Compromise Me (Book Two of the Kirkland Family)

Compromise Me: Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Livie smiled fondly at Josie.  "I love you, Josie girl, you know that?  You've got Hannah's feisty spirit in your veins, if not her blood."

Josie straightened and smoothed her palms down her pants legs.  "Thank you, Livie. I consider that the highest of compliments.  But you're trying to change the subject."

"No," Livie sighed, pushing her chair back to sit cross-legged, hands clenched tightly in her lap with trembling control.  "I'm stressing a point."

"Stress the point later," Josie said wearily.  "Please just tell me what's going on."

Josie watched as Livie stared back, the wrinkles on her face looking deeper than Josie had ever noticed before.  Without any real idea on how Livie really was, Josie couldn’t determine if this illness of her was life-threatening.  Life without Livie?  The idea was almost impossible.

“I have Parkinson’s Disease,” Livie said quietly.  “It’s progressing faster than the doctors expected.”

Josie blinked.  She tripped backward, landing on the arm of the chair Travis occupied.  “How sick are you?”

Everything was beginning to make sense.  She’d never known many people with the illness, but Josie remembered one of her professors from college.  He’d trembled often, having his student teacher do most of his in-class writing, and sometimes he had trouble speaking clearly.  Livie’s symptoms varied slightly from that, but the rigidity of her movements, the tense way she acted lately, the frequent days off from work...even the sudden interest in yoga...they all added up to the vision before her.

Livie -- spunky, passionate Olivia Williams -- had a condition that ate away at the control over her own life.  And Josie felt as if chunks of her own world had shattered.

Travis’ hand came up to thread his fingers through hers, giving her much-needed strength and support, as Livie said, “It was mild...but now…”

“But now what?” Josie asked, swallowing thickly.

Livie sighed.  “But I’m heavy into stage two and fast on my way to three,” she answered angrily.  Her eyes dropped to her hands, and Josie knew she was mad at her body, at her disease, at her luck, and not at them.  Travis’ fingers tightened, and she squeezed back.

“What are...what are the doctors doing?  Are they doing anything?”

“I’m on medication, a strict diet--”  Livie blanched at that.  “-- and encouraged to go to physical therapy twice a week.”

A lone tear fell down Josie’s cheek before she realized she was crying.  Then she was out of her chair, away from Travis’ grasp and hauling Livie up into a hug.  Livie’s bare feet dangled by Josie’s shins.  It was a testament to just how small and fragile that woman really was, despite the power she projected  “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Josie cried.  “I could have helped!  I could have--”