I do as she says and wait for her to take my blood pressure and temperature. After she’s written it down, she says, “You’re scheduled for an MRI at eleven. I’ll also have to draw blood.” She gives me an evil grin. “Yeah, I get to stick a needle in you.”
“Have at it,” I chuckle, really glad to see her again.
While Sarah is drawing blood, she glances at Ryker, then she says, “Your boyfriend looks like the silent type.”
“Shoot, sorry. This is Ryker, my fiancé,” I introduce them quickly.
Ryker just gives her a chin lift. “Hey.”
“Yeah, I guess he’s the silent type,” I joke.
When Sarah is done with everything, she turns to Ryker. “Will it be just the two of us taking care of Danny?”
“Her family will be here shortly,” he answers.
Sarah shakes her head. “Yeah, but I’m guessing you’ll be staying here twenty-four-seven?”
“Oh… yeah,” Ryker answers.
“Okay, let me show you a couple of things.” Sarah goes through a list of things, the panic button, how the bed works, how the fold-out bed works for when Ryker wants to use it.
When she’s done, she smiles at both of us. “Get comfortable. I’m just going to take the bloodwork to the lab.”
After Sarah leaves the room, Ryker comes to sit next to me on the bed. “She looks like a nice person.”
“She is. She comforted me without knowing anything about the cancer or who I was. It felt like an angel stepped into my hell to pull me back up,” I admit.
Ryker takes a deep breath as he gets up again. “Still wish you told me sooner.” He walks to my bag and opening it, he takes out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. “Get changed so you can get comfortable.”
Rising to my feet, I take the clothes from him. I stand on my toes and press a kiss to his mouth. “Thank you for being here now.”
His lips curve up. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
I slip into the bathroom to change, and while taking off my clothes, I hear Mom’s voice. “Where’s Danny?”
“Changing,” Ryker answers. “What’s that?”
“A couple of things to make this room feel like home.”
“Let me help you.”
“Carter told me you and Danny got engaged last night.” I hear the hurt tone in her voice and hurry.
“Yes,” Ryker answers. “I’ll take good care of her.”
When I step back into the room, a smile spreads over my face when I see all the framed photos of my family on the window sill. My favorite teddy from when I was little rests on the bed.
“Mom, you didn’t have to,” I chuckle.
“I think it will help keep your spirits up,” she says as she comes to hug me.
“Thank you.” I pull back and lock eyes with her. “I’m sorry I didn’t call last night. Things were a little overwhelming.”
Mom waves a hand. “Don’t worry about it. Let me see the ring.”
Mom fawns over the engagement ring, and then I sit down on the bed. Her gaze drifts over the beanie I’m wearing, but she doesn’t say anything about my hair being gone.
I glance at the photos again, then looking at Ryker, I say, “I don’t have a photo of you.”
He takes his phone out and comes to sit next to me. Wrapping his arm around my shoulders, he pulls me against his side, and then we smile.
“Send it to me, and I’ll get it developed and framed,” Mom offers.
“That would be great,” Ryker replies as he forwards it to her phone.
Uncle Logan comes into the room with an envelope, and after greeting us, he hands it to Ryker.
“I wish I could stay, but I need to get back to the office,” Uncle Logan says to me.
“Of course. I understand.”
“Your Dad said to tell you he’ll be here in thirty minutes. He’s just organizing things at Indie Ink.”
“Thanks.” I smile as he leaves, then I glance at Ryker. He’s reading over the documents and knowing what they are, my gaze turns to Mom. I don’t want her to find out when Dr. Friedman gets here.
“Mom, come sit.” I pat the bed, and when she’s seated next to me, I say, “I’m giving Ryker power of attorney.” Mom begins to frown, and it has me explaining, “It’s so he can make medical decisions on my behalf, should I not be able to.”
Mom’s eyes widen, and then they dart to Ryker before coming back to me. “I understand the two of you are in love, but that’s huge, Danny.”
I shake my head. “We’re not in love, Mom. We love each other. I would want the same power if the roles were reversed. As my fiancé, he won’t have a say, and I can’t leave him in such a vulnerable position. I feel Ryker should have a say… when… the end comes.”
Mom closes her eyes as pain tightens her features. Then she begins to shake her head. “That’s not going to happen.”