Chapter 7
Alex
I couldn’t get to her fast enough. Maggie’s slow collapse into a curled-up heap on the floor was my undoing. Women crying was my kryptonite. I’d seen enough of it to know that I had to tread carefully to see if they wanted to let it out—be held—be left alone—or be fixed.
I dropped to my knees in front of her as she struggled to breathe.
From everything James, Tommy and Rich told me about her, this was not normal. She was usually an emotional marble statue, never showing fissures in her stoney make up.
I let her do her breathing thing with her hands, up and down as she calmed herself like she did at my apartment.
“Just tell me,” I pleaded not knowing what to do with my hands. Should I touch her, or should I just sit and wait? Did she want me to take her in my arms? Did she trust me?
She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again.
A tear held onto her chiseled-high cheekbone and was about to drop. Decision made; I reached for her face and swiped it away with my thumb.
I never expected for her to place her hand on mine press it to her cheek. She held it there with both trembling hands squeezing it harder like it would disperse a magical strength that she’d needed, and I didn’t dispute it.
“I have a nodule. The tests are inconclusive. But with my history and the rapid growth—” She closed her eyes.
“Inconclusive?” I whispered.
I knew her history with Metastatic Breast Cancer resulting in a double mastectomy after James was born, and her amazing recovery. But the sheer terror of it coming back must have been soul crushing.
“Nobody knows about this,” she confessed.
“But you told me.” I said, in a moment of pride that she shared something so private with me. “You trusted me.”
We were staring again in silence. Eyes locked in wordless understanding and acceptance.
“You’re letting me in, Maggie, and you don’t have to go through this alone.”
“I don’t want to,” she slumped further.
“Good.” I gave her cheek a slight squeeze. “I want to be here for you, I know you can’t possibly believe that, but I do. I want—"
Her phone rang making both of us jump.
She took in a deep breath, pushed herself up and went to her phone on the counter.
“Tommy? Hey,” she said and her face fell. Her eyes hardened when they rose to meet mine. “How long ago?” she said and peered at her gold watch. “I’ll get the first charter direct to—somewhere close.”
She hung up and balled her hands at her sides.
“Eleni told Tommy that James is missing and—so is the Icon.” She crossed her arms. “Tell me everything that’s happening on that island. Every. Thing…………
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“THE WINDS OF TINOS’
Full story coming soon.