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  Still looking uneasy, Ben said, “I’m sure there must be someone around here who could use a roommate.”

  “Right.” Maya couldn’t bring herself to tell him she couldn’t afford to pay rent. Even if she could, finding a roommate would take time. At the moment, the only two people she knew who didn’t work at the hospital were the ones who were not only out of town right now but who were also hoping to move permanently within the next few weeks. Thoroughly humiliated, she motioned to the guest room. “I’d better go pack.”

  She sensed his immense relief in the way he held himself. Quickly, she turned away so he couldn’t see the despair on her face and made her way to the room that had been hers until a few minutes ago. Then she closed the door and prayed that she could keep her emotions from overflowing in front of Kari’s brother.

  Using every bit of energy she had, she set her suitcase on the bed and started packing her belongings, her mind racing for where she could stay now.

  She thought of the lobby area in the hospital and was pretty sure she could blend in with the various patients in the waiting room during the day. The problem would be the increased probability of her getting sick if she tried that.

  As Kari had suggested, Maya had already applied for another credit card to help pay for her living expenses, but she hadn’t received it yet. Even if she managed to apply for another, she would need an address before she could try again.

  She couldn’t very well insist on staying, even though she was sure Ben was likely to spend much of his time in the weight room. Her hands stilled when she finished packing her jeans. In addition to the weight room, this apartment building had a large clubhouse downstairs, complete with several couches.

  With a short-term destination in mind, Maya finished packing, her breathing labored from performing what should have been a simple task. She could hear Ben pacing in the living room, clearly impatient to have her gone. Mustering all of her strength, she managed to set her carry-on suitcase upright, pain shooting along her spine. She closed her eyes a moment until the worst of the pain subsided. Then she stared at the larger suitcase, wondering how in the world she was going to lift it off her bed, much less take it downstairs.

  Avoiding the seemingly minor problem in comparison to now being homeless, she opened the bedroom door and went into the bathroom. Her hands trembling, she gathered all of her medications and put them into her purse.

  Trying to ignore her unspeakable embarrassment, she took her time to make sure she had everything and to let her breathing steady. When she was sure she had left no trace that she’d ever been there, she pulled her small suitcase into the living room.

  Ben had his cell phone pressed against his ear, the sound of a phone ringing audible from across the room. As soon as he saw her, he ended whatever call he had been trying to make and asked, “Is that all you have?”

  “No, there’s another suitcase in the bedroom.”

  “I’ll get that for you.” While he headed for the bedroom, Maya went into the kitchen. She opened the cabinet under the kitchen sink and retrieved a grocery bag she had tucked there. She then took two of the three boxes of saltine crackers and loaded them into the bag.

  Ben appeared in the kitchen doorway and set her bag down. “I really am sorry about this, but I’m sure you understand.”

  “I understand,” Maya said quietly.

  “Can I at least help you take your bags downstairs?”

  She wanted to say no, but necessity didn’t permit her that luxury. “Actually, that would be great, if you wouldn’t mind.”

  He hefted the two suitcases effortlessly and headed for the door. Even though Maya was carrying only the bag of crackers and her purse, she struggled to keep up with Ben’s long strides. She followed him out into the hall and then into the elevator. Both of them stared straight ahead and remained silent on the ride down. When they reached the lobby, he asked, “Where is your car parked?”

  “Actually, I’m going to have a friend come pick me up. If you could just take those into the clubhouse, I’ll wait in there.”

  “Sure,” Ben said without hesitation. “No problem.”

  He shifted her bags and led the way past the weight room and through a wide archway into the clubhouse. Maya followed him inside, looking around for someplace she could tuck her suitcases where they might not be noticed. She motioned to the huge entertainment armoire in the corner. “Maybe you could set them down over there so they’re out of the way.”

  “Don’t you want me to leave them by the entrance?”

  “My friend said she might be a few minutes,” Maya told him.

  “Okay.” Ben set the bags down on the far side of the room. When he turned back to face her, he ran his fingers through his hair and awkwardly crossed back to the door. “You know, if you want, I can call you a cab so you don’t have to wait. It’s really the least I can do.”

  “You don’t have to do that.” Maya straightened her shoulders. “I really am sorry about the misunderstanding.”

  “Hey, I know my sister. I’m sure she figured I wouldn’t even notice,” Ben said. “I’m afraid we’re both victims of her best intentions.”

  “Kari means well. Please don’t be upset with her.”

  “I’m sure someday we’ll all look back on this and laugh.” Ben grinned at her, but Maya could tell it was forced. “At least you didn’t actually hit me with the skillet.”

  “That’s one way to look on the bright side.” Maya returned his smile with an attempted one of her own. She hoped she could find a bright side for herself.

  “I guess I’ll see you later.” Ben moved to the door. He turned back and looked at her, hesitating briefly as though he was going to say something else. Instead of speaking, he headed through the doorway and disappeared back the way they had come.

  Chapter 9

  Ben let out a guilty sigh as soon as he walked back into his apartment. He felt like a heel for kicking Maya out like that, but he couldn’t be expected to let some girl he’d met only once stay at his apartment. Besides, it wasn’t like she couldn’t find somewhere else to go.

