Risky Business by Kathryn Shay

parent here.
    Magdalena said, “Let’s go into the hall and talk, so we don’t disturb Opal.” When they were outside the room, she asked, “Has the doctor seen her yet?”

    “Yes. She went up for an X-ray, and the doctor is reading it now.”
    Just as she said the words, a woman dressed in blue scrubs came down the corridor. “Hi, again, Ms. Ludzecky.” To Magdalena, “I’m Dr. Allison. I’ve read the X-ray.”
    “What’s wrong with Opal?” Ana asked.
    “There’s a mass on her kidney. She’s probably had it for a while.”
    “Oh, dear God.”
    Sliding her arm aroundAna, Magdalena pulled her close. “What kind of mass?”
    “We won’t know until the pediatric renal surgeon gets here and he decides how to proceed.” The doctor checked her watch. “We’ve called him and he’s coming in as we speak.”
    “How will he get here?” Ana could hear the panic in her own voice. “It’s terrible out.”
    “We have vehicles for medical emergencies like this. We dispatched one.He’ll be here soon.”
    When she left, Ana collapsed against the wall. “It’s bad, Mags, if it’s a mass.”
    “We don’t know that.”
    “It might be cancer.” She grabbed her sister’s hands. “Sofia had cancer. It could be familial.”
    “Don’t live the trouble before it happens, Ana. Have hope. I do.”
    From beside Mags, Logan said, “Ana, you don’t have to shoulder this alone.”
    “I know. Thanksfor coming.”
    “You’re welcome.” He glanced at Magdalena. “Though that’s not what I meant. Neither of you is going to like this, but we should call Jared.”
    “Do you think so?”
    “Yes. He’s Opal’s father. What’s more, he has joint custody.” Which he’d fought like hell for. “He should be here.”
    Ana looked to her sister. Magdalena nodded. “Much as I hate to say this, Logan’s right.”
    “Okay, you call, though.”
    “No,” Logan said. “I will.”
    Ana handed Logan her phone. “The number’s in there. Use my cell so he knows to answer.”
    While Logan headed out to the waiting area, Ana and Magdalena went back into the room. Opal was still asleep, so they stood by the doorway and whispered. “Tragedy haunts our family. Luke and C.J. have been shot. Pa dying early. Sofia’s diagnosis.The Pettrone brothers’ deaths. What if this is another catastrophe?”
    “You have to hang on, sweetie. You have to blank your mind and hang on. We’ll be right here with you.”
    After a few minutes, Logan came back with three cups of coffee. “Jared’s on his way. He said he’ll walk if he has to.”
    “He lives in Brooklyn,” Ana said, then realized how stupid her remark was. “How did you two gethere?”
    “Adam Armstrong’s driver told me if I ever got stuck or needed anything, he was nearby in town and I should call him. He has a monster of a truck.”
    An interminable wait later, Dr. Allison came to the room with a man. He said, “I’m Dr. Janson. I need to examine your daughter and study the results of the X-ray. Ms. Ludzecky you can stay with her. The two of you can wait in the corridor.”

    Just then, someone else came inside. Ana glanced over. Jared. Bedraggled and bleak, he rushed to her. “Ana?”
    Ana turned. And when she saw her ex-husband, she rushed to him and threw herself into his arms. Only then did she burst into sobs
.
    oOo
    Magdalena prayed silently to the God of her childhood. Ana had been through so much, she couldn’t fathom how her sister would withstandthis kind of tragedy if it did indeed occur. They left the door open and she could see Ana and Jared holding hands while the doctor examined Opal. There was nothing to do but wait until he made a diagnosis.
    “This could be bad,” Magdalena said softly to Logan.
    “Take your own advice honey. Wait till we hear more.”
    After what seemed like forever, the doctor came into the hall with Anaand Jared.
    He said, “Opal doesn’t have cancer.”
    Ana’s legs buckled. Jared grasped on to her to hold her