THE WEEK PROCEEDED awkwardly for Tessa. After all the ground she’d gained with Noah, she’d lost all of it during one family dinner. He’d been polite, even friendly, when they’d seen each other at work the next day, but she could feel he held something back. He had put up his walls again. The knowledge depressed her.
At first, she’d been devastated by his story about losing his family. But she hadn’t invited him to the animal clinic or to the family dinner out of pity. Noah might be prickly at times, and he certainly made an effort to keep others at arm’s length. He was wounded, and with good reason.
Yet he was sweet, too, in his own way. He insisted he didn’t like animals, but he’d been kind and careful with the ones at the clinic. And in spite of his first reaction to Rufus, she had caught him scratching her bulldog behind the ears more than once when he’d been at her house the night of the storm. He’d been thoughtful enough to offer her a ride when he could have pretended not to notice her, or at most, offered to call her a cab. But instead he’d gone out of his way to see her home safely.
These were small things, she knew. But hadn’t she been looking for tiny miracles? Wasn’t that what had prompted her to leave the clinic and make a fresh start at the hospital? She wanted to make a difference in children’s lives and to meet others who did, too. Though she might not have thought of him that way at first, she believed Noah truly wanted to help people. He might need to work on his bedside manner, but his heart was there, even when his words were not.
Noah Brennan was growing on her. And it hurt her heart to know he’d pulled back.
Her family hadn’t said much following his abrupt departure from dinner. Paige mumbled something under her breath, but Tessa didn’t catch the words, and Weston had shushed his wife before she could say anything more. Tessa had stayed through dessert, eyeing Zoe nervously. Could Noah’s suspicions be correct? It seemed too impossible. Zoe didn’t have leukemia. She was just going through a growth spurt.
But when Tessa had announced she was going home early, her niece had clung to her, begging her to stay. As a compromise, she and Paige had made plans to have Zoe spend the following weekend at Tessa’s, a sleepover for just the two of them. This had pacified Zoe, and Tessa had been able to escape back home to analyze her thoughts.
And what had filled her thoughts had been Noah.
At work, they didn’t talk about what had occurred. Several times throughout the week that followed, she opened her mouth to let him know it was okay, that he hadn’t done anything wrong, but each time, something in his expression and posture stopped her. She didn’t want to push him further away, and she sensed trying to draw him out would do just that. So she kept quiet, pretending nothing had happened, and so did he.
But the camaraderie they’d experienced for an all-too-brief moment was gone.
By the week’s end, Tessa was exhausted. Not so much from her job—she’d gotten a lot of things in place for the gala in another couple months’ time—but from having to take so much care around Noah. It was draining, her awareness of him and her subsequent caution about each word that left her mouth, trying not to make matters more strained between them.
She was looking forward to spending some time with Zoe on Friday night, but part of her wanted nothing more than to curl up by herself on the couch, watching Hallmark movies and eating ice cream. She put that attitude aside when Zoe walked in the door. She noticed the way Weston’s eyes followed his daughter when he dropped her off. She wondered if Noah’s questions had gotten to him, too. He seemed reluctant to leave.
“Was traffic bad?”
It took him a moment to respond. “No, no. It was fine. Thanks for watching Zoe this weekend. Paige is looking forward to a weekend off.”
Her sister was driving to Findlay Roads an hour behind her husband, after wrapping up some last-minute details at her job. Weston had been able to get away sooner and had picked Zoe up from the nanny to bring her here. Weston and Paige were spending the night at the Delphine while Tessa and Zoe had their sleepover. Tessa noticed that Weston didn’t comment that he was also looking forward to the weekend. She suspected he wasn’t very comfortable leaving Zoe.
“We’ll be fine,” Tessa brightly declared to allay his concerns. Weston had never minded leaving Zoe in her care, and she didn’t think that was the problem now. But he was clearly uneasy.
Zoe was already distracted, however, with greeting Rufus. Her giggles as Rufus licked her chin made Tessa smile.
“Weston, is everything okay?” she finally asked.
He swallowed. “What? Oh, yeah. Yeah, everything’s good.”
But he was still watching his daughter. Tessa followed his gaze, trying not to absorb his worry as her own. Zoe was scratching Rufus behind the ears. She didn’t look like a sick child.
