The Legacy: Making Wishes Come True (4 page)

An hour later, she was still asleep and he was reading the morning paper in the lounge when the elevator opened and Marian Crawford stepped out.

“How’s Jenny?” she asked anxiously. Concern lined her face, and in spite of her fresh appearance, Richard guessed that she’d not slept much either the night before.

“Jenny had a good night. She’s sleeping now.”

“Thank you for staying with her.”

“I stayed because I wanted to.”

She lifted an eyebrow, but he didn’t flinch. “I’ve been on the phone half the night with my personal physician in Boston and several specialists he recommended.”

Richard pictured doctors all over Boston being
routed out of bed in the middle of the night to take Dame Marian’s calls. “What’s going on?”

“We’re flying back to Boston this afternoon.”

His stomach tightened. “Where will you put her?”

“In Boston Children’s Hospital. It’s the best facility in the region for her perceived medical problem.”

An alarm went off in Richard’s head. “They know what’s wrong with her?”

“I insisted that the results of last night’s lab work be sent directly to my doctor. He called me at midnight, and we made the decision to move her.”

Richard felt suddenly alert as adrenaline pumped through him. All his life, he’d thought Marian very intimidating, knowing her to be a tough businesswoman, but also soft as a marshmallow when it came to Jenny. He’d always shown her deference, yet now he refused to be cowed by her. “Mrs. Crawford, please tell me what’s going on. Tell me what’s wrong with Jenny.”

She didn’t speak immediately, as if she was weighing her options. Finally, she said, “Last night, Jenny’s white blood count was over two hundred thousand.”

He wished he’d paid more attention during biology class. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what that means.”

“I didn’t either. I asked and was told that normal is about ten thousand.”

He gave a low whistle. “She’s twenty times normal.”

“I had my physician call the ER doctor, and afterward, when we discussed their conversation, he suggested that I get her to a specialist as quickly as possible.”

“A specialist at Boston Children’s,” Richard said with a nod. “What kind of specialist?”

“A pediatric oncologist.”

Before Richard could ask, Jenny’s grandmother told him, “A cancer specialist,” Marian’s voice caught. “They believe Jenny has leukemia.”

“L
EUKEMIA?”
T
HE WORD
tasted foreign on his tongue, and he didn’t like it.

“It’s a type of cancer of the blood.” Richard knew what leukemia was. Marian continued, her voice trembling and her face lined with worry. “They’ve told me there are several kinds, so her specific variety must be determined by specific testing. Children’s Hospital is the foremost facility in the Northeast for treating cancer in the young.”

“Cancer? Jenny has cancer?” Richard felt as if he’d been hurled against a stone wall.

“Very probably.”

“But … but that’s impossible.” He couldn’t absorb it, couldn’t accept it.

“I’ve spent the longest night of my life over this,” Marian said. “I’m prepared for the worst, but I’m holding out hope that her problem can be explained in some other way.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know what to say …”

“Don’t say anything,” Marian directed in her best no-nonsense tone. “Especially to Jenny. She must not know what she’s being tested for.”

Richard jerked up his head and leveled a long look at Marian. “You can’t hide the truth from her.”

“I can, and I will. And so will you.” Her shoulders slumped slightly, and she continued in a kinder voice. “There’s no need to alarm her at this point. After all the test results are in at Children’s, then I will do whatever her oncologist recommends.”

Richard agreed with her logic. Of course, there was no need to say anything to Jenny at this stage. If it was a mistake, then no harm would have to be undone. Why, they might actually laugh about it. He’d take her sailing and tease her with, “Remember the time they thought you had cancer?”

She would laugh and say, “How could they have been so dumb? Imagine, a few bruises and a high white blood count, and they misdiagnose leukemia.”

If it was true—Richard halted his train of thought. It couldn’t be true. “What do you want me to do, Mrs. Crawford?”

“I want you to act as if you know nothing.”

“Won’t she wonder what’s going on when you head back to Boston?”

“Probably. But I intend to continue playing the eccentric old grandmother who won’t allow local medical personnel to handle my beloved granddaughter’s case. She’ll accept that. She’s seen me in action before.”

Richard felt a grudging respect for the woman. She was sharp and clever, and most of all, she loved Jenny with a vengeance. Nothing would get past her
when it came to any treatment that Jenny might need. “I’ll help however I can. In fact, I’ll fly over with you.”

“That’s one sure way to tip her off,” Marian replied. “She will expect you to stay put if there’s nothing seriously wrong with her.”

“Jenny knows I’m due at my father’s law offices at nine o’clock Monday morning to start work. I wasn’t planning to show up.”

“You were going to defy your father?” Marian looked aghast.

“I wasn’t going to let him force me into doing something I didn’t want to do.”

She gave a short, cryptic laugh. “Yes, I heard the same words from my own son, Jenny’s father, some eighteen years ago.”

Warren Crawford had defied his mother? Richard thought the information amazing. He returned to his original train of thought by saying, “My decision not to show up has changed now. So long as Jenny’s in the hospital in Boston, I’ll stay in the city and work for my father. I’m pretty sure he’ll give me time off to visit her whenever I want.”

Marian looked as if she might say something about his plans, but for some reason, she changed her mind. She straightened and turned to leave the visitors’ lounge. “I’m going to check on Jenny now. I’ve already informed the administration that I’ll be moving her to Children’s. Our flight leaves at four this afternoon. I only hope I can convince her that this move is purely routine.”

