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"But you’re wearing one"

"The occasion seemed to call for it"

We stared at each other for a while, until Bianca tossed aside her handbag and leapt to her feet "Oh God this is weird!" she said, and started to pace

"I know"

She dragged her hands through her hair It was down, falling in gentle waves around her shoulders, a dark ers

I closed e ofcancer Stage three"

Startled, I openedrestlessly, her ar, she said, "We’re broke She doesn’t have insurance Her doctor wants to do surgery Cheery and possibly radiation, and definitely ery All that stuff costs h the twenty grand you gave me for the charity event, and that was only for the initial rounds of chemo and some prescriptions"

She turned back and paced the other way, the heuarantee the surgery ork, of course, but without the surgery she’s dead That’s it Finito Over Done Sixty-four years of running a business and raising a child and being a wonderful wife and oer and taking care of everyone else without a thought to her own needs, and this is what she gets in repayment Cancer Like that’s fair? Like that’s how it should be?"

When she turned around to face h in her cheeks Her chest rose and fell in rapid bursts Not knohat else to do, I set lass on the coffee table and stood

Bianca said, "My mother is my closest friend She’s the best person I’ve ever known I’d do anything for her, you understand?" She looked at me ild eyes

"Yes," I said quietly "I understand You’ll ive up five years of your own life so you can have thewith tears

I said, "That doesn’tthat word It makes you selfless"

She quickly swiped at her eyes, then turned around and started pacing again "I don’t knohat itto do whatever it takes"

As I watched hertears, sacrificing herself for soe to take her in my aroing to

Instead I said gruffly, "Tell me ill make this easier for you"

Her steps faltered She looked over her shoulder at ether in a frown Then she came back to the sofa and sat down, so I sat down, too

Looking at the floor, she said, "Knohat to expect will help" Then she lifted her chin and aze I knew exactly what she meant

I said, "Sex isn’t part of the contract"

Faint color rose in her cheeks, but she didn’t back down from her frank stare She said, "So we’ll have a contract?"