Paige wished she could cover all the costs herself, that her sister would never have to worry about something as frivolous as money at a time like this. But she was living on a secretary’s salary. So soup and sympathy were all she could manage for the moment.
Paige broke into a careful jog, trying not to jostle the soup she held out in front of her like it was the Holy Grail. And if it could convince Paxtyn to eat something on day two after chemo, it might just be a blessed relic. Paxtyn’s wrists had been so thin, her shoulder blades sharp and bony when Paige hugged her last weekend. It wasn’t the chemo, she knew, it was the side effects that made her waste away, taking her appetite away. There was nothing on earth—not diamonds, a promotion and a dream trip to Bali—that Paige wanted as much as she wanted Paxtyn to get well and be strong and healthy again. If she could have only one wish in the world, that’s what it would be. Because she loved her, and family is the only important thing in this world. Her sister always had her back, loved her unconditionally, was her best friend, and would die for her without hesitation. She would do the same for Paxtyn. That is what a family should be. And sisters shared a precious bond that lasted a lifetime.
So she’d given up her lunch hour, her antioxidant salad with the walnuts on it that she’d promised herself for surviving another week in the trenches. Paige rounded the corner and ran into her sister’s building, taking the stairs two at a time, stumbling once and swearing because she almost spilled the soup. She reached the apartment and banged on the door. It took Paxtyn approximately forever to get to the door, so Paige had time to compose herself and stop hunching over and gasping for breath.
“Hey, sissy,” Paige said, “Brought you something.”
“Soup? You’re kidding me!” Paxtyn swung open the door. Her blue bathrobe would have wrapped around her twice now, drooping off her shoulders like it would off the frame of a wire hanger.
Paxtyn hugged her—she was all sharp edges and pointy elbows now—and Paige patted her carefully. Someday her sister would be strong enough again that Paige could really give her a hug without being afraid to break her. For now, she kissed her cheek and told her to try to eat.
“Thank you! Come in and sit down!”
“I can’t stay long.”
“I know. And I thank you for coming out of your way to bring me lunch. You’re the biggest sweetie.”
“Not a problem. How are you feeling today?”
“I take it one day at a time. Today is a good day for me.”
“That’s great.”
“I had this wonderful dream last night.”
“Yeah? What was it?”
“That we were running on the beach.”
“We’re going to make that dream a reality.”
“I so want to do that.”
“And you will.”
“You’re way too good to me. What would I do without you?”
“It’s the other way around. What would I do without you?”
“You inspire me, give me hope of a future.”
“That’s my job. I’m your sister, and I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“You better eat your soup before it gets cold.”
“Okay.”
“Listen, I would love to keep you company for lunch, but I have to get back to work.”
“Okay. Thanks again for stopping by.”
“Not a problem. Love you! Bye.”
Paige waited for the door to close before sprinting down the stairs and to the bus stop. She made it back to the office and was in the elevator at exactly one o’clock, winded and sweaty but triumphant. Paxtyn had sent her a selfie with a spoonful of soup. Her sister was eating. That was victory enough for today.
She was in such a good mood that when her friend Gina walked into the elevator moaning about how she skipped lunch to work on the Johnson project, Paige offered to stay late and help her out. Paige hadn’t spent much time on the executive floor—she had only been assistant to one of the junior vice presidents for a few months—but she was good with spreadsheets and Gina could use the backup. No one wanted to spend Friday night alone at the office after all.