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kept it a secret from all of them.
    “She took care of me. It was three days before I was strong enough to go see Ryan. I felt like I’d failed him. When I told him there was no baby, he told me he never wanted to see me again. A week later, he’d sold his house to you and left for the US.”
    “Yeah. We wanted to keep Ryan’s house in the family because it had belonged to Da’s brother who had willed it to Ryan. He needed money to leave, so Ma and I bought it from him.”
    “Anyway, today was the first time I have seen him in almost thirteen years.” Kate rose to her feet and dusted off, then offered a hand to him.
    Skye caught it and pulled himself up as well.
    “I have to get back. Allaina will be home soon, and I have a patient scheduled.”
    “I’ll walk with you. I’m on my way to work.” Skye felt sadness rolling off her in waves, along with a sense of duty that forced her to put her needs aside. “He’ll come around.”
    “I’m pathetic. How can you still love someone who has ignored all contact with you for almost thirteen years, Skye? What are you doing here, anyway?” Kate took a tissue out of her pocket and dried her eyes.
    “I looked across the way. You hurt, so do I. The curse of the empathic.”
    “How do you kill the pain? I think I’d break with it, if not for Allie.”
    She was as close to him as his own sister. He loved her as such. His gifts had gotten strong of late. He couldn’t control the visions anymore, like the one he saw now.
    “You have to stay strong, Kate. You–” Skye trailed off in mid-sentence, unable to say the words that matched the images in his mind. For once, he wished he couldn’t see into the future.
    “I know. Thanks for trying to cheer me up.”
    “Anytime. I mean that. Now I’m off to work.” Skye kissed her cheek and left her standing in front of the clinic.
     

 
    Chapter 5
     
    Pressing the stethoscope to the elderly man’s chest, Kate listened carefully. Anything to put off the inevitable. Mr. O’Malley’s condition seemed worse every time he came to see her and now she knew why. The last test results had come back with news Kate wished she could ignore. “Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.”
    She listened for a few more seconds and then placed the stethoscope around her neck and wrote on his chart. He was sixty, but his frailty made him seem much older. Years of hard work had taken its toll on him. She’d never had to give this kind of news before. How could she tell this sweet man his days were numbered?
    “Your test results came back yesterday. That’s why I asked you to come into the office. Did Mrs. O’Malley come with you?”
    “No. Her heart’s bad. I don’t want her upset.”
    “Maybe it would be best if we waited until your wife or daughter can come in…”
    “I can tell it’s bad news, girlie. Let’s have it then.”
    “All right. I’m sorry. You have lung cancer.”
    “Cancer?” His breath caught on the word, and she felt her heart hitch with sympathy for his wife and daughter.
    “I’ll set you up with an oncologist. You can discuss your surgical options, if any.”
    “And what can he do for me? Chemotherapy?”
    “No. The growth is too advanced.”
    “I don’t have long left. Do I? That’s what you’re trying to tell me. How long?”
    “Only God knows that, Mr. O’Malley.”
    His wise eyes glared at her. “That’s a non-answer.”
    “A few weeks, maybe a month. I’m sorry. Can I call someone for you?”
    “No. I won’t spend what time I have tied to machines surrounded by strangers. I can stay at home, can’t I? I don’t have to go to a hospital.”
    “No. You can stay at home, but I don’t recommend it.” Kate scribbled on a small pad of paper and then handed him a prescription for strong narcotic. “That’s your choice. I’ll keep you as comfortable as I’m able, but I wish you’d reconsider.”
    “My choice. I choose to live as long and as well as I can.”
    Mr. O’Malley’s