Building Her Throne Burying My Heart (Claire) novel Chapter 116

After the doctor finished explaining my mom’s condition, I left his office and stayed by her side until late afternoon. When it was finally time to go, I headed over to Deanna’s hospital to find her.

“Can you write me a prescription?” I asked as soon as I walked in.

Deanna barely looked at me, her expression stormy. “You promised you’d come last time. Why didn’t you?”

I knew exactly what she was talking about. If I started treatment, I wouldn’t be able to take care of Darleen. She still wasn’t stable, and she needed me.

“I’ll think about it once Darleen’s a little better. Honestly, I’m not really feeling any symptoms right now,” I said, trying to sound casual.

The illness had been caught early. If I hadn’t gone in for that check-up, I probably still wouldn’t know about it.

Deanna’s face darkened even more. “It’s not about when you found it. The point is, your condition was already serious when they did. You’ve let something with a seventy percent cure rate drop down to forty. Are you okay with that?”

What was I supposed to say to that?

I lifted my shirt, pointing at the scar on my side.

“I only have one kidney left, Deanna. I probably don’t have much time, and with this illness too, I can guess how things are going to end.”

She stared at the scar—ugly, long, almost like a centipede crawling across my skin. For a while, she didn’t say anything. She just stood there, silent and helpless.

She couldn’t figure out why life kept throwing this kind of fate at me. She wasn’t a miracle worker. She couldn’t save everyone. She couldn’t even save me.

Suddenly, she turned away. “Wait for me outside,” she said, her voice quiet.

I let my shirt fall back down and glanced at the clock. It was almost time for her shift to end.

“You working late tonight?”

“No. Why? Planning to take me out to dinner?”

I grinned. “Yeah, you caught me. So, what do you say? Have dinner with me?”

There was no point pretending. I put down my fork.

“I do have a favor to ask. If something happens to me… could you check in on Darleen from time to time? She doesn’t have anyone else. I just don’t want her to be alone.”

Deanna’s hand shook as she picked up her wine. Her face hardened and she drank it all in one go, then poured herself another glass. And another. I reached out and stopped her.

“Don’t. I know it’s a lot. But you’re the only one I trust.”

She pulled her hand away. “If you know it’s a lot, then stay alive and take care of her yourself! You always dump this stuff on me. All your secrets, all your baggage. Did I owe you in a past life or something?”

Her eyes went red, and tears started to fall. I knew she was hurting. So was I. My chest felt tight, and for a second I almost reached for her wine, just to numb it all.

Deanna slapped my hand away. “Drink your water!”

I poured myself a glass and knocked it back. She kept crying and I kept passing her napkins. Neither of us said much after that. We didn’t notice someone across the street snapping a photo, sending it straight to Claire.