Call Me By Your Heart novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: The Diagnosis

"I never cashed it," I said.

Scott didn't move.

His arm stayed heavy across my ribs, and I felt his breathing change.

"Ask any bank in the country," I said. "Ask the one that took it."

"Delilah had a copy of the deposit slip."

"Then she made it."

"I saw your name on the back of the check."

"Then she wrote it."

He was silent a long time.

When he spoke, his voice was very low.

"I want to believe you."

"Then do."

"It's not that easy."

He rolled onto his back and stared at the dark ceiling.

"Go to sleep. We'll fight about it tomorrow."

I didn't sleep.

I lay beside him until the window went gray, watching his profile.

Whatever Delilah had shown him seven years ago had cut deep.

At eight we were back at St. Luke's.

The doctor with the chart asked the three of us into a small room with a box of tissues on the table.

Delilah was already there with a man in a gray suit.

She had changed into a fresh white blazer and put her makeup back on.

"This is our family attorney," she said. "He's here to make sure nothing is decided without proper authority."

The lawyer slid a paper across to the doctor.

"Mrs. Hargate is the legal adoptive mother and the primary custodian."

"All medical decisions run through her. Ms. MacAleese has no standing whatsoever."

"Let's start with the diagnosis," said the doctor.

She folded her hands.

"Jamie has acute lymphoblastic leukemia."

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