking him in the eye from time to time.
Josh faced Hannah so neither of them was embarrassed, but he saw Joshua when he was laid on Hannah’s stomach. It was the most amazing experience next to the birth of his own children. Hannah was like another kid to him. Hearing Joshua’s cries the moment he was born, he had cried himself, not a bit ashamed of showing emotion.
He didn’t go to church. He told himself like Sophie did that they were too busy. Too tired but he had faith. He prayed like every man did. When Hannah went into labor early at Thanksgiving, he asked God to watch over her and his grandson. He was a God, fearing man instilled in him by his mother, a cradle Catholic.
He often found himself stopping like today, gazing up at the bluest September skies he had seen in a while and saying thank you for a life he wasn’t sure he deserved. He was a lucky man with a good wife. He adored Sophie. He couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t felt this intensity when he gazed at her. Fell in love with her when they were teenagers. Married her at eighteen. Had Heath at nineteen.
Sure, marriage was hard. There were times he walked away in a fit of anger, swore he’d never go back. When he’d walked it off, he knew he couldn’t live without her or the family they had created. Josh would go home, find her in the house somewhere. He’d scoop her up in his arms and sit her on the counter, if she was in the kitchen, on the washer if she was in the laundry room or throw her on the bed if she was the bedroom. He would let her know in no uncertain terms that marriage to him, was forever.
She often laughed at him. Then she would kiss him. When that kiss ended in them making love he knew that her laughter was at his statement because he was never getting rid of her. Not ever.
He smiled thinking about her. Her dark hair was what caught his attention. Her thick hair framed her face, drew his eyes to her pale, blue eyes. Her full, pouty lips that he loved to kiss even after twenty-three years of marriage. Josh still loved her with a fierceness that took his breath away. He didn’t tell her often enough, he was sure.
Tonight, when he got home he would do just that.
“Hey Josh.” He turned at the sound of his name. The CEO of the manufacturing facility was parked along the edge of the drive. He knew him well. Maxwell Satterfield had struck the deal between Satterfield Manufacturing and Russack Landscaping. He was about six years older than Josh but from Cooper just like him.
He got out of the expensive Lexus and walked to where Josh was standing. The two men shook hands. Maxwell covered his eyes with his hands. “Left my sunglasses on the desk,” he complained.
“Nice and sunny today, Max. Not the smartest move you’ve made,” he teased his friend.
Max chuckled. “No, it’s not especially since I’m trying to get in nine holes before I head home. You play golf too, don’t you?”
“I do, at the Cooper Country Club. Not where you play.” Josh reminded him.
“You’re right. Normally, I don’t but I wouldn’t mind playing a round or two with you at Cooper. They have a great course there.”
“I’d like that Max. Just give me a call.”
“Would you play with me at Smithfield sometime. I could introduce you to some buddies of mine. They could use your services.”
Josh nodded and smiled. “I’d appreciate that Max. I always keep my eyes open for new business.” His phone rang in his pocket. He wanted to answer it thinking it was Sophie, but Max was important. He couldn’t be rude to him.
“Need to get that?” Max asked him.
“No, it can wait. I’ll get back to them.” He wanted to answer that phone call in the worst way, but he would call Sophie back.
“The entrance is looking great. I appreciate the extra touch you give our account. I’ve seen Sophie here on more than one occasion working as hard as you do.”
“Your business means a lot to us, Max. We like to show our appreciation to all our customers. We make personal visits when we can but obviously, yours is a large account. I employ a lot of people, on this account, I’d like to keep you and them happy.” He nodded at his employees then turned his gaze back to Max.
Max laughed. “I like it. A humble businessman.”
They shook hands again. “I’ll be in touch soon. We’ll meet up for a beer and that round of golf.”
“Sounds good, Max.”
Josh waited until Max had left the grounds before he took the phone out of his pocket and listened to Sophie’s voicemail.
She had gone to the Imaging Center for a mammogram. Just a precaution, she said in the voicemail, because she hadn’t had one in a while.
Josh stared off in the distance thinking about when she might have had her last one? Nearly two years, he calculated. He stuffed the phone back in his pocket. Ben had delivered both their kids. He was probably being Ben, over protective because Sophie had waited so long.
He walked around checking the design of the entrance to be sure that the flowers looked good before half the crew moved to the next spot while the rest had a dead tree to pull out of the ground.
**
The tree lay on its side, roots exposed. “Go get the chipper, Manny,” Josh requested. The kid took off running.
“I wish I could still do that,” Josh told Miguel watching Manny run.
“What are you talking about Josh? You run every day.”
He did. “Just not that fast,” Josh admitted.
He and Miguel laughed. Josh took his phone out of his pocket and texted Sophie. He was starting to get worried abo
ut her. She didn’t answer his last text. Then he pocketed his phone and put his safety glasses on.
Manny returned with their truck and a chipper attached to the back. They began with a chainsaw removing pieces of the tree while others threw them in the chipper. Josh stepped back and checked his phone. No response. He texted Sophie again. He went back with the chainsaw in his hand and worked on cutting the tree into pieces that the chipper could manage. Luckily, the tree wasn’t large.
Still no response from Sophie. He was frowning at his phone when Miguel approached him. “Josh, you’re really worried. Is Sophie okay?”
“She said she was having a routine test but she’s not answering. Just worried about her.” He wiped his brow. “What’s left?” He took out his roster for the day. He and Miguel reviewed it. “You take the rest of this crew to the south side and finish up there. I’m going to check on the other crews that are in the field cleaning up.”
“Sounds good, Josh. I hope she’s okay.”
“Me too,” he replied.
He called Sam at the Desert Oasis property to see how that crew was doing. Sam was mid-thirties had worked for him for five years. He could run one of his crews for a small to medium sized accounts like Miguel could. He trusted these men to handle his business when he couldn’t be onsite all the time.
Walking while he talked, he listened to what Sam was telling him about the Desert Oasis. Things that had died out and needed replaced because of the hot, summer they had just experienced. He made mental notes knowing anything he forgot, Sam would have on his desk in his notes, first thing in the morning.
“Thanks Sam. See you tomorrow.”
He hung up with Sam and was about to make another call when he realized he had a message from Sophie.
Could you meet me at home in twenty minutes?
She knew it wouldn’t be easy for him to meet her at home because he would have to leave a crew at Satterfield Manufacturing if she even remembered where he was today.
Josh looked around for Miguel. He had never left him onsite at this account but if Sophie requested him, it was serious. He whistled between his fingers. Miguel looked up and saw him wave. He jogged towards Josh’s truck where he himself was heading.