“We’ll be fine,” Tessa said again. “You and Paige enjoy your weekend.”
“Right. Okay.” But still, he lingered.
“Would it make you feel better if I had Zoe call you later tonight, just to check in?” she offered.
Weston finally relaxed a little. “Would you mind?”
“If I can tear her away from Rufus, it’ll be no problem.”
He sighed. “Thank you, Tessa.”
“Sure.” She looked at Zoe again. “Zoe, you want to come say goodbye to your dad?”
The little girl got up off the floor, and Tessa watched her carefully. Was it her imagination or did Zoe move a little stiffly?
“Bye, Daddy!” Weston bent down, and she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before she turned back to the dog.
“We’ll call you later,” Tessa reassured Weston as he opened the door.
He nodded, but his eyes were still on his daughter as she closed it.
* * *
HOURS LATER, Tessa had convinced herself there was nothing to worry about where Zoe was concerned. Her niece had been energetic during their evening together, all through a game of Candyland, making popcorn balls, a dinner of pizza—though Zoe didn’t eat more than a few bites—and bathtime—she had laughed long and loud at Rufus’s attempts to climb in the tub with her. They’d called Weston, as promised, and Tessa had been slightly irked when he didn’t pick up. Of course, it was likely Paige had made plans for the two of them. Tessa placed her phone nearby, making sure the ringer was loud enough, in case Weston tried calling them back. She turned on a Disney movie, grabbed some blankets and curled up on the couch with her niece.
They were halfway through Sleeping Beauty when Zoe stirred beside her.
“Aunt Tessa?”
Tessa looked down and gasped. There was a trickle of blood from Zoe’s nose that flowed down her chin and onto the blanket that covered her. Tessa moved quickly, thankful for her nursing training.
“Breathe through your mouth, baby,” she instructed, shifting Zoe so she could lay her down on the couch with her head tilted back. “Pinch your fingers on your nose here.” She tapped the bridge of the little girl’s nose. “I’m going to get you a wet cloth, okay?”
Tessa hurried into the kitchen, yanked open the dish towel drawer and grabbed a rag from the top. Rufus, who had been curled up at her feet while they watched TV, didn’t follow. It was as if he knew he had to stay by Zoe’s side. She went to the faucet and turned on the water, dousing the fabric. She realized she was trembling, her hands shaking.
It’s only a nosebleed, she attempted to reassure herself. Kids get nosebleeds. It happens.
But her mind refused to shut down her fear. She squeezed out the excess water from the towel as a memory hit her.
When the news crew had come to the hospital to film the segment about the animal therapy program, she’d sat in on the family interviews. Kyle Miller’s mother had been asked how she first learned her son had leukemia. Her answer suddenly came back to Tessa with haunting clarity.
“I missed all the signs. They were so easy to explain. He had joint stiffness, and his appetite was poor. He had some bruising and nosebleeds. Nothing was alarming, not in and of itself.”
Nosebleeds. Tessa felt as though she had been punched in the stomach. It was a coincidence. It had to be. Zoe did not have cancer. She hurried back into the living room as she began mentally ticking off a catalogue of symptoms.
Zoe had had a persistent runny nose for months. She’d complained of aches that they’d assumed were a growth spurt. Her lack of appetite was not something Tessa had noticed until it had been pointed out at dinner the other night.
She knelt beside her niece, who was preternaturally calm in light of the nosebleed. Tessa cleaned up the blood and told Zoe to keep her head tilted back. Zoe breathed through her mouth, and Tessa could see the gap where she’d lost a baby tooth, the adult one nudging its way in. She began inspecting the little girl’s body. There were a few bruises, some a fresh bluish-purple and others a faded dark yellow. Tessa bit her lip. Rufus whined and put his paw on her leg.
How many bruises should an average child have? Zoe played like any kid, and in playtime, kids bruised. But how much was normal? Her heartbeat began to pick up speed. She checked Zoe’s forehead. It was warm. But was that from being bundled together on the couch? Rufus huffed in annoyance, stepped a few feet away and lay down, though he kept his eyes on them.
She felt Zoe’s lymph nodes. They were still swollen, as they had been the weekend before. She was battling something. Maybe it was a minor infection, a cold she’d picked up from playmates.
