Cutting Through

by Joan Hohl

  “You don’t have a washer and dryer?” Krissy cried, in feigned horror.

  “Or a drying rack?”

  “Well, naturally,” Julia drawled, playing along. “But not with pictures of the ocean and seabirds on the walls.”

  “Oh, poor darling,” Krissy commiserated. “How terrible for you. Come with me. I’ll pour a glass of wine for you to soothe your frazzled nerves.”

  Laura faked a shudder. “Warm champagne?”

  Krissy threw her “the look.” “I assure you, Laura, this place has all the amenities, even, brace yourself, a refrigerator with an ice maker.” She arched one brow dramatically. “You have something against ice in your champagne?”

  “Heck no,” Laura said, as Julia laughed, tempting her to laugh along. “I’ll take it any way you serve it.”

  Laughing together like old times, the three friends strolled through the living and dining rooms.

  The dining room opened into a large kitchen. An island work surface stood in the middle of the floor with four high stools set before it. All the counter surfaces were gray slate. The appliances and many cabinets were gleaming white. The walls were painted a shade between sea-green and blue.

  “Beautiful,” Julia said, her smile soft for Krissy. “Every thing is simply beautiful. Thank you so much for inviting me to share this with you.”

  “And I want to add my thanks, too,” Laura said, gazing around her as if transfixed. “I’d ask how much this gorgeous place cost you…but I’m afraid I’d faint at the answer.”

  “Then I won’t tell you,” Krissy said, turning to go for the wine. “C’mon, ladies, help me lug the booze into the kitchen. A full glass will be your reward.”

  The wine lugged, Laura opened the fridge, only to stare inside in disbelief. “Oh, nurse, I’m worse,” she muttered. “Who stocked the fridge?”

  “I asked Dan to have it loaded for me,” Krissy said. “I thought we wouldn’t want to eat out all the time.”

  “Good thinking,” Julia said, glad they wouldn’t have to go out for coffee first thing in the morning.

  Ice rattled into champagne flutes. The cork made a soft pop. Golden liquid flowed over the ice to the top of the glass rims. When all three glasses were full, they turned as one and walked onto the deck, gazing out at the ocean.

  “Gee it’s good to be here, together again,” Laura said, softly sighing.

  “Yes.” Krissy’s sigh echoed hers.

  Julia deeply inhaled. “The scent of the ocean, the surf rushing to shore, the cry of the gulls.” She smiled at the other two. “It’s almost like coming home.”

  In peaceful silence they sipped their wine.

  The days seemed to fly by. The weather was perfect. Each sunny morning they went to the beach where Julia and Laura played tag with the waves and Krissy spent most of the time beneath a hired beach umbrella.

  At noon they left the beach to have lunch, either to make it back at the condo or, more often than not, to grab pizza at Mack and Manco’s.

  After lunch they spent some time strolling the boardwalk. They’d go in and out of the shops, buying trinkets they really had no use for but couldn’t resist.

  They also bought fudge. The best fudge Julia had ever tasted. They ate it every night as they sipped their wine while sitting on the deck, soaking up the atmosphere.

  At one point, Laura asked point blank, “What’s the deal with you and Rand, Krissy? Are you two engaged or not?”

  “We are,” she admitted.

  “So, why no ring?” Julia asked. “I distinctly remember Rand saying there would be a ring.”

  “I selected one. It had to be sized to fit me,” Krissy explained. “Rand could pick it up this week.”

  “I’ll bet it’s huge!” Laura said.

  “I’ll bet it’s beautiful,” Julia said with a smile.

  Krissy laughed. “You’re both right.”

  Some evenings, after showering and getting into comfortable clothes, they’d eat in. At those times they chattered away late into the night, seemingly never able to exhaust their conversations.

  Other nights they ate out at local restaurants, chattering away over the table, and after they returned to the condo. One evening they cabbed it to Atlantic City for dinner and a bit of gambling.

  “It’s not Vegas,” Krissy observed, gazing around her. “But it’s not bad, either.”

  “Noisy.”

  “And glitzy.”

  Krissy gazed at them with a frown. “It’s a casino. It’s supposed to be noisy and…not glitzy, glamorous.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Laura chided. “Let’s find a nice restaurant. I’m starving.”

