Page 37 of His Beautiful Revenge
“Bet it isn’t what you think.”
She made a sour face at him. “Well, aren’t you just Mr. Glass Half Empty?” Giacomo laughed and pulled up alongside the curb. Norah was antsy now to get the gossip. Getting out of the car, Giacomo wrapped his arms around her, sniggering to himself as he maintained the hug too long and she started to giggle.
“Gerroff me, you big Italian lug,” she complained as he laughed out aloud. She hugged Zulika, noticing for the first time how thin she had gotten. “How are you, gorgeous?”
Orlando’s grin was earsplitting. “Well, that’s what we have to tell you. Come inside.”
Norah was almost dying of curiosity now. Were Orlando and Zulika together? Her oldest friend looked remarkably comfortable in Orlando’s home. But Norah couldn’t believe that Orlando would want to be in a relationship so soon and Zulika, she knew, would balk at starting up with someone in his position.
“What’s going on?” She looked between Zulika and Orlando.
Zulika took her friend’s hands. “Okay …well, look. I have something to tell you, No-No, and I don’t want you to be angry at me. Please just hear me out.”
Norah’s heart began to thump unpleasantly against her ribs. “God, Zul …what?”
Zulika took a deep breath in. “Pull off the Band-Aid. Okay, Norah, Giacomo, I have cancer.”
Both them of them stared at her dumbly. “What? No, no,no.” Norah couldn’t breathe. “No, it can’t be. You’re too young. It’s not right.”
Zulika tried to smile. “Stage III breast cancer. Now, I’ve had surgery to remove the tumor, and chemo, and …”
“Wait, how long have you known?”
Zulika bit her lip. “About five months.”
“Five months!” Norah felt her heart plummet. “God, and you’ve been through this on your own? You didn’t tell me?”
“You were going through some stuff of your own, remember?”
Norah’s eyes widened. “Zul! What the hell? Do you think I wouldn’t have dropped everything for you?”
Zulika half-smiled. “That’s why I didn’t tell you. You have every right to be angry.”
“This isn’t aboutme!You needed …”
“Why do you think I’m telling you with Lando here? He’s been my rock.”
Orlando spoke then, his voice wracked with sorrow. “And Zul’s been mine. How Ferma and I would have gotten through these last months …yes, the circumstances were the worst, but I think—I hope—both Zulika and I have gained strength from helping each other.”
Zulika smiled at him gratefully. “Icertainly have. Norah, I’m sorry. Yes, in times past, we would have been there for each other. This time, we both needed other people. I think it’s healthy. Forgive me, darling, but I stand by my decision.”
Norah was silent for a long time. Giacomo put his hand on the back of her neck, rubbing it reassuringly. Finally, she nodded. “So, now that we all know, what can we do?”
“Well, first thing is …we don’t make it the sole topic of conversation whenever we meet.” Zulika grinned at her friends. “We all have stuff we need to work through. So it’s fine to mention it, but not to dwell. Agreed?”
The other murmured their assent. “Good. Now, to let you know the good news. I went to the oncologist today. The treatment is working. The cancer went to some lymph nodes, but it hasn’t spread and the main tumor hasn’t reappeared.”
Norah let out a long breath. “Thank god.”
“So you see? We can overcome anything.” She looked at Orlando then. “Your turn.”
Giacomo sat up straight as Orlando began to speak. “The police are closing the investigation.”
“No! No way,” Norah exclaimed as Giacomo, looking angry, shook his head.
“I don’t believe it.”
“They say they’ve exhausted every lead and every suspect. They can’t spend any more money on it.”
