Page 53 of Drive
“You know, I’ve actually learned all the lyrics to the songs you’ve been writing,” she said, looking at him like he was an idiot. “Which means I have ringside seats for thisrelationshipofyours.”
At the wordrelationship, Kate employed air quotes with a cocky head bob, and then she keptgoing.
“And so I know that girl’s into you, even if she’s dicking you around for some lame-ass reason. I’ve been standing out here long enough to know she wanted to say yes to your dinner plans, but she just needed a little nudge,” Kate said, almost smiling. “I was getting bored, so I nudged. You’rewelcome.”
Jacques stared at her. He’d only known Kate Crawford for about a month, but Jacques was beginning to think she had a sweet spot underneath all thatsour.
“Be careful, Crawford,” he said, fighting his smile. “Someone might think you’re a romantic atheart.”
Her raspy snicker was almost demonic. “Not achance.”
Chapter 14
“None of them?”Rainey pressed the phone to her ear and felt the floor shift under herfeet.
“I’m sorry, Rainey. It’s disappointing,” said Dr. Lambert. “We were all really hoping one of them would be amatch.”
“Not my dad? Not even Holi’s mom?” she asked, unable to accept thetruth.
She heard the doctor sigh. “I’m afraidnot.”
Rainey felt the breath leave her. “And nothing’s turned up in theregistry?”
“Not yet, but new people are added every day, so we can only hopethat—”
“Hope? That’s our only option? Hope for a donor? Hope my sister doesn’t get another infection?” She knew she sounded ungrateful, and Dr. Lambert had been nothing but warm and capable in caring for Holi, but if hope was all they had to hang onto, Rainey was going to loseit.
“No, there is a drug trial I think she’s eligible for, and I’d like to see about enrolling her init.”
“A drug trial?” A swell of fear rose in her throat. “As in anexperiment?”
“Yes, it’s for leukemia patients and other aplastic anemia patients like your sister who don’t respond to bone marrow stimulants,” Dr. Lambert explained. “She’s young. She’s had no problem taking transfusions, and we’re running out of options. I think they’d takeher.”
The mention of vanishing options made Rainey’s knees go weak. She sunk down onto the couch, and Archie, as though sensing something was wrong, hopped up beside her and put a forepaw on her thigh. With her free hand, Rainey stroked his back, seeking the comfort heoffered.
“Yeah, but…a drug trial?”Rainey’s voice sounded weak and squeaky. What were the risks involved? What about side effects? When would this happen? A heap of questions loomed like anavalanche.
“Unless we find a suitable donor, it’s her best option right now,” Dr. Lambert continued. “If it isn’t something she wants, we can keep her on steroids for a little while, and antibiotics when we need them, though those come with their own risks, but we’re just buying timenow.”
Rainey tried to steady her shaking hand in Archie’s forgiving coat. “And if this drug trial works, she’ll becured?”
Silence overtook the line for a full ten seconds before Dr. Lambert spoke. “It’s a maintenance drug. A bone marrow stimulant like Neupogen or Neulasta. So far, the only known cure in cases like Holi’s is atransplant.”
“So if she joins the trial, and the drug works, Holi will have to take it for the rest of herlife?”
“If the FDA approves it,yes.”
“Holy fuck,” Rainey muttered. She closed her eyes and let the scope of all Dr. Lambert had told her sink in. She’d need to absorb each blow and let them do their worst inside her before she could pull herself together and explain it all to Holi who was upstairsasleep.
And Jacques was coming in ten minutes withdinner.
Rainey didn’t think she’d be able to eat. Maybe never again. And why had she agreed to let him come over anyway? She couldn’t have picked a worst possibletime.
The moment that thought crossed her mind, a knock sounded at her front door. Rainey made herself get to her feet as Archie ran ahead, barkingonce.
“I know it’s a lot to digest. If you need me to explain it all to Holi, I can do that during her next transfusion,” Dr. Lambert offered. “That’s just a couple of days fromnow.”
Rainey shook her head, even though Dr. Lambert couldn’t see her. No, she had to be strong enough to explain all of this to her sister. “I’ll talk to Holi, and we’ll bring you our questions onMonday.”
