Chapter Three

"Ready?"

Rusty shot an encouraging glance at Roxy as they approached Company. As they walked through the door, she was flooded with memories of days gone by. She remembered waiting tables here with Mindy Lewis. She thought of Rick Bauer and Kurt Corday. And Johnny. The pain stabbed her in the heart and she turned to walk back out into the hot August heat but was stopped by the sound of her father's voice.

"Roxanne!"

Weak in the knees, she stumbled into Hawk's arms, tears flowing freely. The patrons sitting around the tables at Company watched the father-daughter reunion with little interest. They didn't recognize the pretty brunette and weren't interested in the family drama.

"Darlin' you look wonderful," Hawk told his daughter. After shaking hands with Rusty, the three of them sat down at one of the tables and talked about what had brought them together.

Exchanging a glance with Hawk, Rusty put his hand on Roxy's arm. "We have something to tell you, Rox. It's Reva. She has cancer."

Rusty let the words sink in before speaking again. He tried reading the emotions that played on her face but all he saw was pain. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she demanded.

He knew that his answer would only cause her to become angrier. He was worried that Reva's diagnosis would set her back. Roxy was confident that she was better. The doctors said so, and she felt amazing. But Rusty knew the reason behind her initial breakdown and it scared him. Hawk understood Rusty's reluctance and covered for him. "We just found out ourselves, sis. Reva didn't want anyone to worry. I just told Russell yesterday."

Pushing her chair back, Roxy walked over to the bar and sat down by herself. Her head in her hands, she closed her eyes and tried to block out the memories. In some ways, it seemed like yesterday. The lump on Johnny's neck. The cancer diagnosis. The praying and the unconventional treatment they chose. The rest was a blur. She doesn't remember what happened after that. Her only link to that time is what Rusty told her. He spent an awful lot of time piecing the past together for her while she was still recovering in Tulsa.

Cancer. She had hoped to never hear that word again. But now that she knew the truth about Reva, she felt stronger than she ever had. She would help her sister fight for her life and she knew that this time she would be ready for it.

Before leaving Tulsa, Rusty told her that Johnny had been in remission for years. He had given her a stack of letters Johnny had written to her. They were deep, touching words of love and hope. From the text of the letters, she knew that he had come to her side to be with her. He had stayed for several years, until her own family had convinced him to move on. She didn't blame them. Her diagnosis wasn't good and they came to love Johnny for his goodness and his loyalty to her.

She missed him and longed for the days when they were first together and so very happy. But she had other things to worry about right now. Reva needed her.