Chapter 7
James and M walked around the grounds of the Hospital while the cooling cap took effect. He had his arm protectively around her as they walked, glancing at her every few minutes to check she was okay. She was always such a tough woman at the office but over the last few days, he could see how scared the cancer was making her.
"Perhaps we should go back inside." He said, looking down at her.
"Just a few more minutes, please."
"I'll be right by your side in there, I promise."
She stopped walking, turned and looked up into his eyes. She leaned into him, her arms wrapping around his waist as her head rested on his chest. He brought his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
"I know you're scared but you will get through this, we're all here for you."
"I know you all are. I know I can be a stubborn woman at times."
"It's why we love you." He smiled.
She watched him closely and could see just how much he cared for her, how much they all cared. She felt stupid for having not told them all sooner, forcing herself to go through it on her own.
"James…"
"Yes M."
"Would you think me awful if I asked you to kiss me."
"What.."
"I just want to feel something, anything right now. You can say no if you want too, I understand if you don't want to kiss an ol….."
M was cut off when James lips fell on hers. She let out a small gasp at the sudden contact but found herself melting into him. He finally pulled back and really looked at her. He ran the back of his hand down her cheek and smiled at her.
"Feel better now." He asked.
"Thank you for that."
He took hold of her hand and walked back into the Hospital. They walked back into the treatment room to find Stephanie waiting for them.
"Hello Emma, how was your stroll."
"Very pleasant, thank you."
"If you'd like to sit down we'll get the cap off and get the chemo started, okay."
M nodded in agreement and looked at James. He squeezed her hand as he helped her to sit down in the chair. Stephanie attached the tube into M's arm. The pained expression on M's face made James heart-break. He felt her grip his hand and he thanked god that he'd persisted in finding out what was wrong with her because he couldn't have seen her doing this alone.
"Now I'm going to leave you now okay, there's books on the table, there's cd's if you wish to listen to some music."
"How long will this take." James asked.
"About 5 hours."
"That long."
"I'm afraid so James, on Emma's next treatment you are of course free to bring in your own things to pass the time. Just ring if you need me."
"Thank you." M smiled.
"So, what should we do." James asked.
"James, if you want to go and come back for me it's fine."
"Hey, I told you I'd be by your side and I meant it."
"But you're wasting your day stuck in here."
"It's never wasted if I'm with you, next time we'll bring some games or something to keep us busy. There's a tv, we'll bring in a movie or something okay."
"Okay." She smiled, as she tightened her hold on his hand.
Bill had left the office early when Gareth Mallory came by to give him a few hours to relax. He pulled up in his drive and made his way to his front door. He walked inside, removed his jacket and placed his briefcase on the floor beside the coat rack.
"Bill, darling is that you."
"Yes love."
Bill walked through to the kitchen to find his wife Caroline preparing lunch. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him.
"I wasn't expecting you home for lunch, I thought you were rushed of your feet."
"I was but Mallory said he'd cover for me for a few hours."
Caroline turned around and looked into her Husband's eyes and saw concern in them.
"Bill, what's wrong."
"What do you mean."
"I've known you a long time darling, something's been playing on your mind for a few days now. What's going on."
"Come and sit down, I need to tell you something."
He took her hand and she followed him over to the kitchen table. The sat down and Bill was refusing to make eye contact.
"Bill….what is it."
"You know how I told you that the reason I was covering for M was because she was away on a course."
"Yes."
"Well I lied….M's not on a course, far from it."
"Bill, what is it."
"She's ill."
"What do mean she's ill, how ill?"
"We all found out a few days ago that she has breast cancer and she…."
"Oh my god no, Bill….how bad."
"They say it's treatable but she needs chemo and radiotherapy."
"She only found out a few days ago."
"No, we did. She'd known for weeks and didn't want us to know."
"What, why…"
"You know what she's like. She likes to handle her problems alone, she always has."
"Well she can't, she must know that. We should go and talk to her."
"She's having her first session today and…"
"Alone?"
"No, James is with her."
"James…as in your top Agent."
"Yeah, he's worried sick about her."
"I thought they didn't get on."
"I'm beginning to think that was all a front. The way he's been since he found out, he's taken leave from work which he never does to look after her."
"And she's allowing him."
"She is."
"Wow, well I'm glad she isn't alone. I still want to see her though, let her know we're here for her."
"I don't think we should tell the boys about what's going through."
"Bill, this isn't something you should hide from them, they're 12 and 14. They're old enough to be told the truth and you know they think the world of her, hell she's more like their Grandmother than their real Grandmother."
Bill still looked a little unsure about telling them what was happening but deep down he knew his Wife was right.
"Bill, we need to tell them. If they ever found out and knew that we'd kept it from them, they'd never forgive us. I wouldn't forgive us."
"Very well, we'll tell them tonight."
"Thank you darling." She smiled, kissing him.
"I think I'll go and have a lie down and then head back. I don't want to leave Mallory in charge for too long, Eve would kill me."
"Go and get some rest, I'll call you in a few hours."
To Be Continued…
