by Lisa Mills
Danielle wondered how much of that speech her mother had drawn from personal conviction and how much stemmed from her father’s demands. He’d always had a penchant for hard work and made sure everyone else in the house did too. Idle hands weren’t allowed in the Jordan home. Recreation and relaxation were first cousins to sin. What had her mother’s married life been like, always shadowed by those demands and expectations?
“One slice or two?”
“Just one.” Danielle took her seat at the table. Her mother carried two plates into the room and set one in front of her. She placed the other at the setting across from Danielle and took her seat.
Danielle reached for the syrup bottle. “Mom, how is Brandon?” During the nerve-wracking first meeting last night, Danielle had forgotten to ask about her younger brother, and her parents hadn’t mentioned him.
“He’s fine. He married a couple years ago, you know.”
“Really?” Brandon old enough to marry? He’d been fifteen when she left. It was hard to picture him as anything but a pimply teen with a voice that cracked and squeaked more often than not. “Do I know her?”
“I don’t think you ever met Sarah, but maybe her aunt. Do you remember Josephine Martin?”
Danielle searched her memory and came up blank. “No.”
“It’s not important,” her mother said, waving a hand. “Sarah was orphaned in her teens when her parents were killed by a drunk driver. Her aunt, who lives here in town, took her in after the accident.”
“So she went to the high school?”
“And our church. She and Brandon were inseparable after they got to know one another. They really are a good match.”
“Do they have kids?”
“Not yet, but we’re hoping they’ll get around to it soon.”
“I hope I’ll get to meet her and see Brandon the next time I come to town.”
Her mother’s smile glowed brighter than the morning sunshine spilling through the windows. “Will that be soon?”
Danielle didn’t have an answer to that question and wasn’t ready to commit to anything. “It will depend on Trevor—his treatment schedule, the donor situation. Which reminds me, could you ask Brandon if he would be willing to go in for a test? There’s a chance he could be a match.”
Her mother nodded. “Of course.”
Danielle forked a bite of her breakfast and worked on chewing. Her mother sipped at a cup of coffee. Quiet fell between them, and not necessarily the easy silence of friendship. She felt she should have more to talk about with her mother but couldn’t think of anything else to say. Needing something to break the tension, Danielle reached for the newspaper her father had been reading. She scanned a few headlines on the front page and smiled. “The town paper hasn’t changed much in eight years. They still have the ‘Fifty Years Ago Today…’ column.”
“And the farmers update. And the column from the Historical Society.”
“Mind if I take this with me?” she asked.
“No, take it. We’re done with it.”
Danielle folded it into a narrow strip and slid one end into her back pocket. Finished with her meal, she picked up her empty plate and carried it to the kitchen. Her mother followed suit, gathering up her own dishes and hooking a finger through the handle of the syrup bottle. They deposited their loads by the sink.
“The food was delicious, Mom. It was nice to have someone cooking for me for a change.”
Her mom patted her shoulder. “It was nice to have someone to cook for, other than your dad, of course.”
Danielle nodded, feeling the urge to get on the road. She glanced at the clock. “Well,” she sighed, “I should go. It’s a long trip.”
Her mother’s nod lacked enthusiasm, but she didn’t protest as she trailed Danielle to the front door.
Danielle lifted her bag and hiked it over her shoulder. “I’ll call as soon as I know how the doctor wants to proceed.” She turned toward the door, but a hand on her arm stopped her from leaving.
Danielle turned back toward her mother and saw the earnest look in her eyes.
“We didn’t get to talk much.” Tears glistened on her lashes, and she gave a helpless little shrug. “Next time you come, let’s have a long talk. I want to hear more about your life. Where you went when you left us, how you got to where you are now. I missed out on nearly a third of your life. Maybe I can get a few pieces of that back.”
She looked into her mother’s eyes and saw the guilt there, the pain of a mother who’d failed and desperately wanted to make up for the lost years. Danielle hoped she’d never have to look at Trevor like that. Part of her wanted to be angry with her mother, but another voice in her head urged her to make the effort to ease the tension in the relationship. “Okay, we’ll talk.”
Her mom held out her arms and Danielle allowed an embrace, even returned it halfway. After a few seconds, she pulled away, eager to escape the uncomfortable sensations that bombarded her. “Bye, Mom.” She flashed a tight smile and let herself out the door to the sound of her mother’s sniffles.
Five minutes later, she had her car headed west. The buildings and houses of the town faded behind her, farmland reclaiming dominance of the landscape. The drive to South Bend brought back memories. She and her mother had made frequent trips to the shopping centers in the larger city. Her family had enjoyed the occasional play or symphony at the Morris Performing Arts Center, a majestic old theater that had been restored to its original grandeur. And trips to the South Bend Chocolate Company or the Chocolate Cafe for some of the area’s famous sweets.
The city skyline came into view, not nearly as impressive as Chicago or New York, but with a handful of tall buildings to distinguish itself as a metropolitan area. Just past the downtown’s larger hotels and convention centers, she turned and headed for the area where most of the medical establishments had clustered. There, just where she expected to find it, stood the Faith Children’s Hospital. She turned into the drive and followed the signs to the parking garage. The smell of gasoline and exhaust fumes tainted the air in the garage, making her eyes water as she hurried to the elevators that would take her to the ground floor.
