kind of like the idea of going to school in New York City.”
Jessica raised her eyebrow. “Really?”
Emily nodded. “It’s also one of the top ten schools for teaching in the country.”
“You still want to be a teacher?”
“Yes.”
“Then NYU it is.”
Daniel cleared his throat and traded a glance with LeAnn and turned off the highway, navigating the roads to the large parking garage attached to the hospital.
They didn’t have to wait long before Emily was carted off for tests that included an MRI along with routine blood work.
“Jessica can I have a word with you?” LeAnn asked.
“Sure, what’s up?” Jessica replied.
“Well, I don’t want to tell you how to behave with your daughter, but,” she hesitated. “Is talking to her about a future that will never exist really a good thing?”
Jessica stepped back and looked her up and down. “Yes it is,” she said and put her hands on her hips. “Regardless of the diagnosis, people need hope. No matter how remote your chances, having something to cling to makes them possible.” She looked over at Daniel. He was looking at his feet.
“But it will make it harder for her to accept it,” LeAnn said.
“Accept what? Dying? No way!” Jessica snapped. “She shouldn’t accept it and neither should you. Enroll her in NYU. Let her live and enjoy and dream and laugh.” She took a deep breath and turned her dagger-filled gaze toward Daniel. “Let her see that you haven’t given up on her.” She stabbed her index finger in the middle of his chest and turned back to LeAnn “Don’t bury her before she’s dead.”
LeAnn stepped back, her expression falling as quickly as her jaw. “I, I, I didn’t mean to do that.” She glanced at Daniel for support but he was studying Jessica.
“If they come out here and give us the same prognosis, I expect you two to do that. To let her live and have her dreams, and show her you have hope otherwise, I swear I will take her with me,” Jessica fumed.
Daniel swallowed and nodded, breaking Jessica’s intense stare.
“Good!” She stormed off to find a bathroom.
Chapter 15
Jessica glanced in the bathroom mirror and whispered his name softly. The image shifted and Chris looked back at her in surprise holding the razor inches away from his skin.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to...” She shrugged.
He smiled at her and finished her sentence. “Call me?” He lifted his eyebrows.
She nodded.
“At least I didn’t slip.” He waved the razor and set it down out of sight. “This really is bizarre Jess.”
Smiling, she nodded again. “Yeah it is.” She knew just how off balance this peculiar manifestation of her power must be leaving him, especially in light of how weird it was for her five years ago when Eric’s little face appeared in her mirror.
“Is Emily ok ay?”
“She looked so much better last night after...”
“After you did your magic.”
She nodded. “They’re doing more tests today, but I think she’ll be fine.”
“I’m glad,” he said and smiled.
That smile could melt armor and her heart skipped a beat.
“Thank you.”
He inhaled, tilting his head to the side, studying her and his smile faded. “It’s the least I could do considering.”
She paused, searching his eyes for any indication of insincerity and found none. She gave a quick nod and turned to leave.
“Jess?”
She turned back to his intense gaze.
“Be safe,” he said and the image faded.
Jessica took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom lost in thought, the seductive power of his smile seeped under her skin and she wondered how long she could fight the undeniable connection.
Chapter 16
“Jess!” Daniel waved her over. “The doctor wants to talk to us,” he said and escorted both LeAnn and Jessica into the office.
The doctor studied the MRI results side by side and scratched his head. He turned and looked at the three of them. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” He looked back
Jessica raised her eyebrow. “Really?”
Emily nodded. “It’s also one of the top ten schools for teaching in the country.”
“You still want to be a teacher?”
“Yes.”
“Then NYU it is.”
Daniel cleared his throat and traded a glance with LeAnn and turned off the highway, navigating the roads to the large parking garage attached to the hospital.
They didn’t have to wait long before Emily was carted off for tests that included an MRI along with routine blood work.
“Jessica can I have a word with you?” LeAnn asked.
“Sure, what’s up?” Jessica replied.
“Well, I don’t want to tell you how to behave with your daughter, but,” she hesitated. “Is talking to her about a future that will never exist really a good thing?”
Jessica stepped back and looked her up and down. “Yes it is,” she said and put her hands on her hips. “Regardless of the diagnosis, people need hope. No matter how remote your chances, having something to cling to makes them possible.” She looked over at Daniel. He was looking at his feet.
“But it will make it harder for her to accept it,” LeAnn said.
“Accept what? Dying? No way!” Jessica snapped. “She shouldn’t accept it and neither should you. Enroll her in NYU. Let her live and enjoy and dream and laugh.” She took a deep breath and turned her dagger-filled gaze toward Daniel. “Let her see that you haven’t given up on her.” She stabbed her index finger in the middle of his chest and turned back to LeAnn “Don’t bury her before she’s dead.”
LeAnn stepped back, her expression falling as quickly as her jaw. “I, I, I didn’t mean to do that.” She glanced at Daniel for support but he was studying Jessica.
“If they come out here and give us the same prognosis, I expect you two to do that. To let her live and have her dreams, and show her you have hope otherwise, I swear I will take her with me,” Jessica fumed.
Daniel swallowed and nodded, breaking Jessica’s intense stare.
“Good!” She stormed off to find a bathroom.
Chapter 15
Jessica glanced in the bathroom mirror and whispered his name softly. The image shifted and Chris looked back at her in surprise holding the razor inches away from his skin.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to...” She shrugged.
He smiled at her and finished her sentence. “Call me?” He lifted his eyebrows.
She nodded.
“At least I didn’t slip.” He waved the razor and set it down out of sight. “This really is bizarre Jess.”
Smiling, she nodded again. “Yeah it is.” She knew just how off balance this peculiar manifestation of her power must be leaving him, especially in light of how weird it was for her five years ago when Eric’s little face appeared in her mirror.
“Is Emily ok ay?”
“She looked so much better last night after...”
“After you did your magic.”
She nodded. “They’re doing more tests today, but I think she’ll be fine.”
“I’m glad,” he said and smiled.
That smile could melt armor and her heart skipped a beat.
“Thank you.”
He inhaled, tilting his head to the side, studying her and his smile faded. “It’s the least I could do considering.”
She paused, searching his eyes for any indication of insincerity and found none. She gave a quick nod and turned to leave.
“Jess?”
She turned back to his intense gaze.
“Be safe,” he said and the image faded.
Jessica took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom lost in thought, the seductive power of his smile seeped under her skin and she wondered how long she could fight the undeniable connection.
Chapter 16
“Jess!” Daniel waved her over. “The doctor wants to talk to us,” he said and escorted both LeAnn and Jessica into the office.
The doctor studied the MRI results side by side and scratched his head. He turned and looked at the three of them. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” He looked back