"What did it...you know what, Dani? Forget it. If you want to be obtuse, go right ahead."
"Obtuse?"
"I fought that ass at the party because he put his hands on you. That's three times you've seen me fight. Besides me, what is the common denominator?"
I'm silent for a second, trying to piece together what he's saying.
"I don't know if those are the only times you've fought." I say, my voice small. "I just know those are the ones I was there for."
"Exactly, Danika. The common denominator is you. Just think about that for a while." And then he leaves.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Danika (8 years earlier)
“Gofish,”
“But I see that you have a seven right there,” Grandma says and I pull my cards out of her sight.
“Oh, you said seven? I thought you saidshmven. I don’t have a shmven card but oh look,” I pull out the card I was trying to hold onto, “a seven just for you.”
Grandma laughs, taking it from my hand. “Thank you, trickster.” She creates another pair, putting it down on the tray above her bed. The machine above her head beeps at a constant rate, but we ignore it as we continue our game.
“Got any fours?”
Grandma looks down at her hand, making a show of pursuing her cards, then she sticks out her tongue and says “go fish!” I roll my eyes, pulling another card from the top of the deck.Well, would you look at that. Another seven.
Just as I’m about to flaunt my seven, a team of doctors enter the room, their large white jackets sweeping behind them.
“Alright, Mrs. Millner, let’s take a look at your vitals this afternoon.”
The first doctor takes her chart from the edge of her bed and flips the page. His name is Dr. Simon.
“Hi, Dr. Simon.” My grandma has the cutest doctor in the whole hospital. I love when I get to see him during my visits.
Dr. Simon looks down at me with a smirk. “Hello, Danika.”
I made sure he learned my name on the first day when Grandma was admitted. “I’ll be here often so you might as well get used to it,” I’d said.
After pursuing the chart, he looks over at Grandma. “How are you feeling today, Mrs. Millner?”
Grandma sighs and for the first time, I can actually see the cancer catching up to her. By the time Grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer, it was already at a stage too late for much hope. Plus, at her older age, her body wasn’t responding to treatments they were providing. Basically, from what I’ve gathered through these interactions with doctors, she doesn’t have much time left. But they’re still trying everything they can.
“I’m doing okay today. I’ve got my Dani girl with me.” She reaches over, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. I smile and grasp her hand tightly with both of mine.
“That’s very nice,” Dr. Simon says. He glances down one more time at the chart, says some mumbo jumbo medical jargon to the staff of nurses behind him and then he puts the chart back.
“We’ll come check on you again in a little while.” He nods and turns to leave.
“Bye, Dr. Simon!”
Dr. Simon turns back around, his pretty green eyes full of mirth as the nurses giggle around him. “Goodbye, Danika.” They all leave and we’re alone again.
“He sure is something. Ain’t he something, Grandma?”
“He sure is,” Grandma laughs. “You know, sweetie, I hope you do everything in this life that you want to do. I hope you live to the fullest and have no regrets.”
“I hope so too, Grandma.”