  The fact that she roomed with his sister and attended Vanderbilt practically ensured that she came from money. Like most private schools, tuition there was outrageous, and Ben knew Kari and Maya had become friends during high school. Not to mention that Maya’s clothes weren’t exactly out of a thrift store. The jacket she had been wearing was over three hundred dollars. He knew that for a fact since he had bought one exactly like it for his sister.

  He heard a phone ring, the unfamiliar tone sounding from the other end of the apartment. Instinctively, he patted his pocket to confirm that his own phone was where he normally kept it. He followed the sound to the guest bedroom, but the ringing stopped as soon as he stepped through the door.

  A moment later, the phone started ringing again. It didn’t take long for him to find it on the far side of the bed, plugged into a charger, where Maya must have left it. He picked it up to see a DC number on the screen. Wondering if perhaps her ride was calling, Ben answered the phone. “Hello?”

  “Yes, I’m trying to reach Maya Gupta.”

  “She can’t come to the phone right now, but can I get a message to her or have her call you back?”

  “This is Betsy from George Washington University Hospital. Can you please let her know Henry is on his way over to pick her up? There’s a problem the doctor needs to discuss with her.”

  “Um, sure. I’ll make sure she gets the message,” Ben said awkwardly.

  “I appreciate it,” Betsy told him. “Tell her Henry already left, so he’ll be waiting for her in the lobby.”

  “I’ll let her know.” Ben’s curiosity heightened. He had never been one to have much exposure to hospitals, except for the occasional emergency room visit for various injuries over the years. Still, he knew enough to realize that medical professionals didn’t usually send a car for someone and certainly not when they were located practically next door.

&nb
sp; Afraid that whomever she was going to be staying with might pick her up before he could pass along the message and give Maya her phone back, Ben grabbed the charger and phone and jogged toward the door.

  * * *

  Maya waited until she was sure the clubhouse was completely empty before she leaned into her large suitcase and knocked it onto its side so it would be hidden from sight behind the couch. If someone sat down beside it, they might notice it, but otherwise, she was pretty sure it would go unseen.

  Worst case, if someone stole her clothes, she would have to manage with the few in her overnight bag. Nearly everything she owned was a hand-me-down from Kari or purchased from a thrift store anyway. As soon as she was satisfied that her larger bag was as safe as she could make it, she squatted down and slid both the crackers and her other suitcase under the couch, pushing both items back far enough that they too wouldn’t be seen.

  She put a hand on the couch in front of her and pulled herself up enough to slide onto it. Little flecks of light sparked in front of her with a sudden rush as she shifted her body too quickly. She closed her eyes against the stars she didn’t want to see and tried to settle on the couch in the hope that she could rest for a few minutes and regain some of her strength.

  She knew she needed to call Kari to tell her what happened, but her emotions were so torn she wasn’t sure she could talk to her quite yet. She knew Kari had meant well. She also knew her friend well enough to know that Kari must have realized her brother wouldn’t agree to let her stay, or she would have asked first.

  The door to the clubhouse opened, and Maya looked up, surprised to see Henry walk inside pushing a wheelchair.

  “What are you doing in here? I thought I was going to pick you up in the lobby.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Didn’t Betsy call you?” Henry closed the distance between them.

  “No.”

  “Dr. Schuster wants to see you. Betsy asked me to come pick you up. We knew your friends probably wouldn’t be able to give you a ride over this time of day.” He leaned over and put the footrests up and then reached down to help her shift over into the chair.

  Worry creased her brow. “Did he say what he wants to see me about?”

  “Nope. Just said to call and have you come in.”

  “That doesn’t sound good.”

  “Now, don’t you start worrying yourself prematurely. Let’s get you over there, and you can find out if there really is something to worry about.”

  “Okay.” Maya shifted back in the chair. “Thanks for coming to get me.”

  “That’s what friends are for.”

  She looked up at Henry, realizing for the first time that she did have a friend. But the sinking feeling in her stomach quickly overshadowed that thought. She hoped the worst thing she would have to face today was the loss of a place to stay, but with her health already fighting to regain its balance, she was afraid the question of where she was going to live was about to fall in importance to the question of if she was going to live.

  * * *

  Ben reached the clubhouse to find it already empty. Hoping that maybe Maya had just moved outside to wait for her ride, he jogged out the doors and looked around. At first glance, he focused on the cars parked along the curb, searching for anyone who might be coming or going. When he didn’t notice anything, he expanded his focus to the pedestrians on the street.

  A couple of girls were walking along the opposite sidewalk, and there was an older gentleman pushing a wheelchair about a block away. Convinced that he’d missed her, he looked down at the phone in his hand.

  “She’ll figure out she’s missing it eventually,” he said to himself. He headed back inside and pulled his own phone from his pocket to call his sister. It was about time he laid down some ground rules when it came to lending out his stuff. When the call went straight to voice mail, he sighed in frustration.

  He glanced down at his watch to see that it was almost one o’clock. Kari was probably in class.

