Once they reached the building, Ian parked the car and took Lucy’s arm in his. She followed him, her expression withdrawn and grief-stricken. On the second floor, they pushed the door open and stepped into a spacious office with a few couches on either side, cream-colored walls, and a heater blasting in the background. Ian left Lucy on the couch and went to the receptionist, who sat behind the desk and smiled at him. After making sure the doctor knew they were there, Ian sat back down and tried not to frown at the soft music wafting through overhead speakers.
He gripped Lucy’s hand in his and rubbed his thumb along the inside of her wrist. She was leaning back against the couch with her eyes closed when they called her name.
Ian stood first and turned to face Lucy.
Slowly, she got up, and she shrank in on herself as they walked through a door to their right, where an exam table wasset up, and a kind-looking doctor with wisps of silver hair sat behind a rectangular-shaped mahogany desk.
The doctor wore a white coat and stood to shake their hands when the door clicked shut behind him. Ian tried not to let his eyes dart around the office, and he hoped the doctor didn’t notice the tremor in his hand when he held it. His ears were ringing, and a hard knot had settled in the center of Ian’s stomach.
How was Lucy remaining so calm and collected with her head held high and her shoulders squared?
How was it all Ian could think about was taking Lucy back out to the car and driving away?
He wanted to keep driving and never stop, as if he could outrun any of it.
Ian was going to be sick all over the doctor’s expensive-looking carpet. The only thing keeping him together was Lucy slipping her hand in his and squeezing. As soon as she did, shame and guilt rose up within him.
He had to be strong for her.
Heneededto be.
Ian was doing his best not to break down, but it felt like it was all happening to someone else.
Please, let her be okay. Please, I’ll do anything.
“Please sit down, Mr. and Mrs. Railings. I’m sorry you’re not coming in under better circumstances.”
Ian waited for Lucy to sit down before perching on the seat opposite her. He leaned forward and cleared his throat. “Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.”
Dr. Monroe sat up straighter and pushed his glasses up higher. “Of course. It’s never easy when you have to give a patient bad news, so I knew you’d want to come in right away. As I’m sure you know by now, lupus is a disease that happens when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and organs.”
Ian’s throat closed up. “What causes a disease like this?”
Dr. Monroe cleared his throat. “Sunlight, stress, smoking, certain medicines, and viruses. But there’s nothing you could’ve done to prevent this diagnosis because, in a lot of cases, it has to do with genes and the estrogen hormone.”
Lucy swallowed and straightened her spine. “Is lupus treatable?”
Dr. Monroe glanced over at her and frowned. “Unfortunately, there’s no cure for lupus at the moment, but there’s been a lot of headway when it comes to managing the symptoms.”
“Managing the symptoms?” Ian echoed the words, and they sounded strange to his own ears. “I don’t understand.”
Dr. Monroe reached underneath his desk and pulled out two bottles of water. “You both need to take a minute; I understand.”
Lucy guzzled the water in one gulp, but Ian stared at the doctor, his stomach continuing to twist and fold on itself. “What are we going to do if there’s no cure?”
Dr. Monroe placed both hands on either side of the desk. “That’s why I’m here, Mr. Railings. Your wife has a mild form of lupus, so it hasn’t progressed yet, which is good news. This means that in order to manage her symptoms, including the pain, we’ll need to follow a few simple steps.”
Lucy set her empty bottle down and lifted her gaze to the doctor’s. “What do I need to do?”
“You’ll need to limit sun exposure as much as you can and start exercising more,” Dr. Monroe said after a brief pause. “You’ll also need to make a few changes to your diet to ensure you have the healthiest eating habits possible.”
Lucy nodded, and some of the color returned to her face. “Okay, I can do that.”
“Is there any kind of medication she’ll be taking?”
Dr. Monroe turned his gaze to Ian, and his expression was open and sympathetic. “Yes, I’ll be prescribing something right now. It’s a little strong, so neither of you should be surprised if Mrs. Railings starts to feel a little nauseous after. I’d recommend you take it after a big meal.”
Lucy leaned back against the chair and gripped the armrest on either side of her. “Does it have any other side effects?”
