Page 41 of Big Stick Energy
He exhales slowly, his fingertips resting against the edge of the table. “Darcy, I’ve been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. That’s an irregular heartbeat. And also, something called long QT syndrome.”
I blink. “That sounds… bad.”
“It can be,” he admits. “AFib makes my heart unpredictable, and long QT means I’m at risk for sudden cardiac events.”
A chill runs down my spine. “What is a sudden cardiac event?”
“It means your heart stops,” he says flatly.
My appetite vanishes. I push my plate away. “How long have you known about this?”
“The AFib for a while,” he says, taking a sip of his coffee. “The long QT diagnosis is newer.”
“Oh.” That’s all I’ve got. It never occurred to me that he could be sick. It doesn’t fit with this more-of-everything-please lifestyle. “I’m so sorry. What does that mean for you?”
“Some new medicines. Frequent testing. Possibly a procedure in the future.”
Yikes.“I’m sorry,” I say again. But I still feel like I’m missing something.
He shrugs. “It’s going to be okay, but they’re making me slow down at work, so that sucks. The thing is, Darcy, I’m not telling you all this for pity. I need to explain one more thing about my condition.”
“Which is…?”
He sets down his cup. “They believe my condition isacquired—triggered by medication or other lifestyle factors.” His voice is steady, but there’s something careful in the way he’s watching me. “But long QT can also be genetic.”
“Genetic,” I repeat, and the word weighs a thousand pounds. And then I catch myself lifting my hand to cover my own heart, as if I could learn anything just by feeling it beat against my palm.
My dad reaches over and catches my hand instead. “Hey, I doubt you have anything to worry about. I already had a genetic test, and I’m not a carrier for the gene that causes most of the cases. But I’d still like you to have a workup by a cardiologist. Just to be sure.”
I let out a short, humorless laugh. “Okay? So you don’t have to feel guilty if I drop dead at thirty?”
“Darcy,” he says, his voice low and sad. “Do this one thing for me. If your EKG is normal, then you probably have nothing to worry about.”
I look away, staring at the overpriced flower arrangement in the center of the table. I can feel the weight of his request settling over me, pressing down on my chest.
His voice is quieter now. “Please?”
I let out a slow breath. The pianist in the corner shifts to something lighter, something airy. Outside, the sun glints off the pristine golf course. Everything is perfect, controlled, orderly.
Except for his heart.
And maybe mine.
I swallow, nodding once. “And you’re doing everything the doctor asks of you? Every single thing?”
He gives me a sad smile. He lets go of my hand and holds his up, as if taking an oath. “I am. I promise.”
“Fine. I’ll get tested.”
“Awesome.” His smile grows. “It’s not urgent, okay? Just get it done this summer, and let me know how it turns out. Try not to worry, Darcy. Really. I just want to be sure.”
I grab my water glass. “Okay.”
“And one more thing? Don’t mention this to Tessa.”
My glass freezes on its way to my mouth. “What? Why?”
He winces. “Because I haven’t told her yet. She’s so busy planning the wedding.”
