“I get off at 2 a.m.”
“And I know where you live,” he agreed easily. “I’ll see you there.”
“Sounds good,” Haley said, finding herself out of breath. She ended the call and stood there for a moment, gripping her phone. Since when had she become a woman who ordered booty calls?
Since she’d met Damon.
And she had no regrets.
Look out, 2018.
Damon had time to feel a bit of anticipation after Haley’s call before his phone rang again. It was his mom’s oncologist.
“I apologize for not calling this morning, Mr. Perez.”
“The nurse said your hours might be different today. It’s fine.”
“Do have a moment right now?”
“I do. Let me just shut the door.” Damon closed the door to the F5F office and sat at his desk, fighting a bad feeling. He’d been restless after leaving Haley’s place and had only managed to doze for an hour or so before heading to the club. He had a sense of pending doom and that had kept him vigilant.
He had a feeling he was going to learn why in the next few minutes.
“As you know, we’ve been pursuing an increasingly aggressive course of treatment with your mom, since the first round of chemotherapy had little discernible effect.”
“It was still spreading,” Damon said.
“It is still spreading, Mr. Perez. Unfortunately, your mother’s leukemia is particularly resistant to treatment. We’re not seeing much progress at all.”
“Is there any reason why that might be?”
The doctor sighed. “Well, there are still a lot of variables that we haven’t identified. We do find acute myeloid leukemia more resistant to treatment in adults over sixty years of age, which your mom is. The other variables that are known don’t seem to apply. She never smoked.”
“No, she didn’t.”
“She’s certainly not male and she hasn’t had cancer before. There’s no exposure to radiation in her history, is there?”
“Not that I know of.”
“It’s impossible to say exactly why we’re not making progress, but her blood work makes it very clear.” He paused. “I am not certain how much will be gained by beginning the next course of chemotherapy.”
“I thought there was always a chance of improvement...”
“There is always a chance, Mr. Perez. The universe works in mysterious ways. But there are also statistical probabilities, and there is your mom’s quality of life to consider, as well as her comfort.” He cleared his throat when Damon didn’t speak. “I see that you have already arranged the power of attorney.”
“Yes, my mom insisted on it when she was home in the fall.”
“It’s probably wise to have those details arranged while everyone is thinking clearly. It means, though, that you have a decision to make, Mr. Perez, regarding your mother’s care from this point onward.”
“You think treatment should stop.”
“I am looking at six month’s of data, Mr. Perez, and the only thing that I see making a difference in your mother’s health and welfare is the calming effect of therapeutic massage.”
Damon nodded and bowed his head, then realized the doctor couldn’t see him. “I see,” he said and it was hard to force the words free.
“She was talking in her sleep this morning to someone named Marco,” the doctor noted.
“My dad.”
“And has he been to visit her?”
“No. He’s been dead for thirty years.”
“I see. Is there anyone else your mother would enjoy seeing again?”
Tears pricked at Damon’s eyes. He was being warned and he knew it. “Maybe a few people. Can you give me a timeline on this?”
The doctor hesitated for only a moment. “When we reach this point, Mr. Perez, sooner is always better.”
“I understand.” Damon struggled to think clearly. “And if you don’t continue with the next phase of chemo, what happens?”
“I think you know what happens, Mr. Perez, although I don’t think chemo is going to make any difference to the end result. Or even, really, to the timeline. The main difference will be in your mother’s comfort.”
“Will she come home?”
“Would someone be with her all the time?”
“No. I have to work.”
“You could have nursing staff come in. Those services can be arranged.”
“I’ll talk to her about it when I visit tonight.”
“She could also remain here, Mr. Perez, although you’ll also need to decide if there should be a DNR on her record.”
DNR. Do Not Resuscitate.
Damon took a shaking breath. “No more chemo,” he said in a rush, knowing it was the right choice but hating that he had to make it. “No more radiation. I’d like her to be comfortable. I’ll sign the DNR tonight.”
“I’ll ensure that everything is ready for you.” The doctor paused. “I’m sorry, Mr. Perez.”
“Me, too.”
“There are some research programs, but I don’t believe your mother is a good candidate in her current condition. The choice, however, is yours to make and I can make some recommendations...”
“No. I agree with your advice. I think this is the right path.”
“So do I, Mr. Perez, if that’s of any consolation. I’ll leave all the paperwork with the nurses for you to sign and continue as you’ve decided.”
When the call was over, Damon braced his head on his hand and let futility sweep over him. His mom was leaving him soon, and he didn’t know what he was going to do without her.
He certainly shouldn’t be having a fling with Haley.
Two nights would have to be enough.
This time, he’d say thanks with a handshake.
Haley smiled when she saw Damon’s silhouette in the foyer of her building.
She paid the fare and got out of the cab, almost tripping over her feet in her hurry to get to the door. Damon held open the door for her, but his expression was grim.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, fearing that something had happened to his mom.
“Nothing. I just can’t stay.”
Haley had been putting her key into the lock of the security door, but she stopped to stare at him. “If nothing is wrong, then I’m an iguana.”
Damon didn’t smile. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
The very fact that he’d taken the trouble to come to her apartment hinted that he did want to talk about it. “You could have just called to tell me you’d changed your mind.”
He shook his head, more emphatic than he should have been. “No, because it’s not just tonight. It’s the whole thing.”
“What whole thing?”
“Us. This. It can’t happen any more.”
“Okay,” Haley said, because he seemed to expect a fight from her. His gaze flicked to hers. “So, you’ll say thanks by shaking hands and we’ll just part amiably?”
Damon exhaled. “Sure.”
He was really upset. Compassion welled in Haley and she knew she couldn’t let him go home alone just yet. She put out her hand and he shook it, quickly, but when he tried to let go, she tightened her grip. “What happened today?” she asked quietly.