“Me too, babe. Kai took off tomorrow. She’s going to be here tomorrow and Saturday when you’re at your worst. Sunday if you need her too.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?”
He sighed. “Because you would have argued and told her no. She wants to do this for you.”
Sophie nodded. “I need her,” she admitted.
“You do, and she wants to be here for you.”
“Okay.”
Josh was surprised when Sophie straddled him. She laid her head against his chest. Her cheek was cool against his warm, skin. One hand cupped the back of her head, running his fingers through her silky, black hair.
She sighed. “What happens when I’m bald?” Her breath was just a whisper against his bare skin.
“I’ll shave my head too, if you want,” Josh offered.
“No.”
Sophie shook her head back and forth causing her hair to fall, covering her face. Josh shoved it back. He tilted her face, so he could see it. She turned her head away from him and pressed her lips to his chest.
“I want to make love Josh. I just haven’t felt like it in so long.” She let the words hang between them. “First the diagnosis. Then the first treatment. It’s just going to get worse from here.”
He cupped her face between his palms and gazed into her eyes, not breaking t
he connection between them. Seeing the years of love in the other’s reflection, the words, “I love you,” he told her didn’t seem to be enough to express how he felt.
She kissed him, her soft lips grazing his in need and want. “I just need to feel like my old self for tonight because tomorrow I know what’s coming,” she told him.”
Sophie didn’t have to say the words. He knew. Hell was coming for her. Chemo was ravaging and terrible. If all she wanted was to make love. He could give her that.
They had to sit the dogs on the floor when they became too curious. He held her close, chest to chest. Forehead to forehead. Hearts beating only for each other.
He could tell she was wearing herself out. “Stop,” he told her.
She shook her head no. “I need this,” she murmured.
“Sophie,” he groaned her name.
He felt her tears against his cheek and he remained quiet after that, enjoying her, enjoying him. When they were done, and their breathing was the only sound in the room, Josh cried tears of his own. He buried his head in the crook of her neck and held on to Sophie.
“It will be okay, Josh. I’ll be okay,” Sophie promised.
He nodded. She had to be because he had no other dreams without her in them.
Chapter 13
Sophie
She was quiet the entire ride to the cancer treatment center where Madge met her as she did for the port surgery and the first round of chemo.
Another woman was receiving treatment when she entered the room so, Sophie sat near her. They introduced themselves. Her husband and Josh went for coffee while Madge hooked Sophie up for her chemo cocktail.
“This is my fourth month of treatment, only two more to go,” the woman whose name was Deandra told her.
“This is only my second treatment. I have a while.”
Deandra reached across the tiny space separating them and patted her hand. “Sweetie, it doesn’t get any better, but you find it within to muster through.” She smiled a big, beautiful smile.