Awaken (20 page)

Cooper stared at her again, but this time with admiration. She wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable and show her true colors. Then he admitted, “You know, Lacey, I wish I had your courage.”

Lacey looked at him surprised.

The following Saturday, after her whirlwind trip to Boston with Cooper, Lacey was at the Boathouse in Central Park, photographing Emma’s engagement party. As a present, Lacey used the points on her credit card to buy Emma and Matt a weeklong stay in Aruba. She also offered to photograph the engagement party for them.

“Are you sure?” asked Emma. “I want you to have fun.”

“But taking pictures
is
fun for me,” said Lacey. “And after everything you’ve done for me, it’s the least I can do.”
 

The restaurant was situated right on the lake, so she couldn’t have asked for better scenery. The surrounding trees were changing colors and the city’s tall buildings hovered in the background. As she snapped pictures of the party, Lacey noticed Emma looked radiant. Her and Matt were truly in love; Lacey always caught them smiling at each other whenever their eyes met.
 

Lacey was happy for her friend, but also felt a little envious. Would she ever find somebody to be with for the rest of her life?

“I think we have enough pictures, Lacey. It’s time to drink,” said Emma as she approached her. She handed Lacey a glass of champagne. “I know you offered to photograph the party, but I want you to enjoy yourself and relax.”

“Thanks,” said Lacey as she took the glass of champagne. “Sometimes I get carried away with my camera.”

“I know,” said Emma with a smirk. She glanced over at Matt, who was talking to a couple on the opposite end of the room. “Can you believe I’m going to be Mrs. Reinhart?”

“You’ve got a good one in Matt.”

“I know,” said Emma fondly, as she stared at her fiancé.

Lacey noticed Emma didn’t have a glass in her hand. In fact, come to think of it, in all the photos Lacey had taken, Emma wasn’t drinking at all.
Was she….?

“Hey, Em, is there something you want to tell me?”

“What do you mean?” asked Emma, turning to her.

Lacey shot her an inquisitive look. “I’ve just noticed this whole time you haven’t had anything to drink.”

Emma tried to hold back a smile, but failed miserably. She leaned forward and spoke to Lacey in a hushed, but excited tone. “It’s only been four weeks. We don’t want anyone to know until I’ve passed the first trimester. Promise me you’ll keep it a secret.”

“Oh my gosh, that’s amazing,” said Lacey with a wide grin. “I won’t tell a soul. I promise.”

“Can you believe it?” said Emma excitedly. Then she whispered, “I’m going to be a mom.” She pulled Lacey to a corner of the room so they could speak more privately. “We’re actually flirting with the idea of eloping.”

“You’re going to elope?” muttered Lacey, slightly disappointed. She was looking forward to seeing Em walk down the aisle.

“I know. Not what I was planning, but I don’t want to be a fat bride at my wedding.”

“I see your point,” said Lacey. She saw the joy beaming on her friend’s face.
 

“Matt is so excited,” said Emma. “He said he doesn’t even care about the wedding anymore. He’s already looking for a house in Westchester. He says after the first one, he wants to start on number two right away.”

“You two are going to be great parents,” said Lacey.

Matt’s mother, who wanted to introduce Emma to two cousins visiting from Baltimore, interrupted them. Lacey sneaked away and continued taking pictures of the party.
 

A few moments later, she watched from a corner of the room as Emma and Matt slow danced to a song. They were surrounded by friends and family. Matt and Emma would soon be having a family of their own. As she watched them dance, Lacey realized she wanted the same thing, but knew all to well that nothing in life is guaranteed.

Lacey sat anxiously in the waiting room. It was the time of year she inevitability dreaded.
 
Earlier in the week, she had a breast MRI taken. She still vividly remembered the experience – sitting in the confining space of the MRI machine, her eyes closed, praying, as the machine began the loud clanking scan of her chest.
 

“Please God, let me be in the clear. Don’t let it come back.”

Doctor Wambach, her oncologist, had informed her that blood tests weren’t a good indicator of cancer’s reoccurrence. But Lacey insisted on having blood taken as part of every follow up. She wanted her exam to be thorough. She wanted every stone turned, every dark corner of her body inspected, so she could be sure cancer wasn’t lurking anywhere inside her.
 