Routine
. It was the second time that morning he’d heard the word. A sixteen-year-old girl with her whole life ahead of her may be about to learn she has cancer—what could possibly be routine about
that? Richard clenched his fists. “I’ll call home and let mother know my plans. She can pack my things and probably get me on the same flight.”

“Very well,” Marian said. Richard couldn’t help noticing that her inflection sounded more like permission than acceptance.

Jenny felt as if a curtain of secrecy had descended around her while her grandmother busied herself with plans for returning to Boston. Even Richard seemed to be a part of the conspiracy of silence. While she was thrilled to know he’d be coming to Boston with them that afternoon, he was acting far too casual about returning in order to work for his father’s law firm. She remembered how angry he’d been about it at the country club. Was there more going on than he and Grandmother were telling her?

They left the hospital and rode in Grandmother’s Lincoln to the airport, where the chauffeur unloaded their bags and they boarded a plane for the bumpy flight over the water to the metropolitan Boston area. Another chauffeured car met them and took them directly to Children’s Hospital.

Jenny felt overwhelmed by the enormous facility, so totally different from the tiny community hospital on Martha’s Vineyard. The new hospital soared ten stories and sprawled over two city blocks. Once inside, she was whisked up to a top floor and ushered into a private room with windows overlooking downtown Boston. The room held not only a bed, but a sofa, TV, and stocked refrigerator.

“Grandmother!” Jenny exclaimed. “This place looks like a hotel suite.”

“Money can buy some amenities, dear. I want you to be comfortable.”

Richard caught Jenny’s eye and flashed her a look that said,
Don’t fight it
.

“I really don’t need all this.”

“Nonsense. This ordeal is stressful enough.”

“I didn’t know hospitals had rooms like this,” Richard commented. “Especially a kids’ hospital.”

“Children of celebrities become ill too,” Marian replied, opening dresser drawers. “Did you think they weren’t given preferential treatment?”

“I’m not the queen of England.”

Marian brushed off Jenny’s remark. “Your doctor will be in later this evening to meet you. His name is Jason Gallagher, and I’m assured he’s one of the best.”

“The best for what?”

Marian barely missed a beat before answering, “The best diagnostician in the area. He’ll get to the bottom of what’s ailing you.”

“So I will have to go through a bunch of awful tests after all.”

“I’m afraid so.” Marian took Jenny’s hand and squeezed it. “Don’t worry. I’ll be with you through each one of them. And so will Mrs. Kelly.”

“Who’s that?”

“The private-duty nurse I’ve hired to stay with you.”

Jenny glanced furtively toward Richard. Of course, it would be impossible for him to remain with her. He looked dead on his feet anyway.

“I’ll be over to see you as soon as I get off work tomorrow,” he told her.

“Why don’t you get into bed, my dear,” Grandmother said. “You must be exhausted.”

She
was
tired. She felt sick again too. The doctor at the other hospital had given her plenty of medication, but the effects had worn off. Richard stepped out of the room, and she changed into a white lacy cotton nightgown her grandmother had purchased for her. “Nothing like something new to make a girl feel good,” Grandmother remarked cheerfully. “You look very pretty, Jenny.”

“I look awful,” Jenny said. “The gown looks very pretty.” She snuggled beneath the crisp, clean sheets. “I wish I were home.”

“Me too.” Grandmother kissed her cheek. “You get some rest, and I’ll see to it that Richard gets to his place. He’s had a long couple of days.”

Suddenly, Jenny didn’t want to be left alone. “You’ll be back?”

“Absolutely. I want to meet this highly touted young doctor who’s supposed to take care of you.”

“Be nice to him, Grandmother.”

“Don’t lecture me, dear. I expect top performances from the people I hire.”

Jenny sighed in exasperation. “Sometimes you have to play by other people’s rules.”

Grandmother scoffed and unpacked Jenny’s things.

When Jenny was finally alone, she hated it. The room was too big, too quiet. As if in response to her yearning for company, the door swung open and a woman dressed in a white uniform entered. “Hi, I’m Alice,” she said. “I’ve come to draw a little blood for the lab boys.” Jenny swallowed hard. For a moment, she’d forgotten where she was. “Are you Jenny?”

“Yes.” Her eyes grew wide at the sight of the needle.

“I’m really pretty good.” Alice said sympathetically. “Some people tell me they don’t feel a thing.”

Jenny wanted Richard with her, then realized that even if he were, she’d still have to give
her
blood. She bravely held out her arm.
Lesson number one
, she told herself.
Some things you have to do on your own
.

L
ATER THAT NIGHT
, Jenny met Dr. Gallagher. He was a large man with flyaway copper-red hair, freckles, and a big, booming voice filled with enthusiasm. Jenny liked him instantly. “I want you to know, Jenny, that I’m absolutely honest with my patients. I won’t lie to you, and I won’t hide information. But I also expect my patients to level with me and do what I tell them.”

Taken aback, Jenny nodded. Why would she have a reason to lie to him? And why would a doctor conceal information? “I’ll try,” she said.

“I’m sending you down for a battery of tests starting first thing in the morning. Some won’t be too pleasant, others will be a snap. Once the results are analyzed, I’ll give you a full report and map out a medical protocol for you. Fair enough?”

Bewildered, she nodded. She didn’t even know what they were testing her for. She started to ask, but her grandmother entered the room with an
older woman, the private-duty nurse, Mrs. Kelly, and Dr. Gallagher hurried off to see other patients. “I wanted to talk to him,” Jenny told her grandmother.