Inside the hospital, a handful of people milled about a wide lobby with ceramic tiled floors. A fountain on one wall offered a touch of beauty and a calming sound to the area.
Danielle approached the front counter and waited her turn to speak to one of the three women giving information and directions to the hospital’s steady stream of visitors.
When the people in front of her moved away, Danielle stepped forward and caught the attention of a kindly older woman in a red smock. “I was wondering if there is someone I could talk to about the hospital … maybe get more information and ask a few questions.”
The woman smiled. “If you will step down here, I’d be happy to talk with you.”
Danielle followed her away from the bustle of the guests and staff, to a quiet end of the long counter. “My son has ALL and I’m looking for a place where he could get treatment.”
“We treat many children for leukemia and other forms of cancer.”
“I’m wondering if you’re registered as an in-network hospital with my insurance carrier.”
The woman held up one finger. “I don’t have information on that subject, but one of our Registration clerks could help you. Do you have time to meet with them?”
She glanced at her watch. Another half hour wouldn’t make much difference. “Sure.” A few minutes later, a clerk arrived and ushered her to a registration desk. She retrieved her insurance card from her wallet and handed it to the woman.
“We work with this provider often. We’re part of their network.”
A well of excitement began to bubble in Danielle’s chest.
“How could I get information on the treatments you provide, whether my son could get a cord blood transplant here?”
The woman collected a pamphlet from a rack on the wall beside her desk. “If you or your son’s current d
octor contact this department, they could answer your questions.”
Danielle took the pamphlet and leafed through it, glancing at pictures and information about the hospital’s cancer-treatment facility. “Thanks.” She tucked the leaflet in her purse. “I won’t keep you any longer, but I really appreciate your time.”
Danielle headed for the entrance and made her way back to the parking garage, a seed of hope rooting in her heart. If she transferred Trevor to a network hospital, the costs would be significantly less. And real estate prices in the Midwest were much more reasonable than the tourist area where she lived. She had to move anyway. Why not move to a place that cut her medical and cost-of-living expenses by half? She would miss Janna terribly, and Trevor would lose Cory. But it wouldn’t have to be forever. Just until Trevor was better.
Down the road from the hospital, she pulled into a gas station to fill her tank. While the pump funneled fuel into her car, she pulled out the newspaper she’d taken from her mother and scanned the classifieds. Several apartments were listed for rent, and one included a price. It was a fraction of what she’d pay in her current location.
She had some options to think about.
Chapter Fifteen
Danielle took a sip of her smoothie and let the sweet, tangy flavors of strawberry and banana roll around on her tongue. Janna had insisted on buying them all drinks at the Smoothie Hut on the boardwalk. Trevor and Cory had taken a few sips of their sodas, then made a dash for the beach. They’d kicked off their sandals and now stood at the water’s edge, digging their toes into the wet sand and laughing when the waves rushed in to lap over their feet. Watching him laugh and play felt good. Re-induction chemo had been rough on him. After two weeks in the hospital, he needed a day to be a kid.
Danielle set her smoothie down on the table she shared with Janna. “I know it must seem like an extreme thing to do. But moving north would solve every problem I face right now. Housing costs are so much more reasonable in Indiana. Look at this ad.” She held out the classified section of the Northwood Tribune she’d acquired from her parents. “This apartment a few blocks from my parents’ home is only four hundred dollars a month. That’s a small fraction of what I’d pay here.”
Janna toyed with the straw in her cup. “You’d move halfway across the country for a more reasonably-priced apartment?”
It sounded a little radical when put that way, but Danielle couldn’t escape the feeling that it was the right decision. “It’s not just the rent. The children’s hospital up there is a big factor too.”
“I thought you liked the place Trevor’s been going.”
Danielle paused, remembering that she hadn’t told Janna about the insurance problems. “My insurance provider doesn’t consider this hospital ‘in network.’ I have to pay forty percent of all the med fees instead of twenty, and the cost is exorbitant. The doc tells me the transplant will run a quarter of a million dollars or more.”
“Are you kidding me?” Janna fell back in her chair, mouth open. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
Danielle shrugged. “There wasn’t anything that you could do about it, so why worry you?”
A few deep wrinkles took up residence on Janna’s brow. “I could have helped you look for another alternative. Maybe I could hold a fundraiser to help with the bills and rent. I’m still willing to give it a try.”
Danielle reached a hand out and rested it on Janna’s arm. “Janna, the medical debt is approaching one hundred thousand dollars, not including the money I’d need for the transplant. We might be able to raise money to pay my rent for a month or two, but I still can’t afford the prices long term. And I need help with Trevor. My mom doesn’t work. Her kids are grown. When I called her to hint that I was considering moving back, she practically begged for the chance to help care for him. She said, ‘Anytime, day or night, as often as you need me.’ Having that kind of help available would make my life a lot easier.”
