Page 19 of Exclusive

“Surprisingly, yes. I’m definitely not the superstar in the newsroom, but I no longer feel like I need to run screaming for the countryside again. I might be able to hold my own with these people.” I popped a chocolate-drizzled banana slice.

Sarah frowned. “You’re selling yourself short again, Sky-Sky. I know you, and you are capable of so much more than holding your own.”

“That means a lot, coming from you.” I paused. “I’m not sure you know how much I look up to you, Sar. Always have. When I was a kid, I obsessively copied your hairstyles.”

“The hair part I knew. Even the unfortunate bangs. I apologize for that one.”

“Was hoping you might.”

“Hey, since I have a moment with you, I wanted to talk to you about something,” Sarah said, pouring me a glass of amazing-looking strawberry lemonade, which I was pretty sure she’d made from scratch.

“Okay. Everything all right? Do I need to sit down again?” I was smiling, joking with her as we so often did.

She slid her hands out flat across the white granite countertop, her gaze falling to the gray pattern. “I hope so.” She looked up with a careful smile. “The thing is, Emory is sick.” I paused my glass on its way to my mouth. Sarah’s eyes brimmed with tears.

“What? No.” My stomach plummeted, and my limbs went warm as I waited for more information.

“She found a lump in her breast, and a biopsy has confirmed it’s cancer.”

I didn’t know what to say. Emory Owen was the strongest person I knew, and it didn’t seem possible that something like this could happen toher. In my brain, she was untouchable. My emotions bubbled to the surface. “Sarah, I hate this. This is awful.” I closed my eyes, trying to remain steady. “No, it fucking sucks.”

She held up a hand. “We caught it early, so say a prayer of gratitude for that. Luckily, it hasn’t spread to her lymph nodes. That’s big.”

“So now what?”

“Now we treat it. They’re going to take the lump and treat her with radiation a month later, after she’s healed from the surgery.”

“God. Okay. What does that look like?”

“She’ll go five days a week for six weeks for whole breast radiation. After that, they’ll do another week or so and target the tumor bed. A boost. Aim everything at the spot they took the lump.” Sarah placed her hands on her cheeks, probably still absorbing the enormity of it all herself. “The doctor thinks that might be enough. We’re going to hope that it is.”

“God, and here I am, going on about stupid work stuff that doesn’t even matter. How is she?”

“Who are we talking about?” I turned as Emory entered the room. “That businesswoman-turned-artist who was just diagnosed with the Big C? Certainly not her.” She looked from me to Sarah, serious expression on her face that luckily dissolved into a smile. “It’s okay. People have been speaking in hushed tones around me all week. You should have seen the look on my sister’s face. You’d have thought I had died already. Not that I’m going to.” I immediately moved into her arms and held on tight.

“You forgot devastatingly beautiful,” Sarah said. “But yes, that would be you. Just giving Skyler our official update.”

Emory lifted my chin and looked down at me. “I’m doing okay. Not the greatest week I’ve ever had, but I’m feeling ready to take this on. Don’t worry, okay?” I nodded and released her. “I’m going to be just fine.”

In my peripheral, I saw Sarah wipe away a stray tear as if she hoped no one had noticed. It tore at me. “You guys, what can I do? Do you need help with Grace? I’m an excellent shuttle service. I can pick her up from school or practice or pitch in around here.”

Emory waved me off. “We’re fine. But you get points for the offer. I’m going to take this one day at a time and not let a diagnosis consume me. Because that’s all it is. A jumping-off point. I’ll have the surgery and go from there.”

I had to hand it to her. She seemed so put together and ready to take on the world. I would have been a wreck and angry at life. “You two continue to amaze me.”

They shared a smile, and I was grateful they had each other.

“Will you be at Kristin’s tonight?” Emory asked, pulling herself away from Sarah’s gaze. She kissed my cheek with an affectionate smack as she rounded the counter.

I nodded, surprised to have received Kristin’s verbal invitation the day before, but happy to have been thought of. “Yes, she says she wantsto get to know me better now that we work together and have, ya know, you people in common.”

Sarah placed a hand over her heart, touched. “I love beingyou people.”

“Me, too,” Emory said with a far-off look in her eye. “Dreams do come true.”

“What does one wear to an adult dinner party in a large city?” I asked. “I don’t want to wear one of my businessy work outfits, but jeans and a tank don’t exactly seem the way to go either.”

Sarah smoothed my hair from behind. “You’re too cute for anyone to care. God, Skyler, when did you grow up? I wasn’t looking, and you’re a stunner.” She turned to Emory. “Have you seen how beautiful my little cousin is? Look at this model face.” She grabbed me by the chin and squeezed my cheeks. “Great big eyes and a gorgeous smile. I could eat your face.”

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