Look to the Rainbow (13 page)

      “He knows it isn’t. I haven’t talked to him today. But I would like to hear what both of you thought about Alise.  Bobby and Debby seem convinced that this is the romance of the century.”

     “Kel was completely in love with her. But a lot of things happened and by the time she died, the marriage was in trouble. I could sit here and tell you stories all night, and I can say without questions that I was never terribly fond of her, but I really think you should hear what happened from Kel.” Molly turned to Lily. “Don’t you think so?”

      Lily said, “I do, especially given that she’s involved with Kel herself. Alise , bless her heart, just never quite fit in this family.”

     She understood that they didn’t want to talk about Alise, but Lily did pull out an album that had several photos of Alise, including some pictures of Kel and Alise on their wedding day and with Jim and Janet when they were babies. Alise had been stunningly beautiful, exactly the kind of woman you would expect Kel to married to. In the photographs they looked like a Hollywood golden couple, all beautiful and perfectly matched.

            She was more confused than ever.

     “Janet,” Kel said, trying to keep his voice down, “I’m sorry, but you can’t get married that week- its right in the middle of the convention.”

      “Daddy, I’m having trouble booking the church. That’s the only free weekend this summer.”

     “Then you’ll have to get married this fall instead. And please try to work around the election- I
might
be busy then too.”

     “That’s not funny Daddy.”

     “Baby please just try to work around the things I’m committed to, okay?”

     “Fine.” Janet hung up the phone.

     Kel ran a hand through his hair and consulted his watch. He had five minutes before his next speech. His phone rang again and he hoped it wasn’t Janet throwing out another date. Instead it was Tara.

     “I have five minutes. I wish I had more,” he said in answer.

      “Everywhere I go there’s a camera in my face. What am I supposed to do?”

      “I’m sorry, sweetheart, I really am, but right now I don’t have time to figure that out.”

      “When are you coming home?” Was she about to cry?

     “In three days. I’m sorry Tara, but I really have to go.”

     “Okay. I’ll see you then.”

    “I wish I had more time.”

     She was crying. “It’s okay.” The connection ended.

     John had come looking for him. “Everything all right? It’s time for your speech.

     He walked toward the stage in front of a large audience and the only thing he wanted to think about was getting through it and being done for a while.  He was looking forward to some time at home

Chapter Twelve

     Evan came out of an examining room and stopped at the nurse’s station and asked a complete blood count to be taken. The receptionist called him to the phone.

     “It’s Dr. Hunter,” she said.

     “Ted I’ve got about five minutes, what’s up?”

     “I need more than five minutes. Can you walk over to my office, now?”

     “What’s this about?”

     “I have some radiology films for Mary Katherine I’d like for you to look at.”

     Mary Katherine had gone in for a physical earlier in the week. She hadn’t mentioned any tests.

    “I’m on my way.” He handed the phone back to the receptionist. “I have an emergency, can someone else cover for me?”

     “They’ll just have to wait for Dr. Wilton.” Evan was often called for consults, they were used to passing his patients on to whoever was available. The ones who specifically wanted to see him always rescheduled.

     Dr. Hunter looked grim as Evan was ushered into his office. He handed Evan the CT scan results. Evan held each one up to the light. For just a moment, he was certain his heart stopped beating. He sank into the closest chair, the film still in his hand. He somehow found his voice. “Stage two ovarian cancer?”

   Hunter nodded. “That was my diagnosis. I’m sorry Evan.”

    Evan closed his eyes. “Does she know?”

     “I was going over to tell her, but I wanted you to see these first. I’m getting the feeling that you didn’t know there might be a problem.”

     “No. But that’s Mary Katherine. She would have waited and broken the news herself.”

    “We didn’t catch it as early as I’d have liked, but if we go ahead and take care of this we’ve got a good chance of having a positive outcome.”

     Evan took a deep breath and found the strength to stand. “Okay.”

     The exam room door opened and Mary Katherine looked up. “Well, I don’t know who you are,” she said to Dr. Hunter, “but you’ve brought Evan with you, so whatever the tests said, it must be bad.”

     Evan said, “Darlin’, this is Dr. Hunter.”

    “I’ve only heard my husband mention one Dr. Hunter and he’s in oncology. So the two of you are here to tell me that I have some kind of cancer.”

