A Celtic Knot (6 page)

“I’d have to see your report cards and survey your roommates to believe that, Olivia. An average student doesn’t become a surgical oncologist at your age.”

“Just like an average student doesn’t run such a successful bookstore and coffee shop at your age.”

“I’m thirty-five, Olivia. I was just very lucky to be able to purchase this place ten years ago with my parent’s financial help. My mom and I both believe our success is equal parts Irish luck, hard-working employees, and great location.”

“I don’t doubt any of that. But somehow I think the women behind Cocoa Cream are the keys to its success. Those are the thoughts of a woman a year wiser than you.”

“Well then, old wise one, you’re just going to have to step inside our doors and see if that statement’s true.”

“I’d love that.”

“Are you going to be able to head home soon?”

“Probably in a couple of hours. I have teaching rounds with the residents tomorrow so I need to finish preparing some case studies for them. We’ll be talking about the indications for mastectomies versus lumpectomies.”

Olivia was aware of the silence on the other end of the line. “Sounds very interesting,” Catherine said finally.

“You’re a terrible liar, Catherine. And I mean that as a compliment. Obviously what you’ve been through with your parents has left you deeply scared. Can I give you my cell phone number? I’d like to be there for you if you just need to talk.”

“It’s not that easy, Olivia. But I do appreciate your kindness.”

“I don’t sense that anything is easy about you, Catherine. Do you have a pen handy?”

“I do.”

Catherine scribbled down Olivia’s cell phone number, feeling a flush of excitement in spite of herself.

“I should go so I can get my work done,” Olivia said. “Good night, Catherine.”

“Goodbye, Olivia.”

Catherine hung up the phone and sat for a moment with her eyes closed.

“What was that all about?”

Catherine swiveled in her chair. “Laura, you scared me. I didn’t see you standing there.”

“That was obvious from the outset of your conversation. What did Dr. Olivia Carrington want?”

“I’ve been trying to figure that out since I met her.” She leaned across the counter toward her friend. “She fascinates me and she scares me. She epitomizes the type of person I don’t want in my life. I run from cancer and Olivia lives and breathes it. I strive to live a modest life and I think she enjoys living on a grander scale. Those things set off red flags and I still find I’m replaying our conversations in my head over and over again. I just can’t seem to get her off my mind.”

Laura looked concerned. “It seems to me that the two of you clash more than you connect. Promise me that you’ll be careful.”

“I’m always careful, Laura. Mostly I want to keep her as a friend, and I’m hoping that’s what she’s looking for, too. I just wish she wasn’t so damn gorgeous.”

“If you want my opinion, I’d say Dr. Olivia Carrington is looking for more than friendship, and my best friend is the one who’s likely to get hurt.” Laura took a breath and glanced over her shoulder. “The last time I checked, the kids were sprawled in beanbags in the children’s section with their dad. Let’s go round them up and get out of here.”

Catherine rose from her chair. “You’re right. It’s time to go home.”

Catherine and Laura walked around the huge plaster Cat in the Hat and into the children’s section. Catherine stopped to pick up a fallen book. Laura knelt down behind Kevin and wrapped her arms around him. He had Amanda and Sean nestled in each arm and Harry Potter perched in his lap. He leaned back to give Laura a smacking kiss then continued reading.

Catherine felt a familiar tug in her gut every time she saw them together. She envied what Laura had and longed for a family of her own. She could only dream and hope that one day she could fill that void. She slipped the book back on the shelf and took Amanda’s outstretched hand.

Nine

C
ATHERINE FINISHED RESTOCKING the Books
on CD section and pushed her metal cart toward the storage room.

Dana emerged from the Cooking, Food, & Wine section. “If you’re heading back to the office can you take this book with you? The cover’s torn. I’ll send it back to the publisher.”

Catherine placed the book on her cart. “Consider it done. Is it lunchtime yet?”