Hurt darkened Janna’s face. “Danielle, you should have said something. I can baby-sit more often.”
“That’s part of the problem, Janna. I need too much, more than I can get here.” Danielle grappled for the right words to help her friend understand. “Please don’t take this personally, because it’s got nothing to do with you. You’ve been there for me more than I deserved. You’ve gone over and above the call of friendship, so much that I feel guilty asking you for anything more. You have your own family and your own life. I have to find a way to take care of myself and my son without feeling like a leech. I’ve tried so hard, but I can’t find solutions to all these problems that I face. Not here in Florida anyway. When you take everything into consideration, Indiana is a much better option.”
A mix of emotions flickered across Janna’s face, until her features settled into a look of resignation. “How soon?” she asked.
Danielle squeezed her friend’s hand. “Maybe two weeks. I don’t have much time before my landlord wants me out of the house, and Trevor needs to be ready to start chemotherapy and radiation as soon as we locate a donor. I’d prefer he was settled in the new hospital when that happens.”
Pensive quiet fell between them. Danielle’s mind raced ahead to the coming weeks, wondering if she could really manage the huge change she was proposing. Though moving to Indiana seemed to offer more hope than staying in Florida, she faced a lot of questions and unknowns. Would anyone in her family be a suitable donor for Trevor? Could she repair the relationship with her parents? Did someone in Northwood know how to find Kevin? She wouldn’t know the answers until she arrived in Northwood with a moving truck loaded full of her possessions.
A seagull swooped in on the breeze and landed a few feet away from their table. He fixed his beady-eyed gaze on Danielle, waiting for a handout. “Get!” she said, shooing him off with a wave.
“Tourists feed them too much,” Janna muttered. She took a sip of her smoothie and set it back on the tabletop. “If you don’t mind my asking, how are you going to get money to move and resettle in Indiana if you don’t have money to do that here? There’s going to be expenses either way.”
“You’re right. I’ve been thinking about that, and I have quite a bit of equity in my car. If I sold it, I could pay off the balance of my rent and utilities, and still have money for the moving expenses and the cost of getting resettled.”
Janna looked bewildered. “If you sell your car, what are you going to drive?”
“I’ll drive the moving van back to Indiana. Once I’m there, I’ll shop the used car lots and find something I can afford. The catch is, I have to sell my car quickly and that’s not a task I’m equipped to handle. You think Mack could help me figure something out?”
Janna’s green eyes brightened. “Yeah, Mack will know what to do. Selling cars is his thing.” Janna pulled out her cell phone and dialed. When Mack answered, she explained what Danielle was planning and asked if his dealership could help her sell her car.
“He says put him on speaker phone.” Janna hit a button and held the phone out between them.
“Danielle?” Mack’s deep voice rumbled through the phone’s tiny speakers.
“Hey, Mack.”
“You drive a Honda Accord, right?”
“Yeah, it’s just three years old, low mileage. I hate to part with it, but it has to be done.”
He was quiet for a moment. “You know, the dealership I work for only handles luxury imports in a higher price range, but I have a friend who runs a used car lot in Fort Walton and he carries a lot of cars like yours. Let me make a call and see what he can do. I’ll call you gals back in a few minutes.”
Danielle scanned the beach, checking on the boys. They’d tired of wading in the shallows and were now digging a hole just beyond the water’s reach. The doctor had cleared Trevor to play with other kids for the time being, as long as they were healthy and he showed no signs of fever. Playing with Cory was good medicine for Trevor, which made Danielle regret that the move would separate her son from his bes
t friend.
The cell rang. Janna answered and put it on speakerphone. “Hey, babe. Did you reach your friend?”
“Yeah, and he’s excited about the car. Said he’s had three young couples on his lot this week looking for cars just like yours. Thinks he can sell it quickly. So he’d be willing to look at your car and make you an offer. I hope you don’t mind, but I told him about your situation. He said under the circumstances, this is one deal he doesn’t need to make a big profit on. He’ll make you the best offer that he can manage.”
A knot welled in Danielle’s throat. Janna and Mack were such good friends to her. She reached across the table and squeezed Janna’s hand. “Thanks, you guys. I really appreciate this.”
“No problem. I’ll write down the address of this guy’s lot and give it to Janna. If you want me to go with you, I’m off one night later this week. Gotta go. Traffic’s picking up on the sales lot. I’ll see you for dinner, Janna.”
“Bye, hon.” Janna disconnected and slid the phone into her purse. She set her purse beside her chair and turned to look Danielle in the eye. “So, you’re really moving,” she said on a sigh.
“I guess I am.”
“Where will you work?”
Danielle shrugged. That was one of those gray areas she didn’t have answers for yet, but with the extra money from the car, she’d have some time to figure out how to establish some income. “I’ve built a great portfolio, so I have something to show to prospective clients. And my family will help me find work, I think. They have a lot of friends and acquaintances, and a recommendation goes a long way in a small town.” If she didn’t get enough layout and design work, she could always fill out applications and get a part-time job. She just hoped it didn’t come to that. “We’re used to living on a small budget. I’ll manage.”
