Eve: Drink Of Me (F&L Story #2)

Eve: Part 2

Part 2

Carey was awake and scowling when Eve returned to his room.  “The Braves lost again,” he said, pointing the remote control at the television mounted in a corner.  “And I missed all of it...again!”

Eve dug her netbook from her overnight bag and handed it to him.  “I knew you'd be upset if you had to miss another game, so I subscribed to that MLB site so you can watch them whenever you want.  Go on.  It's bookmarked.”

Carey cradled the device on his lap and stared at her.  She walked over to the window and peeked out of the blinds, knowing what was coming.

“I'm sorry, Sis.  I thought last time was...well, the last time.”

“It's not your fault,” she told him, just like last time.  “You know that.  I know that.  Mom and Dad know that.  It's not your fault the cancer keeps coming back.  I just hope that this time is the last time.”

He grinned at her.  “I got to keep my pitching arm, at least.”

She returned his smile.  “Yeah, too bad I can't punch you in it for scaring the crap out of all of us again.”

He stuck his tongue out at her, looking more like a twelve year old than his twenty five years.  And Eve relaxed.  Carey's disposition was what pushed him to recover from his relapses and surgeries.  Always so positive and kid-like.  With his blond curls falling over his forehead and the same blue eyes that Eve inherited, he would never lack for female companionship...if they stuck around long enough.  Most girls his age didn't want to be burdened with a man with cancer.

Hell, most women as old as me wouldn't either, she thought.  Not that thirty-three was old.  But after going through one horrible engagement, the last thing on Eve's mind was companionship of the opposite sex.   

The sounds of a baseball game emitted from the small netbook and Carey's cheering and grousing merged with the noise.  Glad that he was happy and enjoying his game, she left him again to walk the hallways. 

Chondrosarcoma.  The ugliest word on the planet.  By all statistics, Carey shouldn't even have the disease.  Less than one percent of cancer patients.  And after all these years, it keeps coming back.  When the first five-year recession mark passed, her whole family seemed to exhale together.  But six months after that...  Now Carey was recovering from his fourth surgery, and the radiation therapy wasn't going as well as planned.  

Her life was turbulent enough without spending her free time by her brother’s side.  Managing a bar and grill in the downtown area gave her the flexibility to set her own work schedule, but lately she seemed to be either there or here, and nowhere in between.

Going home at night was lonely.  With her long time good friend and roommate, Emma, moving in with the man of her dreams, Eve was without the friendly support she needed.

Damn, she was so tired.  Her heels dragged the linoleum floor as she paced the length of the corridor and back again.  Eating was a chore.  She couldn’t stomach more than a container of yogurt or a banana without feeling sick to her stomach from worry and exhaustion.  And sleep…