“Sure feels like it. Give me fifteen minutes to finish straightening out this section and I’ll meet you in the office.”

“That’s a date.”

Catherine passed the Women’s Health aisle and saw an elderly woman holding a book in each hand with a perplexed look on her face. She parked the cart at the end of the aisle and carefully approached. The woman was reading the back cover of one of the books. “Are you finding everything you need?” Catherine asked.

The woman looked over her bifocals at Catherine’s name badge and smiled. “Actually, I never expected to find so many books on breast cancer. I’m a little overwhelmed by your selection.”

“I know what you mean. I’m continually shocked by the number of books written on the subject.” Feeling both drawn to this lovely woman and wanting to run, Catherine looked at the books the woman held. She touched the one in her right hand.
“Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book
is one of the best. I read it cover to cover when my mother was diagnosed five years ago. It was an excellent reference guide.”

“Is your mother all right?”

“She’s terrific. She has to be, because I could never run this bookstore without her. She had a lumpectomy and radiation therapy. We feel very thankful at how well she’s done.” Catherine extended her hand. “I’m Catherine. I own this blessed pile of books you’re trying to decide on.”

The elderly lady slipped the books back on the shelf and took Catherine’s hand. “Hello, Catherine. I’m Emma. I’m so glad to hear your mother’s well.”

“She’s right over there. Why don’t I introduce you?” Catherine signaled Dana to come over.

“Emma, this is my mother, Dana O’Grady.”

“Hello, Dana. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Catherine was telling me about your breast cancer. I’m so glad to hear you’re well. I fought this disease fifteen years ago, and I’m afraid I’ve been diagnosed again.”

Catherine swallowed hard as she saw the fear and disbelief in the woman’s moist eyes.

Dana reached out and took her hand. “I’m so sorry.”

The phone rang at the customer-service desk. Catherine quickly looked from Emma to her mother. “Excuse me while I answer that.”

Emma followed Catherine’s path. “I’ve made her uncomfortable. I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t be. My breast cancer was really hard on Catherine. Your story brings back all her fears and heartache.”

“I often wondered what it would be like to have a daughter with me at a time like this. I have four sons and this sort of thing is very hard for the boys to deal with.”

“I can only imagine. But tell me about your diagnosis.”

Dana listened compassionately as Emma recounted her story. She’d had a mastectomy fifteen years before. Her husband had been wonderfully supportive, but he’d recently passed away. Now she’d been diagnosed with a tumor in her remaining breast.

“The worst part is that my pathetic young doctor thinks I’m too old to operate on. I may be seventy years old, but I’m not dead. I have no other medical problems besides my achy old bones. I take care of myself. I do all my own shopping and chores. I walk my dog, Millie, five miles a day. I told that brainless doctor he grossly underestimated me if he planned to limit my options because of my age and stormed out of his office.” She shook her head. “The problem is, I don’t know what to do next. I decided today to come here to do some reading, but I don’t know where to begin. What I do know is I beat this once, and I can beat it again.”

Dana squeezed her shoulder. “Good girl. I think the best place for you to start is to get yourself another doctor.”

“Unfortunately, the doctor I had fifteen years ago retired. I really liked him. This new one is still wet behind the ears and a very poor listener. I sense these young doctors are adverse to risk and failure.”

“The only failure is in not trying, not fighting, and not having the opportunity to win. You already have a winning attitude. We just need to find you the right doctor who’ll fight along with you. My surgical oncologist is wonderful. She works out of the Cancer Center at University Hospital. Why don’t we see if we can get you an appointment with her or her partner?”

“Do you think they would see me?”

“Yes, I do. They both have years of experience, they’re good listeners, and they’re fighters. Just like you. Let’s go into the office and make that call.”

Dana sat close by as Emma articulately explained her story to the receptionist, silently praying that Ruth or Olivia would be able to help this lovely woman. Emma answered a series of questions and jotted some information on a scratch pad.

