Page 65 of I Knew You
“So I won’t,” I replied. “But I admire you more than words can say.”
He seemed speechless by my admission, but I noticed the moment he took control of the conversation. He grinned and tipped his beer bottle toward me. “You like being engaged to the secret big man about town, don’t you?”
I rolled my eyes, feigning annoyance.
“I’m engaged to a vampire. Don’t think I have forgotten that,” I jested, and he chuckled.
Something shifted, and I was ready to admit it to myself.
I wanted Bram.
And I wanted him to want me, too.
The weekend wasfull of casual conversation, FaceTimes with Kallie, and writing on the porch with Lakey. Come Monday morning, I was ready to resume my search for a place to live when I returned to Charlotte. It was never too early to start looking.
I’d sat down with a cup of coffee in the empty living room when the phone buzzed with an unknown number. I recognized the Virginia area code and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Hello, is this Julianna East?”
“Yes, this is her.” Lakey lay down at my feet.
“This is Dr. Kaveh. I’m sorry we have to meet over the phone for the first time.”
I sat up fully. “Oh, it’s okay. It’s nice to meet you.”
“And I apologize for bothering you so early. However, something came through on your scans, and we might need to address it quickly, hence the personal call.”
My palms began to sweat as anxiety flooded through me. “Oh. What was found?”
“I will cut to the chase. The discs are significantly more bulged than they were in your previous scan, just a couple of weeks ago. All this degeneration has done a number on you. I, honestly, cannot believe it’s not affecting you every day. Are you having any numbness or tingling?”
My mouth dropped open. “A little tingling down the back of my legs sometimes and the normal pinched nerve feeling in my back, but I haven’t had any numbness,” I replied, acutely aware the call wasn’t going anywhere well.
“Hmm. That’s curious. I’m looking at your MRI, and according to the radiology report, the bulge is sitting directly on the nerves,” she said, careful thought in her voice. “I fear youmight be a walking landmine. Any wrong move could cause the herniation to press further into the spinal cord. It could immobilize you instantly. I would like us to proceed with this as quickly as possible. What do you think about having surgery scheduled for this Friday, October 11th?”
I gasped. “So soon?” I began to shake, but I couldn’t lose it with her on the phone. I steeled my emotions. “If you think that’s necessary.”
“I assure you, it is,” she replied. “I have had a cancellation, and I want you to have it. Time is of the essence here.”
“If you believe that’s what needs to happen, then I’ll do it. I-I can’t thank you enough. I don’t want to lose movement or control.”
“I’m more than happy to help you. Dr. Billingsly spoke highly of you, and my PA told me he’d taken a particular interest in your case, so you’ve got a lot of people pulling for you, Ms. East.” The mention of Hunter made my cheeks heat on top of the anxiety that permeated under my skin.
Dr. Kaveh continued, “I’ll send this to our scheduler, and they’ll be calling you with official word of the date and intake information. Meanwhile, I suggest taking it easy. No strenuous activity and avoid sudden movements, anything that could pull or tug.”
“Thank you so much for calling me. I know you didn’t have to do that,” I said. My mind was reeling, but I was grateful.
“It’s no problem. Take care.”
I hung up, and my hands began to shake. My plans for the day had consisted of online house hunting, laundry, trying my hand at baking a pie, and polishing my interview skills. In an instant, everything changed.
Surgery was scary, but so was being immobile. I couldn’t win either way. I needed to tell somebody. Bram popped into my head instantly, as did Kallie. My best friend deserved firstplace. She’d be in the morning rush at the bakery, though. I couldn’t bother her.
I picked up the phone, typed out a message, and pressed send before I second-guessed myself.
Me: MRI came back. Discs are bulging more than in the last scans.
