Read Online Radiate by Marley Gibson - Free Book Online

when I speak the truth. Still, she gives me “the look.”
    “So, what do we do, Mom?” I pull my foot up onto the seat and wrap my arms around my leg, resting my chin on my knee. “I’ve got this... this...
thing
... growing inside me.”
    “I know exactly what we’ll do,” she says with a confidence returning to her eyes. She fumbles next to her and nabs her cell phone. I’d rather she not drive and dial—like the rest of the free world—but right now, I’m not going to speak up. It’s a speed dial number, and she sets the phone on speaker.
    On the third ring, I hear, “
You’ve reached Dr. Roger Swonsky. If this is a medical emergency, please press zero to be transferred to my answering service. Otherwise, please leave your name, number, and a message and I’ll return your call as soon as I can.
”
    Beeeeeeeeeep.
    Mom clears her throat again. “Roger, this is your sister. I need to talk to you as soon as possible. I know you’re two time zones behind me, but I don’t care how late it is. This is a family emergency.” Her voice catches momentarily and then softens into that of a small child. “Please call me.”
    She clicks End and tosses the cell phone down next to her. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before.” A confident nod follows as she pulls into the upcoming turn lane to take us into El Palacio’s.
    I let out a long sigh. Not in frustration, but in relief.
    Uncle Roger is Mom’s little brother. I say “little” in that he’s five years younger. Uncle Roger is also a doctor. Not just any random, run-of-the-mill doctor—he’s a radiologist. The dudes that stare at black and white images and come up with all sorts of discoveries and finds. According to the accolades I hear from Grandmother and Mom all the time, his specialty is detecting breast cancer in time to treat it. He’s like... renowned in his field.
    Throughout my life, Mom has called him for every sniffle, scratch, or wheeze. When Dad had that bout with bursitis, Uncle Roger got the call. When Cliff broke his collarbone skateboarding, Uncle Roger got the call. When Granddaddy had gall bladder stones removed, Uncle Roger got the call. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that’s who Mom called for reinforcement.
    I relax a little into the seat.
    Mom smiles. “Yes... Mexican food will hit the spot, right?”
    “Yes, ma’am,” I say, and breathe normally for the first time since we left the medical plaza.
    Dr. Alfred S. Maddox the Third, be damned.
    Mom just brought in the heavy hitter.
    ***
    Against my parents’ wishes, I go to practice the next two days and pretend nothing’s wrong. The pain in my leg is wicked, but I grin and bear it. I work hard on the new pyramid we invented, and I help spot the other girls doing their tumbling runs. Chloe doesn’t give me too much of a hard time when I don’t do the same. Instead, I practice my splits, which are essential for any cheerleader.
    When I get home late Friday afternoon, all icky and sweaty, I strip out of my clothes and wrap up in a soft, fluffy towel, ready for a cold shower and then a long, hot soak in the tub.
    First, a quick look at Facebook.
    I log on and read a status update from Shelly:

THE STEP SUX. WON’T LET ME DO ANYTHING!!!!!!!! FML

    Fuck my life. A fave saying of my generation.
    Poor Shelly. I know it’s hard for her with her parents calling it quits earlier this year and her father moving away to Mobile. Now she has to do split time between here and there. At least she’s close to Gulf Shores and the beach, although it doesn’t sound like her tether reaches that far. The whole Splitsville sitch was made worse when Shelly’s dad remarried about two seconds after the divorce was final. “The Step,” as Shelly refers to her, is only twenty-four years old and is fresh out of the ΠΦΨ sorority house at Maxwell State where her father used to teach. Now he teaches at the University of South Alabama and “the Step” does all she can to spend