  Hoping to put this awkward situation behind him, Ben headed back upstairs. As soon as his interview was over, he’d hit the weight room. Maybe after a good workout he would be able to relax and settle back into life in DC.

  * * *

  Maya took the seat across from Dr. Schuster. She wasn’t sure if it was a good sign or a bad one that they were meeting in his office instead of an examining room.

  He looked at her, a serious expression on his face, and Maya struggled not to squirm in her seat.

  “Maya, I was looking over your file this morning, and I’m afraid there’s a critical piece of information our administrative staff missed when you were first admitted to this program.”

  “What was that?”

  “I didn’t realize you don’t have insurance.”

  “I have student insurance at Vanderbilt. I think it’s good through the rest of the semester even though I had to withdraw.”

  Dr. Schuster nodded. “One of our administrators called about that this morning. You are correct that your student insurance policy is good through December. Unfortunately, it only covers expenses incurred within their service area.”

  “I’m still not sure I understand the problem. I was told that this clinical trial wouldn’t cost me anything. Why does it matter if my insurance covers me here or not?”

  “The clinical trial is covered here. Assuming we are successful in shrinking the tumor, we would then need to operate to remove it. The cost of the surgery is not covered by the trial.”

  “Can’t I just go back to Nashville to have the surgery?”

  He shook his head. “As I said, your policy covers you through December. The earliest we can expect that you could have the surgery is late January.”

  Maya swallowed hard. “How much will the surgery cost?”

  “Anywhere from thirty thousand to a quarter of a million.”

  “A quarter of a million dollars?”

  “That’s typically the high end,” he told her. “Looking at your situation, my best guess is that you’d be looking at around seventy-five thousand. That would include a week’s stay in the hospital. If you end up needing additional rehabilitation after you’re released, that would increase the cost.”

  “Will the hospital work with me on some kind of finance plan?”

  “There’s only so much they can do. They can let you pay off a portion of the expenses over time, but you would have to come up with half of the money up front. I can work the numbers for you so we put the estimated costs on the low end of thirty thousand, but that still means you’d have to come up with fifteen thousand dollars before we can operate.”

  She blinked hard against the tears that threatened. “I understand.”

  “Do you have any family who can help you with the expenses?”

  Maya’s heart sank. For seven years, she hadn’t spoken a single word to her family, with the exception of her grandmother. Now that her grandmother was gone, she had a choice to make. She could give up this fight and let the cancer win, or she could stop fighting the traditions of her family and hope her father would help her.

  “I’ll talk to my parents.”

  “Good.” His shoulders relaxed slightly, but his voice remained somber. “Because if we can’t be sure you can have the surgery at the end of this trial, we will have to release you from it.”

  “My father has done very well for himself. I don’t think coming up with fifteen thousand will be a problem for him.”

  “Great.” Relief sounded in his voice. The doctor nudged the phone on his desk closer to her. “Do you want to call him now?”

  “I don’t think you’d want to pay for that phone call. Besides, it’s the middle of the night where my family lives.”

  “Where do they live?”

  Maya drew in a deep breath and let it out. “India.”

  Chapter 10

  “Are you sure you don’t need me to take you home?” Henry asked doubtfully.

  “I’m sure. I ha
ve a few errands to run, so I’ll just take a cab today.”

  “Okay.” Hesitation filled his voice. “If you’re sure.”

  Maya could tell he wasn’t quite sure if he should trust that she was telling the truth. “I will take a ride down to the curb though, if you’re offering. And if you could hail me a cab, I’d appreciate it.”

  “Well, that’s easy enough.” Henry helped her into the chair and headed for the elevators. “Did everything go okay with the doctor?”

  “Yeah. There was just some confusion about my insurance. We got it all figured out.”

  “That’s good. It always makes me nervous when they send for patients like that.”

  “Yeah,” Maya said on a sigh. “Me too.”

  Henry wheeled her outside and flagged down a cab for her. As soon as Maya was situated in the backseat, Henry waved and headed back toward the entrance.

  “Where to, miss?” the driver asked.

  Maya rattled off the address for the closest pharmacy. When the driver pulled up in the parking lot a few minutes later, Maya pushed open the door. “Can you just wait for me? I won’t be long.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  She walked inside and headed for the counter where she had seen a display for prepaid cell phones during a previous visit. She had a good deal on the contract for her regular cell phone, but it didn’t include international calling. Quickly browsing through the phones in front of her, she selected the cheapest one that would suit her needs. Then she took it to the counter, choosing to pay for it with the one credit card she thought might still be below its limit.

  Ten minutes later, she handed over the last of the cash in her wallet to the cab driver, stuffed her new purchase into her purse, and walked into Ben’s apartment building. She lowered herself onto the couch in the clubhouse and uttered a quiet prayer.

  The thought that her parents probably still didn’t know her grandmother had passed away surfaced. When her grandmother became ill during Maya’s junior year of high school, her primary concern had been to make sure Maya wouldn’t be taken back to India and forced into marriage. With that in mind, she had made Maya promise not to make contact with her family under any circumstances. Now, for the first time since leaving her home, Maya knew she had to break that promise.