Read Online Cocoon by Emily Sue Harvey - Free Book Online

look. “Why, you’re so skinny you don’t cast a shadow.”
    â€œThanks a lot, Seana,” she said dryly. “You keep up that talk you’ll give me the big head.”
    â€œCome on and eat some of this vegetable soup we made for lunch. Got some corn muffins, too.” Barth had directed her to freshly ground corn meal with no additives, and, despite her misgivings, Seana found the golden muffins quite tasty.
    â€œNah. Not hungry. Just got back from the doctor.” Billie Jean sloughed over to the bar and climbed onto a stool. “Maybe a glass of your iced tea.”
    â€œYou got it.” That was one thing Seana would not forfeit – her Southern sweet iced tea. She did agree to using stevia with a small amount of organic brown sugar and discovered she couldn’t tell it from processed-sugar sweetened tea. She poured a hefty glass, placed it on the bar, and took a stool opposite Billie Jean.
    â€œSo? What happened?”
    She was astounded when Billie Jean dissolved into tears. Alarmed – extremely alarmed, she rushed around the bar and gathered the quaking woman in her arms, crooning and trying as best she could to calm her.
    â€œPlease, Billie Jean, tell me what happened?”
    The haggard face lifted, tears streaming like summer gulley washers. “It’s the Big C!” she croaked and shook her head from side to side. “I’m not scared. It’s just so dad-blamed unexpected.”
    Seana felt the breath knocked from her but drew her close and held on tight, weeping herself, as Billie Jean rode the rapids and finally hiccupped her way back to composure.
    That’s what frightened Seana the most: this was so uncharacteristic of her stoical, sometimes even flippant, cousin. Billie Jean could joke her way out of an Al Qaida standoff. At least she could out-BS anyone Seana had ever met. No. This was serious.
    â€œAre you sure?” Seana rasped, her breath coming back in spurts and her heart beating fast and heavy as jungle tom-toms.
    Then an amazing thing happened.
    Billie Jean visibly bucked up, dried her face, and blew her nose soundly. “Yep. Sure as shootin’.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œBones. In my stupid bones. Mama always told me to drink up all my milk and take my vitamins and dang if they didn’t cop out on me after all.” She gave a sharp huff of a laugh, her eyes lackluster.
    â€œYeh,” Seana nodded, trying to smile. “Aunt Jessie was a vigilant mama.”
    The back door banged shut. “Oh, hi, Billie Jean.” Barth deposited the basket of tomatoes on the floor next to the sink. Then he took a second look and his smile faded. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice gentle, making fresh tears burn behind Seana’s eyes.
    Billie Jean looked him in the eye, unflinching. “I’ve got bone cancer, Barth.”
    â€œDear God,” he muttered, went over to give her a big, comforting hug, and then pulled out a bar stool across from her. Behind the thick lenses, Seana saw concern glimmering. “That’s tough, sweetheart.” He took a long pull of air into his lungs, visibly shaken. “What’s the prognosis?”
    â€œOh,” Billie Jean took a deep drag of tea, “they said it’s incurable but treatable.”
    Barth sat there thinking for long moments. Then his features lifted. “Well, that’s definitely positive.”
    â€œYou think?” Billie Jean’s reply was laced with a trace of optimism.
    Hope.
    â€œSure it is.” Barth helped himself to some iced tea and sat down again, his thoughtful expression intense. “Look. We’ve got some studying to do.”
    â€œAnd some serious, ballistic praying,” Billie Jean added, a twinkle beginning in her gray eyes.
    â€œYou bet,” Barth agreed, grinning.
    â€œYou know, Barth,” Billie Jean thrust out her flat bosom and squared her shoulders. “I needed that one