  Julia and Laura both lost a little money playing the slots. Krissy, naturally, won a little playing blackjack. All in all, they had a lovely evening out.

  Their last evening they decided to stay in and just hang together, continuing their never-ending conversations. They called for takeout sandwiches and ate them with their wine. Lots of wine. Only this time, the conversation took a more serious turn.

  After her second glass of wine, Laura sighed, her expression dejected as she refilled her glass. “You know, I hate the idea of this week ending, it’s been so relaxing.” She glanced from Julia to Krissy, a sad smile shadowing her lips. “I wish we could stay here forever.”

  Julia gave her a searching look. “What’s wrong? Why don’t you want to go home?”

  “Is it Drew?” Krissy said, narrowing her eyes.

  “Who else?” Laura shrugged. “I’m so sick of his screwing around.” This time, her smile was apologetic. “After being with you two all week, hearing about your normal lives. Your happiness…I…”

  “Ahhh…wait a minute, Laura,” Julia inserted. “Whatever made you think my life was all roses?”

  Laura gulped a swallow of wine before asking in disbelief, “Don’t tell me you and Jon have problems.”

  “Hon, no one is perfect. Everybody has problems. Jon and I are no exception.”

  “Yeah, domestic ones, but…”

  “But nothing,” Julia cut in. “Jon and I have been having personal problems for several years now—ever since Emily was thrown from her horse.” She went on to explain her feelings about resenting Jon.

  Krissy said, “I couldn’t imagine the pressure and responsibility on a surgeon under those conditions. No wonder he wouldn’t perform the surgery.”

  “I can’t believe you expected him to do the surgery,” Laura chimed in.

  “Well, I did. I begged him to do it,” Julia defended herself. “I know in my heart and mind, Jon is the best, and I trusted him implicitly…then.”

  “Then?” Krissy asked, picking up on Julia’s slight hesitation. “What’s happened since then to change your mind?”

  “I think he might be involved with his nurse practitioner.”

  “Oh, shit, not Jon, too?” Laura muttered.

  “Are you sure?” Krissy said.

  “Well, he has admitted to having kissed her on several occasions. What would you think?”

  “I’d think he was screwing around,” Laura said in disgust. “Looks like the only really happy one here is Krissy. Rand is obviously crazy about her.”

  Krissy suddenly burst out crying.

  “What’s the matter?” Laura asked, alarmed. “What did I say?” She looked at Julia for help.

  As alarmed as Laura, Julia looked every bit as puzzled. “Krissy, honey, what’s wrong?”

  Krissy was still weeping. Sitting closest to a box of tissues, Laura handed one to her. “Please, Krissy,” she pleaded. “Tell us what’s wrong. Why are you crying?”

  “I…I’m…so damned…scared,” Krissy said between sobbing breaths.

  “Scared?” Julia and Laura said in unison, exchanging confused looks.

  “Scared of what?” Julia asked.

  “My mother—” Krissy broke off to blow her nose.

  “Your mother?” Now Julia was more than confused, she was concerned for Krissy’s state of inebriatio
n. “Hon, I think maybe you’ve had enough wine.”

  “No…no, you don’t understand,” Krissy said, drawing a deep breath. “I…I found a lump….” She sniffed. “In my breast…I…I’m afraid, so afraid. You both know how horribly my mother suffered.”

  “Oh, Krissy,” Julia said, getting up to go to her, sitting next to her on the love seat. She put her arm around Krissy’s shoulders. On the other side, Laura did the same. “How long has it been since you felt it?”

  “A couple months. Late winter, early spring.” Krissy shook her head. “I’m not sure anymore.”

  Julia and Laura frowned in concern at each other over Krissy’s bent head.

  “What did your doctor say about it?” Laura asked.

  “Did he perform a biopsy?” Julia said.

  “No.” Krissy again shook her head. “I…haven’t seen a doctor.”

  “Haven’t seen one?” Julia was stunned. “What did Rand have to say about that?”

  Krissy lowered her head, mumbling, “He doesn’t know about the lump.”

