Page 53 of Greedy Grizzly
“Okay. What’s this about?” Libby shut the door, then joined us.
My suite was in the counsel’s wing. I wasn’t high ranking or anything, just valuable, according to Storm. My computer skills had earned me a bigger room with a sitting area. Now I was glad to have more space because the air quickly got thick with all three of us in here.
“It’s about earlier when I caught you crying,” I replied.
“Oh.” She grimaced.
“Why were you crying, sweetheart?” Toby took the other chair and reached a hand out to Libby, but she didn’t take it. Her green eyes nervously ping-ponged between us.
“I thought I’d get to pick when I’d tell you both but I guess not.” She exhaled a deep sigh.
“Whatever it is, we’re here for you.” Good old, Toby. He always had a way with putting a person at ease and making them comfortable.
“Are you sick?” I asked, getting right to the point. My biggest fear had been losing her.
“I’m not sick. But my sister is.”
“You’ve heard from her?” Toby leaned forward and put his elbows on his thighs.
“I received a text from her earlier.” Libby glanced my way.
“When I found you crying?” I knew the answer to my own question. Of course, it had to be about her sister. The few times Libby had cried in front of me, it had been about Bridget. How could I have been so dumb and not figured it out before?
“Bridget has an appointment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester on Friday. She thought I should know.”
Storm’s words made sense now. Maddy probably knew all about it, like she knew about me being gay. More and more I was learning how close Libby had gotten with the old ladies. I guess I knew on some level, but it really hadn’t registered.
Now I was confident Maddy had told Storm what was going on in Libby’s life, which was why he told us to be there for her and gave us permission to leave.
“Mayo Clinic? Sounds serious.” Concern swept across Toby’s face.
“She has breast cancer like our mother.” Libby wrapped her arms around her middle. “It’s genetic, y’know? I could be next.”
I wanted to pull her toward me, but refrained with Toby in the room. I wasn’t sure why, but I just couldn’t do it.
“You’re not going to be next, sweetheart. Just because something is genetic, it doesn’t mean you will absolutely contract it.” Toby sounded confident in his statement. Perfect, because he made me feel better. However, Libby didn’t appear convinced.
“Well, that’s the hope anyway.” She swayed, twisting her lips like she had more to say. “I don’t want to go alone.”
“We’ll go with you,” Toby said.
“I appreciate that, but I don’t know if Bridget should see me with both of you. It might look weird.” Her cheeks turned a little pink, showing her nervousness about her sister finding out she was with two men. “And it wouldn’t be the right time to explain our unique relationship.”
And there it was.
“No worries. We can all go but only Grizzly will go inside with you.”
I nodded in agreement. It was a solid plan and I was glad he’d thought of it.
“What a relief.” She smiled, then turned serious a second later. “There’s something else I need to tell you both.”
I braced myself for the next bomb to drop. The last six days had been hell on steroids. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.
Toby and I exchanged glances, then he said, “Go ahead, sweetheart.”
“I’m just telling you this so you’re not caught off guard tomorrow. My name isn’t Libby. It’s Lydia Larson. I changed it after I moved to Minnesota.”
Well, this was information I already knew. I could breathe again, after holding my breath.
