Husband By Request

“Thank you. I wanted to know if any of your women patrons are breast cancer survivors.”

By his expression, her question was the last thing he’d expected to hear. “As far as I know, there is only one. She usually comes in at six in the evening.”

“If I gave you my cellphone number, would you see that she gets it and ask her to call me?”

“Certainly.”

They walked over to the counter and she wrote her name and phone number on the pad he provided.

“Tell her I’m a cancer survivor too, and would like to talk to her.”

Alex’s eyes softened. “I’ll do that.”

“Thank you. Could you do me one more favor?”

“Naturally.”

“While you are working with your clientele, if you find out any other women are breast cancer survivors too, will you tell them to call me?”

“I’ll make a point of finding out.”

“I’d appreciate it. I’m in the beginning stages of planning a fun run marathon for us here in Athens. I hope it can be put together by November.”

He scratched his head. “I have friends who also manage gyms in the city. I’ll pass the word.”

“Terrific. See you tomorrow. Same time.”

“See you tomorrow, Mrs. Stamatakis.”

“Call me Dominique, please.”

He grinned. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Her spirits lifted, Dominique left the gym for the hospital. After she’d eaten lunch in the cafeteria, she visited her first patient.

It was like déjà vu. Dominique could hear her own fears as she listened to the forty-year-old woman who was about to lose a breast. She asked Dominique the very same questions that had plagued her.

Though the other woman only spoke a little English, they managed to communicate beautifully. Dominique promised she would come in to see her again soon, then made the rounds of several rooms to talk to cancer patients who’d just been checked in.

It was later than she realized when she walked in the penthouse and discovered that Andreas had arrived ahead of her. He had dinner waiting. Over their meal they talked about his newest business venture. She told him about the patients she’d met. Since she had homework, he offered to do the dishes.

The one thing they didn’t discuss was Olympia.

It was incredible to her how harmonious everything could be on the surface when they were both aware of a volcano building, ready to erupt.

At ten she closed her textbook, and went to bed first. When Andreas slid under the covers moments later, he reached for her and pulled her back against his chest. “All I want to do is hold you for the rest of the night. Do you mind?”

“Of course not.” After a little pause, “Andreas—”

“No more talking. You gave me a lot to think about last night. Right now I just want to fall asleep with you in my arms. Is that too much to ask?”

“No.”

Nothing was too much to ask. She’d been afraid she’d alienated him to the point he would opt to sleep in the guest bedroom. Unutterably relieved to feel his strong arms wrapped around her, she closed her eyes—only to hear her cellphone ring.

It could be her parents, but she hoped it was the woman from the gym.

“Do you want to get it?” he asked in his deep voice.