Now she waited for the results.
 

Lacey tried reading some blogs on her cellphone to pass the time, but couldn’t concentrate. Then she tried playing a game, but that didn’t work either. She was a bundle of nerves. “
Please, God. Please, God. Please, don’t let it come back,”
she prayed. She took a deep breath to try and calm down.

Then a nurse stepped into the waiting room

“Ms. Winters, would you follow me, please.”

Lacey inhaled deeply and got up. She followed the nurse to an examining room.

As the nurse took her vitals, she asked, “Are there any symptoms you want to discuss with the doctor?”

Lacey shrugged. “Thankfully, nothing to report. I actually feel great.”

The nurse smiled softly. “Please put the gown on, Ms. Winters. Keep the front open. Doctor Wambach will be with you shortly.”

“Thanks,” said Lacey.
 

After the nurse left the exam room, Lacey undressed and placed the white gown on. She scooted onto the examination table, her breasts exposed. She glanced down at them. As she gently massaged them, she noted they felt firmer than her real breasts. Lacey smiled sarcastically.
Well, at least with these I won’t lose the battle with gravity,
she told herself.
 

There was a knock at the door.
 

Lacey quickly dropped her hands to her sides.
 

Dr. Wambach walked into the room with a warm smile.

“How have you been, Lacey?”
 

“Good. A little nervous,” said Lacey with a shrug.

Dr. Wambach nodded. “I understand.” She flipped through Lacey’s file and then looked at her. “Well, the good news is the MRI was normal and blood work came back negative.”

Lacey breathed a sigh of relief.

“So, now all that remains is for me to inspect you physically. Lay down on the table, please.”

Lacey lay on the exam table and raised her arms above her head. Doctor Wambach began pressing her breasts in a circular motion.

“Have you experienced any nausea or anything out of the ordinary the last six months?”

Lacey shook her head. “No. I’ve felt fine.”

“Good.” Doctor Wambach then examined the skin over Lacey’s chest and around her lymph nodes, under her arms.

“Wonderful. You can sit up now.”

Lacey sat up and looked at the doctor, still nervous.
 

“Well, I’m pleased to tell you, Lacey, there’s no indication of reoccurrence. You remain cancer free.”

“Are there any other tests we can do? I want to be sure.”

Doctor Wambach gave her a soothing look. She gently grabbed Lacey’s hand. “We’ve tested everything we can, Lacey. There isn’t any sign of cancer present anywhere in your body. You’re in the clear,” she repeated. “You should follow up again in six months.”

Lacey nodded. She lowered her head and a tear rolled down her cheek. “Thank you,” she muttered.
 

After leaving the doctor’s office – as she made her way to the subway – Lacey called her dad.
 

“What is it, honey?” asked her father in a concerned tone. He knew about Lacey’s follow-up appointment.

“I’m okay, Dad. Every test was negative,” she said with joy.

Lacey heard her father’s sigh of relief. “Thank heaven,” he said quietly. “I wish I was there to give you a hug, sweetie.”

“I know. I wish you were here, too,” said Lacey softly.
 

When she got off the phone with her father, Lacey took the subway home.
 

Penelope made Lacey promise to give her an update on her doctor’s appointment right away.
 
So when she got home, she knocked on her neighbor’s door. Penelope opened the door, and Lacey saw her friend’s concerned face. She assured her with a smile.
 

“I’m in the clear,” Lacey shouted, raising her arms. Penelope immediately hugged her. She kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank God,” Penelope said. “Let’s go celebrate!”

An hour later, the two of them were at The Wicked Crow enjoying two glasses of champagne. As they clinked glasses, Penelope toasted, “To taking life by the horns.”

After she took a sip of her champagne, Lacey looked at Penelope. While she was waiting in the doctor’s office earlier that day, she had a realization and needed to share it with her friend.

“I think it’s time I break things off with Cooper.”
 

Penelope nearly spat out her champagne. “But you haven’t had sex in his private jet yet!”
 

Lacey smirked. “I know. But I did have sex on a plane.”

“Which I’m very proud of you for doing, by the way,” added Penelope. “But why would you suddenly dump your billionaire boyfriend? They don’t grow on trees, you know?”

