Chapter Eleven

As the girls did girl talk over burgers and shakes, Sam decided to drop the bomb on Jasmine. Splurging and buying the girl a fudge brownie sundae, Sam smiled at her. "Hey Jas, how would you like it if you came and lived with me? We can move out of the hotel and get an apartment and you can have your own room."

Jasmine looked at Samantha, curiously. "My mom and dad will be back."

Sam bit her bottom lip a little, "Honey, I'm not sure if they will."

The girl's face fell and she pushed back her sundae. Sighing softly, Sam reached across the table and caressed the side of her face. As she was getting ready to speak her cell phone rang. Reluctantly pulling her hand back, Sam grabbed the ringing phone and answered it, "Sam Marquez."

"Sam..."

Sam blinked in surprise. "Ed?"

Back at the hospital, Ed Deline sighed as he watched his sleeping wife. "Yeah." Ed realized that he was breaking rules by using his cell phone in the hospital, but at the moment, rules were the last thing he was worried about.

Sam's brow furrowed in worry, "Ed, what's wrong? You sound like your a million miles away."

"I'm at St. Rose."

Samantha's back straightened and she quickly reached for her pen and grabbed a cardboard Hard Rock coaster. "Give me Jillian's cell phone number and I'll call her right now."

"It's Jillian who is in trouble."

"Sam, can I go look at the jukebox, please?"

Samantha glanced at Jasmine and nodded, giving her a few quarters, "Don't go too far."

"Sam?"

Sam kept her eyes glued on Jasmine. "Yeah, I'm here, sorry, Ed. What's wrong with Jillian?"

Ed sighed quietly as he ran a hand over his head. "She was diagnosed with breast cancer. It's in both breasts. She had to have a double mastectomy."

"Oh god..."

Samantha closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "Ed, I am so sorry. Has Nessa been told yet?"

The man on the other end of the phone quietly sighed, "I would imagine that either Mary or Danny is calling her."

The woman nodded. "I'll see if Mike can't keep an eye on Jasmine for me and I'll come right over."

Ed shook his head, "Sam, you got the kid, don't worry."

"Ed, I say this with all due respect, but shove that. I'm on my way now."

That said, she hung up the phone and stood up, dropped some money down on the table and went after to get Jasmine.

Delinda twisted the phone cord over her wrist as she made the call to Nessa. It always took a few minutes for the pit bosses to be tracked down and take their calls, but this time seemed to take forever. Finally the velvety British accent of the woman filtered through the phone, "This is Nessa Holt."

"Ness, it's me."

Nessa smiled softly, "Hey, D. What's going on?"

"Look, Dad and I need you to come to St. Rose's. Mom's in the hospital."

The color drained from Nessa's face. She quickly flagged down Vince, a fellow pit boss. "Tell Ed I'm on my way now."

Upon hanging up, Nessa glanced up at Vince. "I need to go. Family emergency."

Blinking in surprise, Vince watched as Nessa bolted out of the casino.

"Mike, I need you to keep an eye on Jasmine for me for a few hours. Ed called me and he needs to see me."

Mike looked up at Sam who was all ready to go. "Sure, what's up?"

Not wanting to get into it now, partly due to lack of time and not wanting to air the Deline family's bad news just yet, she simply said, "He didn't say. Just said to get my ass over there."

Mike nodded, chuckling softly, "Yeah, that sounds like Mr. D. Sure, I'll watch the little squirt."

Sam smiled gratefully as she brought Jasmine in and set her up at Danny's desk with some coloring books and crayons. "We just got back from lunch so she's good there. If she gets tired, just let her crash on Ed's couch, I don't think he'd mind."

The man nodded, "Yeah, no sweat, Sam."

She nodded and, without thinking, kissed Jasmine's cheek. "Be good, okay?"

Jasmine nodded in silence as she watched Sam head out.

Ed dropped his cell phone into his coat pocket and pulled the chair up closer to his wife's bed. Sitting down, he leaned forward and rested his head against his forearm, sighing deeply. Reaching up, he ran a hand over his wife's forearm and lifted his head up to look at her. Sighing softly, he stood up and brushed his lips over her forehead, whispering softly, "I love you, angel."

As he pulled back, he noticed Jillian's eye lids twitching a little and within moments, she had woke up. Ed smiled down at her and brushed some hair out of her face. "Hey, baby."

Jillian looked around as she allowed her eyes to adjust to her surroundings. As her blue eyes cast around the room, they focused on her husband, her voice was barely audible, "Eddie?"

Continuing to smile at her, he took her hand in his. "I'm right here, honey, and Delinda is right outside."

Jillian nodded and before she could say anything, a nurse came in.

"Well, looks like Sleeping Beauty has woken up."

The patient smiled weakly as Ed stepped back to let the nurse take his wife's vitals. "You must be hungry, huh? Well, don't worry, I'll have an orderly bring in some nice cold water and ice chips. Not exactly fulfilling, I know, but you are on a clear liquid diet until your IV completes. You can however have some chicken broth and jello."

"Yummy," Jillian replied in a soft, sarcastic tone.

The nurse laughed softly, "Yeah, I bet you are just dying for some of that, huh?"

Ed's eyes pierced into the nurse angrily. She immediately stood straight up and closed her eyes, sighing deeply, "Of all the stupid things to say..."

"Damn straight." Ed quietly agreed.

Looking down at Jillian, the nurse said, "Mrs. Deline, I am so sorry for that. I really ought to start watching what I say, here of all places."

Jillian's hand waved through the air, dismissing the off-color remark. "Don't worry," she said softly.

The nurse nodded softly, "Vitals are good. I'll be back in a bit with some broth and jello."

Not looking at Ed, she quickly whisked out of the room. Ed sighed as he shook his head and sat down. "Nice bedside manner," he remarked dryly.

His wife shook her head, "Ed... Tell me the truth. Was it cancer?"

Taking in a deep breath, Ed closed his eyes. When he awoke, he looked at his wife, softly, "Yes. I'm not going to lie to you, nor will I sugar coat things. Honey... It was bad. It was in both breasts." Taking her hands in his, he brushed his lips over her knuckles and looked at her, softly, "I'm sorry, baby, but they had to take them both."

Quickly pulling her hands out of her husband's, Jillian turned her head away from Ed, whispering softly, "I need to be alone."

"Honey, please, I think I should..."

"OUT, Ed."

Ed sighed dejectedly as he stood up. Heading towards the door, he stopped and looked at her, whispering softly, "I love you. I always have loved you and I always will."

Not receiving an answer, Ed headed out of the door, his heart heavy.