     Evan reached for her hand and she took it and held it tightly, but that was the only sign of anxiety.

     Dr. Hunter sat beside her and said “Mary Katherine you have stage two ovarian cancer. What I’m recommending is a complete hysterectomy and a then chemo. We’ll do biopsies following the surgery and then decide how many rounds of chemotherapy you’ll need. Because ovarian cancer can be very aggressive, I’d like to go ahead with the surgery on Friday morning.”

     “That’s awfully fast.”

     “As I said, ovarian cancer is aggressive. The sooner the better, and I’m sure you need to talk to Evan.”

     “Evan?”

     “I think you should go ahead with the surgery on Friday.” She saw real fear in his blue eyes and tears he was fighting to hold back.

     “What time Friday?” she asked.

     Ross walked back into the dining room and took his place. The family looked at him expectantly. “Mary Katherine has ovarian cancer. They’re doing surgery Friday morning.”

     No one seemed to know what to say. “Shouldn’t someone go to be with Evan?” Skip asked.

     “I already told Evan I would be there.” Ross reached over and took Casey’s hand as she was crying silently. “I’m leaving in the morning. Are you going with me Case?”

     “Yes.”

     Skip said, “I’ll take you Dad.  We can be there in an hour in the plane.”

     John said, “Kel?”

     “Of course we’re going John.”

     Mary Katherine opened her eyes. Evan was talking quietly with Ross and John and Kel.  She stretched out her arm and found his hand.

    He leaned over her and said “Hello darlin.’” She smiled. It was how he always answered the phone when she called. He kissed her.

    “Did the surgery go okay?”

     “It went as expected. We should have the biopsy results tomorrow.”

     “I just woke up and I’m sleepy.”

     He kissed her again. “Then sleep. Are you okay pain-wise?”

     “I’m okay.”

     She closed her eyes again. Evan walked Ross and John and Kel to the door.

     Ross said, “Do you need us to stay?”

     “No. We’ll be okay. I do appreciate you being here last night and this morning.”

      “Call when you get the results.”

      “I will.  Keep praying?”

      Ross gave him a hug as Skip and Casey came down the hall. “Of course.”

     “Mary Katherine ever wake up?” Skip asked, handing Evan a cup of coffee.

     “Yes, and went back to sleep.”

     “But she’s okay.” Skip had always been close to Mary Katherine.

     “For now, she’s okay,” Evan said. “Are you okay Skip? I was a little preoccupied last night.”

     “I’m getting better Evan. Don’t worry about me right now.”

     Reluctantly they said goodbye. In two days John and Kel and Skip had to be back on the campaign trail and they had to leave, whether they wanted to or not.  Evan and Casey went back in Mary Katherine’s room and talked in hushed tones until Mary Katherine woke again.

     Tara  thought it must have been the shortest two weeks of her life. The photographers had continued to hound her, but it was easier when Kel was with her. They kept more of a distance and seemed to bother him less than they did her. He didn’t give them anymore shots of him kissing her, but there were photos of her watching him play a polo match, of them strolling downtown holding hands and having dinner. For the most part they time they had spent together had been private.  They had taken countless walks in the moonlight, eaten by candlelight at his house, watched videos and spent hours talking.  Tonight they were having dinner in what everyone referred to as ‘the tree house,’ a glass and rock atrium like structure under one of the tall weeping beeches on the grounds of Molly and Ross’s house. It was strung all through with tiny white Christmas lights. There were cushioned benches all around and a table set with an elaborate picnic. Kel told her that his parents used to picnic under the tree and when grandchildren had come along his mother had asked him to design a playhouse for them under the tree where her husband had proposed. The girls, he told her, had often had slumber parties and tea parties here and more than one romantic dinner had been consumed here by various members of the family.

     “It’s like something out of a fairy tale, “ she said. “It’s beautiful.”

     “I’m told my nephew Seamus his brought at least twenty girls here for dinner,” Kel said.

     “Is he a lady’s man then?”

    Kel poured her a glass of champagne and passed it to her. “He is charming, intelligent, and an outstanding athlete. John and Kimberly adopted both their children, but Seamus is definitely looks like an O’Brien physically. Girls have always been interested in him, and none of them ever seem to mind at all that he’s deaf. Probably because he doesn’t.”