Heartless People

TWELVE

I sustain myself with the love of family.

~ Maya Angelou

LUCY

When my driver opened the door for me, the very last person I expected to see standing in front of Merry West Hospital with a tulip in hand was Vero,
dressed in casual jeans and a dark blue button-down shirt, along with her leather jacket.

"What are you doing here?"

She handed me the yellow and red tulip with one hand and reached up with the other, brushing my hair behind my ears.

"I know," she stated.

"You know? What?"

"Lucy, I love you." The smile she was forcing slowly fell from her lips. "I love you more than I thought it was humanly possible to love anyone, which is
why when I realized you were hiding something from me I was hurt and confused but I realized you love me, too. Thats why you didn't tell me your
cancer was back and its okay. I get it. I wish you had, but I understand why you didn't. However, that doesn't change the fact that I know, and it doesn't
change anything, except for the fact that Im going to be right beside you. You and I are going to fight this and win, just like we did in the past."

I stared at her in amazement and I was positive I fell in love with her all over again. I had no clue what Id done to deserve her, but I would do it again. I would do anything for her.

Reaching up, I placed my hand on her cheek. "Im sorry—"

"Lucy, its fine—"

"Im sorry because," I repeated again, cutting her off. "I made you worry when I don't have cancer."

She was about to cut in when she paused, her eyebrows coming together in confusion as she gawked at me.

"What?"

"Im as cancer-free as I was last year and the year before. Im healthy and cancer-free," I repeated.

"Wait, but Clara said the hospital called about you starting chemo tomorrow and you're here today for blood work-"

"Not me, my cousin." I hadn't wanted to tell her because I didn't want to talk about Imani ever again with him, not after the hell she put us all through.

"She has cancer. Im paying for it and acting as her emergency contact. Shes been calling me for weeks and honestly its driving me insane. I kind of hoped
Id help her get better and she'd just accept it without digging up the past. Thats why I came tonight."

Vero wrapped her arms around me and took a deep breath. "Thank fucking Jesus bloody Christ." She laughed so hard I shook with her, wrapping my arms around her chest.

"I still get to keep the tulip right?" I asked against her.

"You can have whatever you want.." She broke away slightly. "As long as you promise never to keep secrets from me again."

I held my pinky figure out. "I promise to never keep big secrets from my devilishly beautiful wife ever again but reserve the right to have tiny secrets here and there for her own good."

Her eyebrow raised and she grinned, locking her pinky with mine. "I can live with that."

"Are you going to come in with me? To see Imani, I mean?" I asked, and she stiffened.

"Sorry," she said, even though she didn't mean it. "I know she is your family and despite everything she has done you will do what you think is right, but Im
not as forgiving as you, love. Those who cross you or me are never welcomed back. Its just the way I am. But go we can have dinner after youre done."