“Tristan, can you write down your address for me?”

His eyes go wide and I need to think fast.

“I just need it if I’m going to be staying here a lot.”

Tristan fights not to smile, but it doesn’t work. He grabs a pen and pad of paper out of the drawer of the nightstand and writes down his address.

“There you go baby.” He places it on the bed next to me.

“Thank you,” I sigh.

“Okay, I’m gonna go. Don’t forget to call if you need anything.”

I just nod and turn on a smile that is such a lie.

He leans down and tries to kiss my lips but I pull away. I don’t want him to feel any more heat coming off of me. His eyes show hurt and I hate that I just caused that.

“I don’t need you getting sick if you’re gonna be taking care of me.”

He nods, thinking it’s probably best as well.

“All right, bye baby.” He stands.

“Bye.”

I watch his back as he retreats out of the room to head down the stairs. I wait a few moments until I hear his jeep start up. I slowly sit up and my body aches at the smallest movement. I grab the pen and paper, writing Tristan a quick note to let him know where I am. I just don’t want him seeing me leave in an ambulance. I would rather he not know about the hospital either, but knowing Tristan, he would search all of Talania until he found me. Sighing, I pick up the phone and call my mother first. It rings only twice.

“Hello?”

“Hi mom.” I say as my voice cracks.

“Evelyn, what’s wrong? You sound like you’re in pain.” Her voice is already worried. As mad as I am at her right now, she is still my mother and I know she loves me.

“I’m in a lot of pain. I have a few symptoms mom and I’m weak. I’m calling an ambulance, so please get here as fast as you can.”

“Hang up baby and call them now. Your father and I are on our way!”

The thing with brain cancer is that a cancerous tumor or another form of cancer somewhere else usually causes it. The last three times a tumor grew, it was the only location I had cancer. I’m worried now that I am not so lucky since it seems to have hit me so suddenly. I hang the phone up and dial 911.

“911, what’s your emergency?”

“Yes, my name is Evelyn Beaumont and I’m at 1990 Ocean Terrace Drive. I am in remission from brain cancer. I think I am lapsing because I am so weak. I have a fever. I don’t know what my temp is, but I know it’s high. My head is pounding.”

I am shocked that I got all that out in one breath. I feel as if I have run a marathon.

“Yes ma’am. I have dispatched an ambulance and they are route. Please stay on the line until they reach you. Can you tell me if the door unlocked?”

Oh, crap. That is the only thing I didn’t think about.

“Probably not,” I gasp. Oh, this is not good. I am short of breath and I haven’t even moved from the bed.

“Evelyn, are you still with me?”

I nod. The fever is now blinding my senses. My stomach starts rumbling. Before I can climb out of the bed, I vomit my lunch of soup and tea all over myself.

“Evelyn, ma’am, are you still with me?” The voice of the operator seems to be coming from the end of a long tunnel.

“I—I’m here.” I am struggling to wheeze out my words.

“Evelyn, can you tell me if the door is unlocked?”

Those words are the last thing I hear besides the ocean waves crashing against the shore. My vision blurs…my head spins…I collapse backwards, falling into darkness.

15

I am going over delivery figures with my bar manager when Drake comes busting through my office door. He must have gotten Evelyn’s car back all right. I am about to look back down at my work but in one glance, I take in his appearance and know something is terribly wrong.

“Tristan, an ambulance was taking Sunshine away when Kyle and I pulled into the drive. They kicked down the door.”

I drop the invoice and stand. I can’t breathe my and chest is tight. She said she was fine. She’s fine right? “I—I need to…to get to the hospital Drake.”

He ushers me out of my office and past the bar.

“Kyle, cancel the gig!” Drake yells.

My hands are shaking and I’m sweating. I just got her back. I cannot lose her.

I can’t!

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be up there as soon as I get things done here,” Kyle says as he nods at us.

“Okay.” Drake mumbles.

I need to call Adella. She’s Ev’s only friend here.

“Drake,” I croak.

“What?”

“Get a hold of Adella.”

“Okay, but I’m driving Tristan. You’re shaking too badly to drive safely.” He takes the keys from my hands.

I am in no mood or state of mind to argue with him. I just want to get to the damn hospital. I feel like punching something because she lied to me.

Drake drives quickly to the hospital, and before he can even stop the Jeep, I am out the door. I fly through the automated doors and straight to reception.

“My girlfriend was just brought in by ambulance. She’s in remission from cancer.”

The nurse’s eyes go wide. She picks up a phone, dialing someone and whispering so I can’t hear her. Moments later, she hangs up and gestures for me to follow.

“I’ll take you. Someone there will explain what’s going on.”