Prove It - Haley Dunphy

Chapter 47

"Vegas? And we can't go?" Haley raised a brow.

"Well you can, but you did offer to babysit Lily and Joe with Gloria's sister."

"Yeah, before I found out you guys were going to Vegas."

"It's not too late for you to join us, you know? But you guys can't drink or gamble, that's all."

"I'm not gonna risk losing money, but I can't promise you that I won't have a drink or two."

"Fair." Claire laughs, "If Ray does drink, keep an eye on her."

"I know, I know. She's doing good, though."

"That's good to hear. She's at lunch with her Mom?"

"Yeah. Just like we are." Haley shrugs. "Decided what you want to order yet?"

"Yeah, you?" Claire asks, raising her hand to call for the waiter. Haley nodded, closing the menu and put it aside.

"We haven't been back to the house in a couple weeks but we just thought we should figure out living on our own instead of going back and forth. You know? Like um, figuring out a routine that works for us and stuff."

"I get that- you told me about this last week. How's the summer job?"

"Pretty easy." Haley revealed, "I mainly just have to shelf the books that people leave in the carts after reading, or tell them where to find a certain book. But the worst is when parents just let their kids tun around or make a mess out of the play area in the library."

"Oh, I can imagine how that'd feel." Claire scoffs, "We've been to that library. Sometimes it's just...more of a market, less of a library."

"Yeah - when kids keep squealing and running around despite staff telling the parents to ask them to stop. And it's summer break now." Haley sighs, reaching for her drink. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, honey. Anything."

"Honestly I've been feeling kinda shitty for not being able to do much to help Ray out when she gets flareups. It doesn't help that she refuses my help until she's literally bedridden. It's the same thing too almost every month with her period- she has cysts in her ovaries, her doctors now suspect what- endometriosis too?"

"That is a lot, sweetie. When'd you find out all this?" Claire's brows knit together in concern.

"The endometriosis thing? Been a week- but would definitely explain her intense symptoms all the time. Cysts have been there for years."

"Does she know you'd be telling me this?"

"Yeah, I told her I would be keeping you updated. I mean, she already made up her mind to not go for surgery or anything."

"Why not?"

"The recovery is brutal. And whether or not they actually find anything, she can be given meds to control the symptoms. It is up to her, so I'm not gonna push her and please, don't make her do anything."

"Okay, honey. I won't say anything. But- how about you? Haven't you also had bad symptoms every month, though? And when I say bad, I mean it- you literally couldn't get up and that's not all."

"I'm waiting for an appointment. I called the gynaecologist yesterday, still haven't heard back." Haley tells her, "The doctors weren't too certain about their suspicions of endo for Ray, saying that could be the tumor, the tumor spreading over to the left, a whole bunch of things."

"Let me guess- they said it was normal for her to be in pain? Or that she was being dramatic?"

"Yes. Said the same thing about me too! Hello? I don't think a man in his 30s has experienced a period like ours. Ray's doctor should know better, though." Haley rolled her eyes, "Sorry, very pissed."