Dying Forever (Waking Forever Book 3) Read Online Free PDF

always shared at their own pace, and prying rarely got you anywhere. This never stopped Alison from trying. “Have you considered adoption?”
    The tall man stood and began typing notes into a laptop near the back of the exam room. “We’ve talked about it, but Gayle has taken the whole thing as a personal affront.” His voice was heavy , and Alison could see from his slumped shoulders the situation was serious.
    “How do you mean, affront?” She knew Gayle was competitive and an overachiever. Alison had once made the mistake of playing golf with Gayle, Jules , and Alison’s then girlfriend Ash shortly after Chad and Gayle started dating. All three of the other women were incredibly competitive, and at one point, things got so heated Alison expected them all to begin fencing with their respective clubs. Luckily, Alison had played poorly enough that none of the other women considered her a threat.
    There was a long pause as Chad typed several notes, the click of the keys filling the awkward silence. When he turned around, Chad’s brown eyes glistened with tears. “Shit, Ali, you know Gayle. Now it’s a contest - something she has to beat.” He shook his head as he sat back down on the stool. Before Alison could ask her brother how he was doing, Amber walked back in with a box of cotton swabs.
    Clearing his throat, Chad gently patted Alison’s forearm, and the two siblings exchanged reassuring smiles. “ I mentioned you were coming in today, and Gayle suggested I invite you to dinner Friday night.” He smiled, and Alison knew him well enough to know he was about to say something he thought was very clever. “Mind you it’s merely a suggestion, and I’m not obligated in any way.”
    Playfully punching him in the arm , Alison nearly knocked the tray of dental tools over. She and Amber both grabbed for the wobbling tray simultaneously. “Crap, sorry. Dinner Friday? Sure.”
    “ Wonderful.” Chad sighed. “So, big sister - good news , bad news. You need a deep plaque cleaning because you’re not flossing as often or as effectively as you should be. Plus you skip appointments and -”
    “What’s the good news , Chad?” Alison had heard varied versions of this lecture over the years and knew it by heart.
    Chad pursed his lips. “Well, damn, I guess there isn’t any.”
    “Bad. You’re a bad brother.” She teased, but the urge to console him from earlier lingered; so she didn’t prod at him as much as she might otherwise.
    “I would usually suggest a separate appointment, but since getting you here in the first place is hard enough, and we’ve had a cancellation - let’s -” He removed a fresh latex glove from the box behind him, and dramatically pulled it over his right hand. “- do this thing.”
    Amber chuckled and slid her stool back toward a large set of drawers built into the wall. “Give me about five minutes and I’ll have the topical anesthesia ready. Ms. Bailey , since you were here last, Doctor Bailey has added an ultrasound pick to the inventory. That will minimize bleeding and discomfort.”
    Alison looked at Chad. “Are you sure you don’t want to use the old rusted crap?”
    Chad laughed, his deep baritone voice filling the small exam room. “What she didn’ t mention was the ultrasound thing is - very experimental, and may not go well for you.”
    “All kidding aside, I have a lecture tonight . Is this going to impede me talking?” Alison covered her mouth just as Amber was coating the cotton swab in the topical anesthesia.
    “If it was that easy, don’t you think I would have done this years ago?” Chad raised and lowered his eyebrows in jest.
    “Smartass.” Alison laid her head back on the hard leather headrest of the inclined chair. She was happy to have the time with Chad, but the sharp, metal instruments chipping away at her gumline she could live without.
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    In typical fashion, Alison had been coerced into facilitating a night course for Masters candidates. The