“Come on Doc, out with it. Is it cancer?” Frank blurted. He didn’t need the long version, just the verdict.

The doctor nodded. “I’m afraid it is.”

Megan’s fingers dug into Frank’s arm. “Oh Frank…”

But Frank felt an odd sense of peace. “So, how long do I have?”

“Woah.” Dr. Montgomery held up a hand. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Just because we’ve detected a malignancy in two of the biopsies, that doesn’t mean anything yet.” The old man spoke with a soothing tone. He glanced at Megan and then focused on Frank. “I’m sure this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but we only have a partial diagnosis, and in order to fully understand what we’re dealing with, we need to get some PET scans. We don’t have the necessary equipment here, but I’ve arranged with the Cancer Center in Summerlin Hospital to take you as soon as you can get yourself over there. Their head cancer specialist is named Dr. Charles Liu. He’s the best in the business. He’ll take great care of you. Just let me know when you’re ready to go—”

“Where is this cancer center?” Megan asked.

“It’s in Las Vegas, about an hour and thirty minutes driving time.”

“We can head there right now,” Megan said.

Frank started to object, but his wife gave him a death stare that froze him in place.

“Well, that’s great,” said Dr. Montgomery. “But before you set off on a ninety-minute drive, let me call and make sure they can take you today. Did you have any questions before I call Dr. Liu’s office?”

Frank and Megan both shook their heads.

The doctor patted Frank lightly on the shoulder as he left the room.

Megan began talking soothingly to him about how everything was going to be fine and they’d kick the cancer together, no matter what.

Frank sat quietly, wrestling with the revelation that he had cancer. Mostly his concerns were for Kathy and Megan. He had a lot to do to make sure they were both taken care of after he was gone.

He turned to his wife. “Megan, I’m only going to ask one favor of you on this, and you’re not going to like it. Whatever’s going on with me, don’t breathe a word of it to Kathy. She’s got enough on her shoulders at school. You understand?”

Megan’s chin quivered, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. But she nodded.

Frank leaned back in the uncomfortable chair and patted her on the thigh. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

###