Jackie was sitting on the floor playing with the kids when the phone rang. She smiled at her three little ones and then went to the kitchen to get the phone.
"Hello." Jackie said.
"Hello, is Mrs. Stokes available please?" The caller said.
"This is she." Jackie replied.
"Mrs. Stokes this is Dr. Chen from Desert Palm Hospital, I got the results of your mammogram back, and I'm afraid there is an abnormality, it could be a number of harmless things so there is no reason to panic but to be sure I need you to schedule a needle biopsy, I have an opening tomorrow at 9 in the morning will that work?"
Jackie was numb "um, yeah, sure." She stammered.
"Ok, I will see you tomorrow morning, have a good rest of your day." The doctor said in a friendly voice.
After he'd hung up Jackie stared at the phone in a stunned silence. Normally women as young as her did not get mammograms but because cancer ran in her family and because she has three kids that needs their mother Jackie got one every year but she never dreamed there would be a problem.
She walked back into the living room, repeating in her head what the doctor had relayed. He'd said not to panic but she couldn't help but do so. She looked at her three happy kids playing with one another and tears welled in her eyes.
Later that evening she'd already put the kids to bed when Nick finally got home from work after a very long day at the lab. She was over at the sink doing dishes when he walked in and put his arms around her.
"Hi." He whispered in his sweet southern drawl as he squeezed her tighter.
"Stop." She said as she tried to wiggle out of his grasp, she was in no mood for romance.
He grinned at kept at it.
"Seriously Nick, not right now."
"Why not?" He said as his grin got bigger.
"LOOK, I SAID CUT IT OUT, NOW MOVE." She exploded as she stormed past him with tears in her eyes.
She went into the living room and collapsed on the couch as the tears began to stream down her face. Nick followed her, beyond shocked by her outburst.
"Hey, baby, what's wrong?" He asked as he gently put his arm around her, not in a romantic way but just in a loving and supportive way.
"Nothing." She mumbled.
"Come on Jackie, tell me, whatever it is, it'll be alright." He said sweetly.
"The doctor called today, there was something abnormal on my mammogram." She managed before she buried her head in his shirt.
"shhhh." He said comfortingly.
"What exactly did he say?" He asked.
"He said that I should have a needle biopsy, but not to panic yet."
"Ok, well sweetie, if he said not to panic, let's take it easy, let's see what the biopsy reveals first before we think the worst ok? When's your appointment?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"Ok, I'll go with you, it's going to be ok." He said as he gave her hand a squeeze.
"Thank you." She said as she laid her head on his shoulder.
The next morning Nick sat in the little doctor's office room while Jackie went into the other room to have the procedure. When she came back she put her clothes back on and waited with Nick for the doctor.
"You ok?" He asked.
"Yeah." She responded.
"Did it hurt?" He asked.
"A little, not much, I was numb so I was ok."
"Oh, I didn't know they numb you to do that."
"No, I didn't mean that kind of numb, I meant I was in a daze numb." She took a seat next to him and he comfortingly put his arm around her.
The doctor came back in.
"Well, do I have cancer?" Jackie blurted out.
"I'm sorry but we won't know the results for 72 hours." He said.
"72 hours? You tell me I might have cancer and then you make me wait that long? I can't do that, you don't understand, I have three very young kids, they need me, I need to know what is going on, I will drive myself crazy." She exploded.
"Honey shhh." Nick said as he grabbed her arm.
She pulled away from him and gave the doctor one last glare before she stormed out of the room.
Nick thanked the doctor before following her out of the room.
TBC….