“Well, he’s not really my boyfriend. That’s the problem. We’re just sort of sleeping together,” said Lacey. She shrugged. “Besides sex, he’s not going to give me what I really want.”

“Which is?” asked Penelope with a raised eyebrow.

“A family,” Lacey confessed. “Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the future.”

“So Cooper doesn’t want to settle down?” asked Penelope.

Lacey shook her head. “I don’t think so.” She exhaled. “When I went to Emma’s engagement party and saw how happy she was with Matt, how excited she is by the thought of becoming a mom, it made me realize that I really want to experience that, too. And while I was waiting for the doctor to give me my results, it reminded me that time is really precious. When I got diagnosed with cancer, I froze my eggs. So I can still have my own child. And I would love to meet somebody who wants to raise a family with me. The more time I spend with Cooper, even though it might be amazing sexually, it’s making me realize he’s not that person. He’s too cut off emotionally. He wants different things out of life.” Lacey wasn’t going to go into details about Cooper having sex with other women at Nectar, and how she realized she wanted a monogamous relationship. “Don’t get me wrong,” she said. “Cooper has been great, but I don’t think he’s the right man for me in the long term. He won’t give me what I really want.”

Penelope looked at her and nodded. “Well, if you’re sure he doesn’t want the same thing, I guess you shouldn’t waste any more time with him. You know better than most how precious it is.” Penelope raised her glass and took another sip. “I gotta hand it to you, Lacey. Most girls wouldn’t turn their back on a guy as hot and rich as Cooper West. Even Nico got a little jealous when I told him about his private jet.”

“Do you and Nico ever talk about it?”

“What? Settling down and having a family?”

Lacey nodded.
 

“I’m not sure that’s something I really want,” revealed Penelope with a shrug. “I’ve never been able to picture myself as a mom. Maybe that will change with time, or maybe it won’t. Nico says he’s cool either way. He says he’s just happy to have me in his life. Anything else is an added blessing.”

“You guys are perfect for each other,” said Lacey.

Penelope looked at Lacey a little skeptical. “Are you sure you and Cooper couldn’t work?” she asked. “I just hate the idea of you throwing away a good looking billionaire like that.”

Lacey laughed. “I’m pretty sure, Penelope. Things with him are too complicated. And I can’t waste any more time on complicated.”

Cooper was in his office when Savannah called from Club Nectar.

“We should talk, Mr. West. Can you come to the club?”

“It will have to wait until the end of the week,” said Cooper, somewhat surprised to be receiving a call from Savannah. “I’m pretty busy until –”

“I think it would be best if you came right away,” interrupted Savannah, her voice on edge. “It’s about Mimi.”

Cooper could tell by the tone in Savannah’s voice that something was wrong.

 
“I’ll be right there,” he said. He ordered his driver to come around. Within the hour, Cooper was walking into Club Nectar. It felt strange being inside the club during the day. Much of its mystique was gone. It was just an empty space, no sign anywhere of the debauchery that happened within its walls at night. It was the people that made the space unique. And members of the club had Savannah to thank for that.

As he walked into her office, Cooper saw the owner of the club sitting behind her desk, her head in her hands. When she looked up at him, her face was deathly white.
 

“What’s wrong?” Cooper asked.

Savannah nervously got up. “Take a seat, please. I didn’t know how to tell you this over the phone.”

“What has Mimi done?” Cooper asked annoyed, sensing whatever it was, it had thrown Savannah into a state of anxiety.
 

“Please just sit, Mr. West,” said Savannah, looking at him, her eyes glassy.

Cooper took a seat. Suddenly, a sense of dread overtook him.

Savannah leaned against the desk, lowered her head. “Mimi broke into the club early this morning. She went into the playroom you and her usually do your act in.” Savannah took a deep breath and continued. “She hung herself.”

Cooper’s hands went numb. “What? Why?”

Savannah shook her head. “There was no note. The police were here earlier. I have twenty-four-seven video surveillance of all the rooms in the club. We watched the video replay. She just walked into the room and…” Savannah choked up, she couldn’t continue. After a long pause, she finally asked, “Did she say anything to you? Mention something was wrong?”