  “You’re engaged to the man and didn’t tell him?” Julia stared at her in disbelief.

  “Krissy, are you crazy?” Laura demanded. “You must tell Rand, and you must see a doctor.”

  “But…” she began.

  “No buts,” Julia insisted. “Krissy, you know damned well the sooner a diagnosis is made the better.”

  “A diagnosis!” Krissy cried frantically. “We all know what a diagnosis and tests will show. Don’t we?”

  “Oh, Krissy!” Laura said in frustration.

  “We don’t know anything of the kind,” Julia said, her voice tight with her own fear. “You’ve got to see a doctor.”

  “My doctor’s in California,” Krissy came close to shouting. “I’d have no idea who to go to, who to trust in Philly.”

  “Well, Jon will know,” Julia said, getting up to fetch her cell phone. “And I’m calling him right now.”

  “But…”

  “She already said no buts, Krissy,” Laura said. “Now shut up and don’t argue. If you won’t take care of yourself, we’ll do it for you.”

  Jon answered on the second ring. “Hello, Julia?” he said, over some background noise.

  “Where are you?” she asked, skipping a greeting.

  “I’m having a late dinner in a sports bar,” he explained. “There’s a ball game blaring from a half dozen TVs.”

  “Oh.” Just couldn’t help but wonder who might be with him. But she didn’t have time to ask.

  “Are you all right?” Jon said, sounding concerned.

  “Yes, I am,” she assured him. “It’s Krissy, she needs your help.”

  “In what way?” Now he sounded confused.

  “She discovered a lump in her breast a couple of months ago.” She exhaled a quick sigh. “She hasn’t seen a doctor yet.”

  “What?” He shouted over the background noise. “Why in the hell not?”

  She winced. “I know how you feel. She says her doctor is in California and she doesn’t know who to trust in Philly. I told her you would know of a good one.”

  “Of course I do. Jesus, Julia,” he went on, impatiently. “After losing her mother, you’d think Krissy would know better than to let this go.”

  “She’s terrified, Jon,” she said softly.

  “Yes,” he replied gently. The friend and doctor speaking. “I understand. I know just the person. A woman at the University of Pennsylvania hospital. I’ll give her a call tomorrow before I leave for Philly. Do you have any idea what time you’ll be leaving to come back?”

  “The car will be here at eleven,” she said. “We have to be out of here by noon. We’re all packed and ready.”

  “Okay, I’ll see you when you get in.” He hesitated, then went on, “Julia…I missed you.”

  She felt a tightness in her throat. “I missed you, too, Jon,” she said, just then realizing how much she had missed him, and for how long.

  CHAPTER 16

  Krissy was calm the next day, almost too calm. Julia had a feeling she was holding herself together by sheer willpower, a determination not to fall apart again.

  Her eyes were a little puffy, but other than that, Krissy looked as beautiful as ever. While Julia had always admired her friend’s beauty as well as her seemingly unfailing spirit, her high regard went up a notch at the way Krissy had imposed control on herself after Julia related Jon’s plan.

  She just couldn’t believe Krissy might have to go through what her mother had suffered. By the tense concern evident on Laura’s face, she couldn’t believe it either.

  As promised, Jon was at the hotel waiting for them when they arrived. He, along with Rand and Drew, were in Krissy’s suite. He hadn’t said a word to Rand, either about Krissy’s lump or the appointment he had made for her.

  Krissy breezed into the suite as if she hadn’t a care in the world. Almost immediately Rand seemed to know something wasn’t right.

  “Krissy, what’s wrong?” Rand asked, frowning as he moved to her. “You’ve been crying.”

  Krissy, biting her lip, didn’t answer fast enough. Rand turned to confront Julia and Laura. “Krissy never cries. Something happened.” His usually pleasant voice was hard, demanding. “What was it?”

  “Rand, stay calm, and let Krissy speak.” Jon’s voice was every bit as hard as Rand’s had been.

  “But…dammit! I want…”

  Krissy halted Rand’s agitated reply with a touch of her hand on his. “It’s all right. I had too much wine last night and fell apart. Bawling like a baby.”

  “Why?” His tone was confused and anxious. “What made you cry?”