But what if it wasn’t? What if Noah, after all his years observing this disease, had a sixth sense?
What if Zoe had cancer?
“You okay, kid?” Tessa asked her niece.
Zoe began to sit up. Tessa thought about stopping her but then decided to see if she became dizzy.
“I’m okay,” Zoe reassured her. “It’s just a nosebleed. I get them a lot.”
Tessa’s heart dropped into her stomach.
“Y-you do?”
Zoe shrugged. “Yeah. Mom says I take after Dad. He gets nosebleeds sometimes.”
She sat down beside Zoe, wiping her face with the edge of the cloth. “How have you been feeling lately?”
Zoe made a face. “You sound like Dad.”
Tessa’s gaze flickered toward her phone. She reached across Zoe to tap the screen. She had no missed calls or texts. Weston hadn’t tried calling them back.
Panic began creeping in. She had heard enough of the stories over the last few weeks at the hospital. There was not a second to be wasted when leukemia was diagnosed. Children were immediately rushed into treatment to eradicate the cancer cells before they had a chance to advance too aggressively.
She glanced at her phone again. She didn’t want to worry Zoe unnecessarily, but what could it hurt to try calling Weston again?
“Speaking of your dad, let’s see if he picks up this time, hmm? I know he wanted to talk to you before bed.”
“But I’m not ready for bed yet,” she protested, even as she yawned.
Tessa ignored her and dialed Weston’s cell. She found herself counting the rings as she tapped her foot. She forced herself to be still.
“Hi, you’ve reached Weston, I’m unable to take your call right now…”
Tessa punched the screen to hang up and looked at Zoe. She seemed pale. There were dark circles beneath her eyes. Was that new or had Tessa just not noticed before? Tessa’s anxiety was creeping upward, and she was beginning to feel desperate. What could she do? How could she figure out the truth about Zoe’s condition?
Noah.
Of course. He would know what to do. He was the only person who could allay her fears.
“Zoe…how would you feel about Noah coming to see us?”
Zoe perked up visibly. “Noah? I like him.”
“Me, too,” Tessa agreed before she could consider just how much she liked him.
“What do you say we give him a call?”
Zoe nodded. Tessa’s fingers were still shaking as she found Noah’s number in her phone and tapped to dial. It rang several times, and she began to think he wasn’t going to pick up. Was he screening her calls? What if he was holding his phone in his hands right now, looking at her name on the screen, and debating whether to send her call to voice mail? He kept his phone nearby at all times, in case of emergencies at the hospital. Of course, maybe he was working late and wasn’t able to answer. She closed her eyes, silently praying.
And then his voice sounded in her ear, and it was so soft and sweet that she nearly sobbed with relief.
“Hello, Tessa.”
The way he said her name…
“Noah, I…” She trailed off, uncertain how to continue. She suddenly felt foolish. What if she was being ridiculous? Paige would be furious at how she’d jumped to conclusions. But Noah spoke again, and she suddenly didn’t care.
“Tessa, what’s wrong?” He knew. Even without her speaking a word, he knew she needed him.
She had seen too many children battling cancer in the last few weeks, had sat with them and listened to their stories. She’d heard Noah’s own struggle. If she was paranoid, then so be it. Better to be safe than sorry.
“Can you come over?” she asked, her voice strained. “I need your help.”
* * *
NOAH WAS OUT his front door before Tessa even finished explaining. He could tell she was being guarded in her choice of words. Zoe must have been beside her, listening in. Tessa was smart. She didn’t want to alarm the little girl. But he was glad she had called. Ever since that dinner with Tessa’s family, he’d had a growing uneasiness where little Zoe was concerned. He knew it was none of his business, and he was probably influenced too much by his own past. But he still couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something wrong.
He made it to Tessa’s house in less than ten minutes. He’d only arrived home a half hour before, and he was grateful he’d been so close when she called. She opened the door for him before he could even knock, ushering him inside with a breathless “Thank you for coming so fast.”
