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"So, you had a hot date last night?" Dr Yoffenially

"She's going out with a professional hockey player," Stevie says, his eyes brightening, and he even risks a peek up at Dr Yoffman

"Oh, do tell," Dr Yoffman says

"She's seeing Garrett Saet the words out of my mouth "And Doche is H-O-T"

Dr Yoffs, but he's a phenoet hi the needle now"

I feel nothing, except so pressure "No stitches are needed I'e over this, and you can remove it a bit later"

I hear the snap of gloves being re me sit up

The nurse busies herself with taking the saain "You did really well, Olivia I wish all my patients were that brave"

"It wasn't that bad," I "

Dr Yoff back around, he says, "You ht be a tiny bit sore Just take some ibuprofen if you need it They'll schedule you at the front desk for your treatment tomorrow and I'll see you in four weeks, e do the second cycle But I'll be calling you once I get the results in from the biopsy, and also we still need the PET results too"

"That's scheduled in three days," I tell him

"Good," he says in acknowledgment "In the meantime, you can callto take good care of you, Olivia I promise"

"Thanks, Dr Yoffman You've been very kind," I tell him

He laughs as he heads toward the door Shaking his head, he says, "Most patients don't tell me that just after I've punched down into their bone Thanks, Olivia You just made my day"

After he leaves, Stevie helps et dressed

"Let's go get that coffee," I tell him

"And I want sex details," he re to scrub that procedure from my mind"

"Was it really that bad?"

"Oh, God, Oliviayou should have seen it He isting that big-ass spike-looking thing back and forth to work it down into your bone It was like he was tightening a screw or so Grossed me out"

"Yeah, well, I' It wasn't too painful Except when he sucked the marrow out Fuck, that hurt"

Stevie wrapsin to irl So brave"

I stay in Stevie's e him comfort me Yeahthat didn't hurt that much, but I'm all kinds of scared over what's to come

--

"He's got a huge package, right? Tell ht," Stevie says as he blows across his caramel macchiato to cool it down

"I'rumble as I sip at my iced coffee "Those details are for me and me alone"

"Aha," Stevie exclai in toward me, he whispers, "There's details, so that uessing you know exactly hoorks that equipment"

I snicker and ue Yes, those details about what happened last night are for only me They will remain in liness frohts

"I didn't think it would happen," I ponder out loud "I meanI hadn't intended for it to, but I don't knowI just--"

"Just wanted so to take your ly "And I say, good for you, girl Are you going to see hi?"

"We're going out tonight again, but honestlyGarrett isn't a long-haul kind of guy, and frankly, at this point, I'irl"

"Stop it," Stevie hisses at row old together I'hty because I'll have had plenty of plastic surgery and Botox, and I' to have a fabulous sequined quilt to lay overto be a beautiful silver fox, and we're going to sit on the front porch and sip "

I sery and at the confidence hich he boasts of such things It's a beautiful picture and I truly want that to occur Although I had sort of thought when I got to be eighty I'd be surrounded by my children and their children, not by Stevie wrapped in a sequined quilt