“Oh, god,” I jumped up from the bed and darted to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet in time, hyperventilating and dizzy. I leaned over and vomited, heaving and gagging in a not-so-attractive manner. Jay was immediately by my side, gathering up my loose hair and holding it up out of the way, all the while his hand caressing my back.
“Take a deep breath,” he murmured. “Do you want some water?” I sat up and wiped my mouth on the wad of toilet paper he had handed me. I was shaking and sweating profusely, my heart pounding against my ribs.
“Maybe we should get you to Dr. Connors,” Jay said, his eyes scanning my face.
“No hospitals,” I mumbled, rubbing my face with my hands. “Please no doctors, Jay.”
“Kacey . . .” Jay started to object, but he was interrupted by the slamming of the front door.
“Jayson?” Gabby called loudly. “Kacey? Rob, Mari? Are you guys home? Helooooo?”
“Be out in a minute, sis, keep your pants on!” Jay hollered back. I stood up shakily, Jay’s hand on my arm. After rinsing out my mouth and throwing back some aspirin for my migraine, we went out into the living room to greet Gabby.
“I brought you guys a surprise!” she squealed, leaning over the stroller to unbuckle the baby. She came back up holding Willow. “We just wanted to come see Aunt Kacey and Uncle Jayson,” she said, cradling the baby in her arms. “Here, wanna hold her?”
“Of course,” I stepped forward as Gabby handed Willow over to me. I cradled the baby girl to my chest, unable to resist the urge to croon at her. It was only moments before I caught Gabby staring at me with a funny look on her face.
“What?” I asked. She immediately averted her gaze to the floor, looking shameful.
“You don’t look well, Kace.”
“Gabrielle!” Jay cried. I closed my eyes an inhaled deeply, clutching Willow to me.
“Don’t worry, Gabby. Cancer’s not contagious.”
“Kacey!” Gabby cried. “You know that’s not what I meant!”
“I know.” I handed Willow back to her and let Jay take my hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Take a deep breath,” he murmured. “Do you want some water?” I sat up and wiped my mouth on the wad of toilet paper he had handed me. I was shaking and sweating profusely, my heart pounding against my ribs.
“Maybe we should get you to Dr. Connors,” Jay said, his eyes scanning my face.
“No hospitals,” I mumbled, rubbing my face with my hands. “Please no doctors, Jay.”
“Kacey . . .” Jay started to object, but he was interrupted by the slamming of the front door.
“Jayson?” Gabby called loudly. “Kacey? Rob, Mari? Are you guys home? Helooooo?”
“Be out in a minute, sis, keep your pants on!” Jay hollered back. I stood up shakily, Jay’s hand on my arm. After rinsing out my mouth and throwing back some aspirin for my migraine, we went out into the living room to greet Gabby.
“I brought you guys a surprise!” she squealed, leaning over the stroller to unbuckle the baby. She came back up holding Willow. “We just wanted to come see Aunt Kacey and Uncle Jayson,” she said, cradling the baby in her arms. “Here, wanna hold her?”
“Of course,” I stepped forward as Gabby handed Willow over to me. I cradled the baby girl to my chest, unable to resist the urge to croon at her. It was only moments before I caught Gabby staring at me with a funny look on her face.
“What?” I asked. She immediately averted her gaze to the floor, looking shameful.
“You don’t look well, Kace.”
“Gabrielle!” Jay cried. I closed my eyes an inhaled deeply, clutching Willow to me.
“Don’t worry, Gabby. Cancer’s not contagious.”
“Kacey!” Gabby cried. “You know that’s not what I meant!”
“I know.” I handed Willow back to her and let Jay take my hand. “I’m sorry.”