An Unforeseen Turn of Events

Chapter Thirty-One

Christine, Tim, and Trudy sat in the oncologist's office while Daniel was taking tests. He had insisted on being alone and Christine suspected he did not want her to see him frightened and trembling.

Christine tried not to shake her leg while sitting in the waiting room reading a months-old issue of Glamour. She rifled through the pages, showing scant interest in hairstyle recommendations, the hottest books recently published, or how Marion Cotillard balances her acting career and family. She glanced over at the twins. Trudy was texting friends while Tim was playing a game on his smartphone, pressing his thumbs on the buttons. All three of them had taken the day off to be with Daniel.

When Tim finally stopped punching buttons and pumped his fist in victory, Trudy turned to him. "So are you one of the masters of the universe now?"

"Gotta get involved in something instead of just sitting here worrying about Dad," he said. "Who are you texting now?"

"Samantha," Trudy replied, putting her phone down on her lap. "She's going to go to Bermuda for spring break. Wants me to come."

"Wow! Are you going to do it?" Tim asked as Christine put down her magazine and listened.

"It all depends on how Dad's doing," she said, heaving a sign. "I've been working on my essay for my BC application for three days and I'm getting nowhere. I don't think I'm going to get in."

"I haven't even started mine yet," Tim said. "I can't concentrate now."

Trudy turned to her mother. "Mom, you were always good with writing. Can you look over my essay?"

"I'll try, but like Tim, it's hard to concentrate now," Christine answered grimly.

"How can you even think about that? Who knows what's going to happen to Dad?" Tim practically snarled at her as if all she cared about were her own petty concerns.

Trudy responded by getting up and walking out of the waiting room.

"Tim, this is a hard time for all of us," Christine said, dropping the magazine on the table. "He hasn't even told Grandma and Grandpa."

"What?"

Now it was Christine's turn to get up. She paced the room, pulling her hair back, wondering if life would ever return to normal.

The nurse popped into the room.

"Mrs. Goldberg?" she inquired in a soft voice, almost a whisper, "The doctor is ready to speak with you now."

Tim rose with her, but Christine placed a hand on his shoulder. "Dad wants me to go in alone." She wanted to tell him to apologize to his sister but found she did not have the energy to worry about her daughter's hurt feelings right now.

She entered the doctor's office as Daniel sat in front of the desk balling and unballing his hands into fists.

"Hi honey," Christine said as she lightly tapped her husband's shoulder. Instead of being reassured, he almost jumped out his seat as if she were an encroaching enemy.

Christine looked confused and stricken, but the doctor rose from his seat, distracting her.

"Hi, Mrs. Goldberg, I'm Dr. Sherman. Your husband just went through the ringer with a battery of tests," he explained. "I told him once he gets home, it would be a good idea for him to rest."

"I'm sorry, Christine. I was poked and prodded so much I thought it would never end," he said, grabbing her hand as she sat beside him. "How are the kids? I told them not to take a day off of school for this."

"They're fine. They're in the waiting room," she answered, putting her hair back again. She stared at the doctor.

The doctor paused, coughing into his fist and clearing his throat before he began speaking.