Loving Lizzy (The Serenity Mountain Series Book 6)

Chapter Forty Five

Lizzy crossed the street to Diana’s house and knocked on the door. Two weeks had passed since Michael’s proposal, and Lizzy started visiting the hospital in preparation for returning to work. Instead, Kassie and Catherine gave her a different project. They found a traveling mammogram truck and scheduled it to arrive in two weeks, wanting to offer free mammograms to everyone in town.

Lizzy immediately started making flyers, posters, scheduling a free barbecue next to the screening truck, a fundraiser, and an information booth. Michael picked up Barb and brought her to Serenity to help pass out posters. After she assigned each group a section of town, she realized Diana and her mom never arrived.

Debbie answered the door and ushered Lizzy in. “We ran a bit slow this morning. I’m putting Caleb’s shoes on and Diana’s getting Faith dressed.”

Lizzy smiled as she walked into Faith’s room to find Diana digging through outfits until she pulled out a pink and white flouncy dress with a big pink head bow. “Will you dress her?”

Lizzy changed Faith and blew bubbles on her tummy making the baby squeal and laugh. She lifted her from the changing table and raised her high in the air. “You make beautiful babies, Diana.”

She smiled at her daughter and led the way to the living room to grab her shoes.

“We’re starting at the bakery and walking down to Ty’s restaurant. He’s making us lunch. The girls will meet us there. The team will head back to the mountain with the kids. Maddie and Edie will watch them. They finished Carol’s wedding gown and she’s trying it on for alterations. Debbie, they asked if you wanted to join them?” Lizzy handed Debbie the baby and tied Caleb’s loose shoestring. She held her arms out and Faith leaped right back into them.

“You spoil them,” she half-heartedly complained. “What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?”

“Kassie banned me from coming back to work. I’m allowed to take some paperwork home with me. She wants me to get past the fatigue before coming back full-time. She turned the office into a nursery for Catherine to bring the new baby to work with her. She gave me a peek. She didn’t tell Catherine yet,” Lizzy rattled on.

“I’m feeling much better, and I wanted to see the sunrise on the trail you told me about. Can we go for a walk tomorrow?” Diana asked as she closed the front door.

“Sure, dress warm, it’s chilly up there early in the morning,” she reminded her.

They walked down the street and turned onto the next one. Bryanna’s bakery was bursting with customers. Lizzy opened the door and adjusted Faith on her hip. Caleb ran up to the counter to check out the goodies on display. Her friend waved to her and came from behind the counter holding the flyers in her hand.

“Barb and Kassie dropped these off. Line the entire window and place them on the glass door.” Bryanna held out the papers and tape. “Debbie, I saved a table over there and my helper will bring out some goodies in a moment.” Her friend scurried back behind her area to help the next customer.

They began lining up the signs and making sure they stayed on the window. When they reached Mr. Johnson and Mr. Keller’s table, the men shifted to allow them room.

“Ha! It says men and women invited. Do you believe a bunch of men will go get their chests x-rayed? You’re living in a dream world if you think any self-respecting man will show up to get tested for a woman’s disease.” Mr. Johnson shook his head in disbelief.

Joe and Jake walked over to Lizzy to take a couple of flyers from her hands. “What do you say Jake? I’m going after Maddie told me the risk of men getting breast cancer increases with age. It even increases if you have history of breast cancer in the family regardless of if you’re male or female.”

He took a sip of his coffee, “Carol said it’s less common among men than women, but I’d hate to be the one in every seven hundred men that test positive for it or carries the gene mutation. Especially when it takes a simple scan. I’ll definitely get tested. I want to see my grandchildren grow up.”

Joe winked at Lizzy as he put the papers under his arm and Jake tipped his hat as they walked out the door. The women smiled as they watched the two men at the table squirm over the remarks.

* * *

Lizzy dressed in black leggings,and a blue running jacket. She chose the straight hair wig, put it in a ponytail and slipped her breast cancer survivor hat on her head. She walked into the kitchen and smiled as Michael made a thermos of hot green tea for her and Diana.

“Don’t overdo it, Diana still hasn’t finished chemo, and we don’t want her worn out,” Michael advised.

“I’ll keep an eye on her, I promise. She asked to see the sunrise. Then I’ll bring her down and make her rest. Kassie has a four-wheeler at the ready in case we’re too tired to make it back.” She kissed him and he tugged her back, wrapping her in his arms.

“When you return, can we pick a date for the wedding? Samantha and Whiskey’s is next weekend. Do we have to go in order because Jake and Carol got engaged before us? I want to marry you tomorrow,” he whispered.

She grinned. “No. There isn’t a specific order. We’ll pick a date when I return.”

