Every bit of strength seemed to leave my body.
For several seconds, I wondered whether I had heard correctly.
Evan stared at his sister.
“What?”
“I was diagnosed three weeks ago.”
“No.”
“The doctors want to begin treatment immediately.”
“You never told us.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
Viki smiled sadly.
“Because I wanted several more weeks when I was not the woman everyone looked at with pity.”
A tear moved down my cheek.
“The oncologist warned me that the treatment would cause my hair to fall out,” she continued.
She touched her bare scalp.
“I kept imagining waking up and finding it scattered across my pillow.”
Her voice trembled.
“I could not bear the thought of watching it disappear little by little.”
Nobody interrupted her.
“So I made the decision myself.”
She glanced toward the garment bag.
“Cancer is already taking so many decisions away from me.”
She pressed her lips together.
“This was one thing I could still control.”
Her eyes moved toward Tony.
“If my hair had to go, I wanted it to mean something.”
She explained that the wigmaker would use it to create hairpieces for people who had lost their own.
The money had been enough to purchase Tony’s suit.
“I wanted him to have the night he had worked so hard for.”
Tony crossed the room and wrapped both arms around her.
“I am so sorry.”
Viki held him tightly.
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
“I didn’t know.”
“I know, sweetheart.”
“I never would have asked you to do this.”
“You didn’t ask.”
He pulled away and wiped his face.
“I still cannot wear it.”
“Yes, you can.”
“How?”
Viki placed one hand against his cheek.
“Because I did not lose my hair for nothing.”
She looked directly into his eyes.
“I chose where it went and what it gave to someone I love.”
I replayed the previous weeks in my mind.
Viki’s tired smile.
The moments when she appeared distracted.
The beanie.
The way she occasionally pressed a hand against her side.
How had I failed to see it?
Evan pulled his sister into his arms.
“You should have told me.”
“I was going to.”
“When?”
“When I knew how.”
He held her more tightly.
“You do not have to work this out alone.”
“No,” I said, stepping beside them. “You never did.”
Viki looked toward me.
“I did not want my diagnosis to become everyone else’s burden.”
“It is not a burden,” I replied.
“It is our fight too because we love you.”
Fresh tears filled her eyes.
Tony lifted the garment bag.
He stared at it for several seconds before looking at her.
“If I wear this suit, I will wear it for you.”
Viki shook her head.
“You will wear it for yourself.”
“But every time I see it, I will remember how brave you are.”
She laughed softly through her tears.
“I would prefer that you remember to enjoy the night.”
“I do not think I will ever forget this.”
“Good,” she said. “Because I expect photographs.”
That made all of us laugh, even while we continued crying.
During the next hour, Viki explained everything.
The diagnosis.
Her doctors.
The treatment schedule.
The appointments she had attended alone.
She admitted that she was terrified.
So were we.
But once the fear was shared, it felt slightly smaller.
Before Viki left, Evan stopped her at the door.
“We are coming with you next week.”
“You do not have to.”
“We are coming.”
I nodded.
“To every appointment where you want us.”
Tony gave her a weak smile.
“And if you need someone to bring terrible hospital coffee, I’m your person.”
Viki laughed.
“I will remember that.”
