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Back A Flicker of Light
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Half Title Page
  3. Books by Katie Powner
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. ONE
  8. TWO
  9. THREE
  10. FOUR
  11. FIVE
  12. SIX
  13. SEVEN
  14. EIGHT
  15. NINE
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. TWENTY
  27. TWENTY-ONE
  28. TWENTY-TWO
  29. TWENTY-THREE
  30. TWENTY-FOUR
  31. TWENTY-FIVE
  32. TWENTY-SIX
  33. TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. TWENTY-NINE
  36. THIRTY
  37. THIRTY-ONE
  38. THIRTY-TWO
  39. THIRTY-THREE
  40. THIRTY-FOUR
  41. THIRTY-FIVE
  42. THIRTY-SIX
  43. THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. THIRTY-NINE
  46. FORTY
  47. FORTY-ONE
  48. FORTY-TWO
  49. FORTY-THREE
  50. FORTY-FOUR
  51. FORTY-FIVE
  52. FORTY-SIX
  53. FORTY-SEVEN
  54. FORTY-EIGHT
  55. FORTY-NINE
  56. FIFTY
  57. FIFTY-ONE
  58. FIFTY-TWO
  59. Acknowledgments
  60. About the Author
  61. Back Ads
  62. Back Cover

She knew how easy it was to get sucked into an online vortex of speculative information and terrifying diagnosis stories. She’d been through all that before when her mom got sick. Websites about miracle cures. Lists of which foods to eat and not eat. Testimonials about how one family prayed away their loved one’s cancer, while another watched them die a slow and painful death. It wasn’t exactly helpful. But she needed more information. If there was even the slightest possibility of Grandma’s condition being hereditary, she wanted to know.

Search results were at her fingertips in an instant. She chose the most scholarly-looking article from the list and began to read. Phrases such as unusually early age, incurable, and progressive loss of brain function jumped out at her like a deer leaping from the underbrush along Highway 288.

The article said symptoms often appeared in a person’s thirties, forties, and fifties, and in rare cases, in a person’s twenties. Children with a parent diagnosed had a fifty-fifty chance of inheriting the disease. She looked up from the phone. Her dad was turning forty-three in a couple of weeks. What if she, Grandma June, and her dad all had the disease and didn’t know it yet? Was that possible?

Her heart beat a little faster, and she forced herself to lean into the couch and breathe. She was being paranoid. It wasn’t possible. But wasn’t paranoia one of the symptoms? Hot coffee. And wasn’t another symptom loss of ability to do things a person used to do? She thought of her dad in the kitchen. He’d always been able to fix anything. That kind of work came naturally to him. So why couldn’t he figure out the ice maker?

She rested her head on the back of the couch. This wasn’t helping. When her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, Bea had convinced herself she had it, too. Now she was doing the same thing. She closed her eyes. Stop getting carried away. Stop getting carried away.

Her phone buzzed, and she peeked at the screen. A text message from Amber.

What are you doing today?

A welcome distraction. Bea readily typed a response.

Nothing, why?

I need a favor.

Bea sat up a little.

What’s up?

Axel’s back in town, and I need to talk to him. But my mom’s not around to watch Hunter.

Bea’s brow furrowed. Why would Amber want to talk to Axel after what he’d done? She rubbed her temples. It did make a little bit of sense. He was Hunter’s dad, after all. But why couldn’t she take Hunter with her?

Doesn’t he want to see his son?

Amber’s reply was a long minute in coming.

No. Can I bring him to your house? It’s just for a couple hours.