She hung up and turned to Dana, blinking as the tears filled her eyes. “I have an appointment next week with Dr. Olivia Carrington. They had a cancellation, so the receptionist fit me in.”

Dana handed her a tissue from the desk. “That’s wonderful. Now you can begin to wage your winning battle.”

Emma reached for Dana’s hand. “I knew I needed to come here, but I didn’t know why. Now I know. I was guided.”

Dana found Catherine reorganizing the announcement board. “Now you must really be ready for lunch.”

“I’m starving.” Catherine looked over her mother’s shoulder and saw Emma sipping a cup of coffee and leafing through Dr. Susan Love’s book. She felt drawn to this woman in a way she hadn’t anticipated. “How’s Emma?”

“She’s such a sweetheart. She has an appointment with Olivia next week.”

Catherine blinked. “She does? That’s fantastic. I hope Olivia can help her.”

“I hope so, too. Emma promised she’d come back and let me know how she’s doing. Now, lets go get something to eat.”

“I didn’t mean to make such a hasty exit.”

“I know.”

“Emma probably thinks I’m weak.”

“Emma completely understands how you feel.”

“I wish I could help like you do, Mom, rather than trying to find the nearest escape route.”

“Your help is invaluable, baby. Emma bought the book you recommended. Combine that with her appointment with Olivia, and she’ll walk out of this bookstore a changed woman.”

Ten

T
HE POSTMAN WOVE HIS WAY
among the crowded tables in the coffee shop at four o’clock, right on schedule. He waved at Catherine with a handful of mail and gave her his usual endearing smile. “Top of the afternoon to you, Ms. Catherine.”

“Top of the afternoon to you, Tom. When did a die-hard Texan become so Irish?”

He placed a stack of mail on the counter and dug into his huge shoulder bag. “All these lovely St. Patrick’s Day decorations bring out the best Irish in me.” He pulled three packages out and handed them to Catherine. “Where’s your lovely mother this bright and beautiful Thursday?”

“She headed out to run some errands.” Catherine glanced at the packages. Her heart jumped as she noticed that one of them was addressed to her, from Olivia Carrington.

“Lovely as a rose, your mother is. I’ve been trying for years to get her to have dinner with me but she won’t have any of it. But I’m not giving up. Someday she’ll see what a great catch a Texas cowboy can be.”

Catherine smiled. “Tom, you’ve been married and divorced four times. I think your track record has you hog-tied in my mother’s eyes.”

“Maybe it’s her I’ve been looking for my whole life.”

“I hate to disappoint you, but my mother has said my father was the only man for her.”

Tom heaved the bin of outgoing mail onto his big shoulder. “How am I supposed to compete with that?”

“You’re not. Just be her friend, and she’ll adore you for it.”

“All I can say is your father was one very lucky man for having both of you.”

“Actually, Tom, we were the lucky ones.”

“I believe that to be true. See you tomorrow, Ms. Catherine.”

Catherine slipped into her office and tore open the package from Olivia. She found a stack of articles inside, stapled together with a note on pale yellow paper. Secured to the top right-hand corner of the note was a silver-plated and enameled pink-ribbon tack pin. Scrolled across the ribbon was
Find a Cure.
Catherine set the pin against the small treasure chest on her desk and read the note, feeling her excitement over the package ebb.

Dear Catherine,

I thought you might find these articles interesting. They explain the current breakthroughs in cancer research, the focus of today’s research goals, and how money is spent on prevention, early detection, treatment, and research. The best article is the last one discussing the success of current breast cancer therapies. I wanted you to see how many people are working hard to prove the power and success of Western medicine. The enemy is working hard to win you over.

I was given a bunch of those breast cancer tack pins by one of our drug representatives. I thought you could put it in your office and every day it would remind you that so many people are truly working hard to find a cure.

Take care of yourself, Catherine. Please give me a call when you have a spare moment.

Warmly,

Olivia