10
When Esther arrived home, her father wasn’t there, but Mum called from the kitchen, “Welcome home. How was your day?”
“Busy.” Esther hurried past the kitchen door. “I’ll have a shower and change. Nick is coming at six thirty. After dinner, we’ll go for a walk.” She might feel full of cracks but somehow her learned patterns of behaviour were holding her together. Like a broken egg bound with string.
The shower covered her tears. Maybe she’d use up all her tears and wouldn’t break down during the meal. Esther lingered under the hot jets of water.
Lord, make this nightmare go away. I want to get married and have a family. I want a future—a long, long future. Why do I have cancer at twenty-eight?
She dug her finger ends into her scalp as she shampooed her hair. If her scalp hurt enough
