The Legacy: Making Wishes Come True Read Online Free PDF

will Mrs. Kelly.”
    “Who’s that?”
    “The private-duty nurse I’ve hired to stay with you.”
    Jenny glanced furtively toward Richard. Of course, it would be impossible for him to remain with her. He looked dead on his feet anyway.
    “I’ll be over to see you as soon as I get off work tomorrow,” he told her.
    “Why don’t you get into bed, my dear,” Grandmother said. “You must be exhausted.”
    She
was
tired. She felt sick again too. The doctor at the other hospital had given her plenty of medication, but the effects had worn off. Richard stepped out of the room, and she changed into a white lacy cotton nightgown her grandmother had purchased for her. “Nothing like something new to make a girl feel good,” Grandmother remarked cheerfully. “You look very pretty, Jenny.”
    “I look awful,” Jenny said. “The gown looks very pretty.” She snuggled beneath the crisp, clean sheets. “I wish I were home.”
    “Me too.” Grandmother kissed her cheek. “You get some rest, and I’ll see to it that Richard gets to his place. He’s had a long couple of days.”
    Suddenly, Jenny didn’t want to be left alone. “You’ll be back?”
    “Absolutely. I want to meet this highly touted young doctor who’s supposed to take care of you.”
    “Be nice to him, Grandmother.”
    “Don’t lecture me, dear. I expect top performances from the people I hire.”
    Jenny sighed in exasperation. “Sometimes you have to play by other people’s rules.”
    Grandmother scoffed and unpacked Jenny’s things.
    When Jenny was finally alone, she hated it. The room was too big, too quiet. As if in response to her yearning for company, the door swung open and a woman dressed in a white uniform entered. “Hi, I’m Alice,” she said. “I’ve come to draw a little blood for the lab boys.” Jenny swallowed hard. For a moment, she’d forgotten where she was. “Are you Jenny?”
    “Yes.” Her eyes grew wide at the sight of the needle.
    “I’m really pretty good.” Alice said sympathetically. “Some people tell me they don’t feel a thing.”
    Jenny wanted Richard with her, then realized that even if he were, she’d still have to give
her
blood. She bravely held out her arm.
Lesson number one
, she told herself.
Some things you have to do on your own
.

Six

    L ATER THAT NIGHT , Jenny met Dr. Gallagher. He was a large man with flyaway copper-red hair, freckles, and a big, booming voice filled with enthusiasm. Jenny liked him instantly. “I want you to know, Jenny, that I’m absolutely honest with my patients. I won’t lie to you, and I won’t hide information. But I also expect my patients to level with me and do what I tell them.”
    Taken aback, Jenny nodded. Why would she have a reason to lie to him? And why would a doctor conceal information? “I’ll try,” she said.
    “I’m sending you down for a battery of tests starting first thing in the morning. Some won’t be too pleasant, others will be a snap. Once the results are analyzed, I’ll give you a full report and map out a medical protocol for you. Fair enough?”
    Bewildered, she nodded. She didn’t even know what they were testing her for. She started to ask, but her grandmother entered the room with anolder woman, the private-duty nurse, Mrs. Kelly, and Dr. Gallagher hurried off to see other patients. “I wanted to talk to him,” Jenny told her grandmother.
    “He’ll have a long consultation with you when the test results are in,” Grandmother assured her with a smile that never made it to her saddened eyes.
    The next morning, after her blood work, Jenny was taken down to radiology for a round of X rays and then to a room with a lab table. Dr. Gallagher greeted her as he pulled on latex gloves. “Hop up,” a young intern assisting him said.
    “Why?”
    “We’re going to do a bone marrow aspiration.”
    “What’s that?”
    Dr. Gallagher explained, “I told you last night I would be open with you, and I will. We’re going to put you on