  Wetting her lips, Krissy tried another smile; it was shaky at best. “I found a lump in my breast,” she blurted out so quickly the words ran together. “And I’m scared.”

  He was instantly concerned. “What did your doctor say? How do we handle it?”

  His use of the word we instantly endeared him to Julia, and if their expressions were any indication, to Jon and Laura. Drew appeared baffled, and a bit impatient.

  Julia immediately felt impatient with him.

  “I haven’t seen a doctor,” Krissy admitted.

  “What?” Rand asked in disbelief. “Krissy…”

  “My mother died from breast cancer, Rand,” Krissy shouted him down. “I watched her die. I’m terrified.”

  “Oh, sweetheart,” Rand murmured, gently drawing her into his arms. “You have to see a doctor.”

  “Which is exactly what she’s going to do in—” Jon paused to glance at his watch “—exactly an hour and a half. I’ll be going with her.”

  “Like hell,” Rand protested. “I’ll be with her.”

  “You got me an appointment on a Saturday?” Krissy said, obviously surprised.

  Jon nodded. “Yes. I thought I’d go with you, introduce you to her—” He was again cut off.

  “It’s a woman?” Krissy sounded delighted.

  “Yes, and a well-respected oncologist. She did part of her residency at Hershey. That’s where I met her. Since then, she has made a real name for herself in the field of breast cancer. She works out of the University of Pennsylvania Hospital.”

  “Fine,” Rand inserted. “I’m still going with you.”

  An hour later Jon, Krissy and Rand left for Krissy’s appointment. Laura wanted to wait with Julia in her and Jon’s room, but Drew insisted they go pick up their kids before heading home. Obviously annoyed, but just as obviously not wanting a scene, Laura agreed, insisting Krissy call her as soon as she had any news.

  Julia went to the room Jon had booked for them. As they were staying only the one night, she didn’t bother to unpack anything but her cosmetics case, a nightgown and the clothing she planned to wear home. With nothing to keep her physically busy, her mind kept itself occupied worrying about Krissy’s health and the state of her own marriage.

  An attempt to distract herself by watching TV didn’t work. She was left to fidget, surfing
the channels for hours.

  Laura was furious with Drew, and let him know it as soon as they were out of the worst of the Center City traffic.

  “What’s wrong with you?” she said, her voice tight with anger. “Krissy’s one of my dearest friends and you know it. I wanted to stay, be there for her when she got back from the doctor, just in case the news wasn’t good.”

  “I’m sorry about that, and Krissy’s problem,” he defended himself, sounding more put-upon than sorry. “But I have a golf date for later this afternoon with some guys from the office and I wanted to get you and the kids home first.”

  “A golf game?” Laura flashed a narrow-eyed glance at him. “You made a date to play golf the same day I come home after a week away?”

  “Well, why not?” Now Drew sounded self-righteous and defensive. “You had a seven day vacation. Why shouldn’t I play golf this afternoon?”

  Why indeed? Laura thought, bitterness causing a sour taste in her mouth. Perish the thought he’d want to spend the afternoon and evening with his wife and kids, whom he hadn’t seen in a week.

  “I had thought we might pick up the kids and stop somewhere for dinner together before going home,” she said, a whiff of the bitterness tainting her voice.

  “Couldn’t anyway,” he returned with a shrug. “The guys and I agreed to play until dark, then have dinner at the club.”

  Ahhh, yes, the country club he had joined mere days after they had moved into the area. He had explained to Laura that it was a prestige thing, befitting his new position. At the time, if she hadn’t been so damned disgusted by the amount of money he had blown joining the club, she might have laughed in his smug, self-satisfied face.

  Laura had never been inside the club, even though she knew she very likely would have to go there with Drew at some time or other. She hadn’t been outside the club either, certainly not for the tennis courts, and not even the club’s pool. Their development had a community pool with very reasonable yearly membership dues.

  “You don’t mind, do you?” Drew’s voice carried a thread of belligerence. “I haven’t played all week.”

  Poor baby. And why hadn’t he played all week? He had been on his own, she knew from calling the kids all week. Drew Jr. had told her he hadn’t seen much of his dad, as he was working late most evenings.