Read Online The Laws of Gravity by Liz Rosenberg - Free Book Online

halfheartedly skimming. “Me and Julian, or—” He pointed to himself, and the nurse nodded.
    “Just you this time,” she said cheerily.
    “Be right back,” Ari told Julian.
    “Mm-hmm.” Julian’s attention was refocused on the book in his lap.
    “What’s going on?” Ari asked the nurse, but she led him quickly into Dr. Martin’s office, the one with the swivel chairs and the desk, not an examining room. “Dr. Martin will be with you shortly,” she said. She flashed him a smile and was off, shutting the door, and his questions in with him.
    Dr. Martin was not smiling when he came in. He was holding Julian’s folder in one hand, and X-rays in the other.
    “I’m not sure how to say this,” said Dr. Martin. “And I don’t want you to overreact. I know you.”
    Ari was already on his feet. Whatever the news, he was not going to take it sitting down. “Tell me,” he demanded.
    “There’s a very slight chance Julian may have Hodgkin’s disease,” said the doctor. “I want to rule it out, I’m just being conservative. His bloodcount is off. And there’s this. You remember we took some X-rays.” He slapped them up against a white screen, and flipped on a light. He pointed at something in the neck area. Julian’s neck. “I don’t like the look of this lump, I’d like to biopsy it.”
    “When?” said Ari. He felt as if someone had socked him hard in the stomach. He needed time to prepare himself, time to marshal his forces.
    “Right away. Today, if you’re willing.” The doctor took the X-ray off the white screen and laid it back down on his desk. “I’m in surgery this afternoon, and this is strictly an outpatient procedure. Won’t even leave a scar.”
    Ari moaned at this. It was an animal sound. He shook his head, like a bull sinking to its knees, shaking off the first stick of a sword. “All right,” he said. “We’ll do it today.”
    “You want to call your wife?” Dr. Martin pushed the office phone toward him.
    Ari waved it away. “No.” There would be time for phone calls later. His stomach was churning. He needed to be completely focused now. He couldn’t be sure Mimi would react the right way, and he didn’t want to chance it. And he couldn’t risk upsetting Julian. For now, it would be something secret between them, father and son.
    He felt the preciousness of that bond, which he’d never had with his own father, and also felt, like a sudden blow, what a howling wilderness the world was when you did not believe in any power from anywhere else to rescue you. He wished he could believe. He would pray if there had been anything to pray to.
    “I’d like to sit here for two minutes if that’s all right,” Ari said. He feared he was going to throw up. Ari was a generous donor to the hospital.His name was on one of those brass plaques in the lobby. He and his son would be treated well. He’d made sure of that. Beyond that—nothing. Despite all his precautions. All his care, all his money and connections and success. No guarantees.
    “Take all the time you need,” the doctor said. “And don’t go assuming the worst. Please. That’s
my
job. Chances are it’s nothing but a summer cold.”
    “A summer cold. God, I hope so.” That was as close as Ari could get to a prayer. He nodded, his eyes swimming.
    Before he went out to the waiting room he splashed his face with cold water. He squared his shoulders and walked out with a big smile. “All right, boy-o,” he told Julian. “They just want to run a couple more pain-in-the-ass tests.”
    “Aww jeez,” Julian groaned. Then, fearfully, the child in him coming out: “The tests won’t hurt, will they?”
    “I won’t let anyone hurt you,” Ari said, his voice thick with emotion. “I swear it.”
    Julian looked up, startled.
    “And after, I’ll take you out for deli sandwiches. You pick the deli. Anything you want.” His voice returned to normal.
    “Deli on the Green,” Julian answered promptly, flashing him a