Michael grinned at her response. He kissed her several times before he let her go and she walked across the street to find Diana already outside. They walked to Lizzy’s vehicle and got in. She rolled down the windows and Diana closed her eyes loving the feel of the wind on her face.

Parking the car, she grabbed the backpack Michael packed with a thermos of tea, water bottles, and granola bars. Lizzy stuffed her phone inside the pocket while Diana exited the car.

“Remember this isn’t a race. If we don’t make it all the way, we can try again next time,” she sternly told Diana, who appeared tired.

“I’ve waited for this moment, I want to see it,” she said determinedly.

They began the trail, stopping every few minutes to rest and drink water.

“I think Caleb will do great at the schools here in Serenity. He loves playing with the kids,” the young mom chatted as they hiked.

Lizzy smiled and secretly high-fived herself. They convinced her to stay in Serenity. “Samantha says LJ’s excited to have another friend especially since he’s got another boy to play with. Caleb asked Michael if we kept a helicopter in our toy box because LJ’s obsessed with them, and he needed one to fly missions too.”

Diana laughed. “Yes, LJ and Caleb are two peas in a pod. Faith will be almost a year old. It feels like I blinked, and she’ll be walking any day.”

“When we return, Michael and I plan to set the date for our wedding. I don’t want to wait and I’m picking the earliest date possible with the minister,” She laughed at herself as they made it to the top of the ledge. Pulling a throw from the pack and placing it on the ground, she unscrewed the lid from the thermos and passed a cup to Diana then poured a drink for herself. The sun broke at the bottom of the mountain and Lizzy stayed silent to let Diana experience her first sunrise on the mountain.

The sun finally peeked between the two mountains and she grinned as Diana lifted her face, feeling the warmth of the first rays of the morning. The sky appeared almost painted with picture perfect beauty. The light shined down on the wildflowers along the ledge.

“I’ve changed my mind, when I come back, I want to live as a part of the wildflowers right here on the ledge. I can see the sunrise like this every day,” she smiled.

Lizzy smiled, remembering the first time she witnessed the beautiful scene in front of her.

“I’ll bring you here every morning as soon as we finish off your chemo. Did the doctor say when you can return? I hope you aren’t worried about the money, the foundation will handle it,” Lizzy reassured her.

Diana turned to face her. A single tear slid down her face as she smiled and took Lizzy’s hands. “I’m not getting more chemo. When I went to see the doctor, the cancer has metastasized. Lizzy, I’m dying.”

Lizzy stood and stepped back, shaking her head in denial. “No. You’re too young. We’ll get a second opinion and I’m sure Kassie can help us find someone to help?—”

Diana stood, “Your friend, Dr. Chase already took me to see a friend of his.”

“No. I refuse to believe it. We’ll figure out something.”

“I brought you here to experience this sunrise. Sit with me.” Diana tugged on her to sit on the blanket beside her. She took her hand and gripped it tightly. “I’ve made my peace with it. You once told me we’re placed on a journey for a reason. I believe you and Michael came on this journey to help us. Will you?”

Tears streamed down Lizzy’s face as she faced the calm young woman beside her and nodded her head.

“Caleb and Faith need a mom and dad. My mom’s too old and tired to care for two young kids. She wants to watch them grow and be involved in their lives. I contacted my husband and when I threatened to sue him for child support or give up his rights, he happily signed away his children. I hired an attorney who made sure the agreement is iron clad.”

“Kassie and Chase will make good parents; you see how they treat their daughter…” Lizzy immediately suggested, knowing Kassie wouldn’t hesitate to take the children.

Diana laughed and shook her head. “I’m sure Kassie and Chase are great parents. I want you to adopt them. They already love you. We can get the paperwork done as soon as possible. I don’t want the kids to watch me suffer. We’ll move them in, and I’ll help decorate their rooms, then a part of me will always be with them. We’ll take lots of pictures and I’ll ask the grandparents to make them each a blanket to keep me close to them. My mom will help, and they’ll inherit this huge loving family. You and Michael will be the best gift I can give my children.”

“What if my cancer returns someday? Don’t you want someone completely healthy?” She sat stunned.

“Lizzy, you’re already thinking like a mom. We can’t control life or death. My children deserve a loving home. They deserve you. Caleb will have kids his own age to play with, and Faith’s almost a year old. You’re on this journey to become a mom. In return, I’ll make sure Conner knows how much he’s loved, and his daddy thinks about him every day. Give them the life they deserve and place me here to grow among the wildflowers. Then you can bring them here and tell them all about me and I’ll watch over you.”

Pulling Diana into her arms, the women clung to one another. Both women beginning a different journey which would forever be intertwined.