Rufus was at her feet, and he jumped up, demanding a greeting. Noah bent down briefly to scratch the dog behind the ears and then straightened, looking to Tessa. She was dressed casually in loose-fitting pants and an oversize lightweight knit sweater. Her hair fell around her shoulders in golden waves, but her eyes were dark with worry. He had the sudden, overwhelming urge to pull her into his arms and reassure her, let her know everything would be all right. The thought brought him up short.
He’d done the same for Julia when Ginny had first been diagnosed. She hadn’t thanked him for it, in the end. Her words still echoed in his head, the ones she’d thrown at him after Ginny’s funeral.
You lied! You said she would be fine, that she’d go into remission! Liar!
He stiffened, holding himself back from comforting Tessa.
“Where is she?” he asked instead.
Tessa led him into the living room. Zoe was spread out on the couch, watching a cartoon running on the television. She brightened when she saw him.
“Hi, Noah!” She offered a little wave.
“Hello there, Zoe,” he said.
She scooted down on the couch and then pointed for him to sit. He did, but he also kept a cautious eye on her, mentally assessing her physical state. She was pale, and her eyes had a slight glassy sheen. Fever? It was a common symptom of undiagnosed leukemia.
“What movie are we watching?” he asked, trying to distract her from noticing his observation.
“Sleeping Beauty,” she answered. “It’s my favorite.”
He swallowed. Ginny had always loved Beauty and the Beast best.
“I forget, what’s the name of the princess in that one?”
“Aurora,” Zoe promptly answered.
“Oh, that’s right. She has brown hair, right?”
Zoe giggled. “No! Her hair is blond, like mine. And like Aunt Tessa’s.”
Noah looked over his shoulder at Tessa, who was standing there watching the exchange, nibbling on her thumbnail. Rufus had settled on the rug in between them.
“Yes, Aunt Tessa resembles Sleeping Beauty, doesn’t she?”
Tessa appeared startled by this comment. He quickly turned his attention back to Zoe lest Tessa read something in his expression that he didn’t want her to see. Zoe was studying her aunt with consideration, a light of awe dawning in her face.
“She does,” Zoe breathed. “Aunt Tessa is really pretty.”
“Aunt Tessa is very pretty,” he agreed, keeping his back to the object of their discussion. “Zoe, would you mind if I did a quick examination? I know you haven’t been feeling well lately, and I wanted to see if I could figure out why.”
Zoe shrugged. “Okay.”
“Could you sit up for me?”
She pulled herself up and sat on the edge of the couch. Rufus came over to watch the proceedings. Noah ran through a brief examination and asked a few questions as he did.
“Are you in any pain? Do you get fevers? How often? How often do you feel tired?”
Zoe answered them patiently, but it was difficult to get accurate answers from a six-year-old. He finished his examination and stood.
“You and Rufus hang out here for a few minutes while Aunt Tessa and I go in the kitchen to talk.”
Having grown bored with the questions, Zoe was too absorbed in a scene with the dragon to make any protest. Tessa admonished Rufus to stay put and then led the way out of the room. When they reached the kitchen, she spun to face him.
“Please tell me we are both being paranoid.”
He hesitated. “I’m not sure,” he finally answered. Tessa’s shoulders slumped. “At this point, I would certainly recommend more tests. The sooner the better. If this has been going on for months…” He trailed off but decided it was important to finish his thought. “Tessa, you know there’s not a minute to lose here. Best-case scenario, she’s fighting something viral. Worst-case—” He stopped. He didn’t need to elaborate on the worst case.
They stood in silence for several minutes, the weight of their worry hanging between them.
“Tessa, I’d like to take her to the hospital. Run tests.”
“Paige and Weston—”
“Could meet us there. If they’re amenable.”
She nibbled her lip, considering.
“Tessa…” He was trying to remain unbiased, to evaluate Zoe clinically and not emotionally. But there were too many variables in the equation. Too many what-ifs. He needed more information. “The only way to be certain is to run some tests.”
Tessa released a pent-up sigh. “Let me try Weston again.”
She pulled her phone out of her back pocket and dialed her brother-in-law’s number. In the still silence of the kitchen, he could hear Weston’s voice on the other end of the line when he finally answered.
“Tessa? Is everything okay?”
Tessa’s eyes met Noah’s, a dark question in them. “Y-yes. No.” She drew a deep breath. “Do you think you and Paige could meet us at the hospital?”