Chapter 97

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed Cilla sat up and ran her hand through her hair, pushing it away from her face. She wasn't surprised to see the strands that wrapped around her fingers. Every morning there had been a few more in her hand and a few less on her head. She was just waiting for when it all had to go, and that day was fast approaching. She sighed. Maybe she should just do it now and get it over with. Feeling fingers caressing her lower back, across her tattoo, she turned to look over her shoulder. "Hey."

His voice was a husky morning whisper. "Morning." His fingers continued to trace the faded ink. "It's early." Watery daylight was trying to seep through the blinds. "You don't have to get up yet."

A glance at the clock told her he was right and she let him pull her back into the bed and she curled into the warm curve of his body. Pressing her lips to the hollow of his throat she stroked the soft fur that covered his upper chest. Content beyond explanation she sighed quietly and settled more fully into him. "Jonny?" He had been handling everything that had been thrown at them and now, she had one more thing to add to that ever growing list.

"Hmmm?" He nuzzled into her hair, pressing a kiss to her head. Running his hand down her side he pulled her closer, held her tighter. He could stay like this forever.

“I think it’s time.”

His brow furrowed. “Time? Time for what?” What was she talking about?

Pressing back slightly, she looked up at him, confusion was clear on his face. “I think it’s time to cut my hair.”

His eyes widened slightly then he nodded in understanding. “Today?”

“I’ll have to call Sid and see if his friend can do it, but I’d like to do it later today. After my treatment.”

He picked up a lock of her hair, letting it slide through his fingers, frowning at the strands that stayed woven between his fingers. Was he ready for her to lose her hair? "You get pretty sick after chemo babe. Are you sure you want to have Sid and his friend over today?" Maybe he could get her to hold off one more day.

Shifting, she tangled her legs with his and pressed a kiss to his chest. "We'll be back here by 4:30 and I can nap after I'm done puking myself inside out. I should be good by 7 or so."

With a finger he tipped her head up so he could see her face. “You really want it to be today?”

She shook her head, “I didn’t want it to be ever, but it has to so for me, the sooner the better.” Her gaze shifted from his and then back again. “I’d like to donate it too if I could. Someone should be able to use it since I’m not.”

Pressing a kiss to her forehead he held her tighter. “I think that’s a great idea. I even found a place for you to give your hair to.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “You do?”

He nodded his head. She wasn’t the only one who knew how to use the computer. “You’ve heard of Locks of Love?” At her nod he continued. “Well the majority of the girls that get hairpieces from them have alopecia, not cancer. And they mainly deal with young girls. Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths caters to cancer patients of all ages.”

“That one sounds like the better option for me.” She glanced over his shoulder at the clock and sighed. “We should get up. Maybe if I have time for my breakfast to digest I won’t lose it later.”

~

Cilla walked into the room ahead of Jon, balancing the flat pink box in one hand and her bag in the other. She had spoken with Sid on the way over and he and his hair stylist, Louis, would be visiting her and Jon later that evening. Now she just had to get through the next six hours trying not to think about what she was going to look like later.

“Miss Cilla!”

She looked up to find Abby smiling widely at her.

“Hi Abby.”

“I saved your chair for you.”

Cilla looked and found Abby’s princess book on the seat of the chair next to her. “Thanks.” She looked past Abby to her mother. “Hi Jennie. How are you today?”

The woman pushed her dark hair away from her face and gave a tired smile. “I’m doing all right. How are you?”

They chatted quietly for a minute and Cilla turned back to Abby. “I almost forgot. I brought you a present.”

Abby nearly bounced out of her chair. “What is it, what did you bring me?”

Cilla laughed and handed her the pink box. “I hope you like them.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw the door open and Jon step in the room. He winked at her and watched.

Abby untied the string and read the top of the box. “Hey, that’s your name, isn’t it?” The top of the box was embossed with Cilla ~ Queen of Tarts. “Is that you?”

Cilla nodded her head. “It is. That’s my shop.”

Her small fingers fumbled with the box. “That’s yours? Mommy and I go in there sometimes. You have the best cookies.” She lifted the cover and squealed with delight. “Oh, they’re so pretty!” She picked one up and took it out to look at it. “Hey, she looks like me!” She turned to her mother, “mommy, look; the princesses look like me.” She reached in and pulled out one of the fairies, “the fairies do too!”

As mom and daughter looked over the cookies Jon crossed the room and sat down next to Cilla. “She’s adorable. No wonder you were so taken with her.”

Cilla took his hand. “I just hope she comes through this. I’d hate for anything to happen to her.”

Jon squeezed her fingers and kissed her lightly. He wouldn’t wish this on his worst enemy, but right now, he was just worried about Cilla winning her fight.

“Hey” Abby was looking at Jon. “Who are you and where’s Sid?”

“Abigail” Jennie scolded; “don’t be rude honey.”

“It’s all right.” Cilla leaned in close to Abby and whispered in her ear. “This is my prince charming.”

Jon chuckled and shook his head at being called ‘Prince Charming.’ He held out his hand to the little girl. “Hi Abby, I’m Jon. It’s nice to meet you.”

She looked up at Jon, studying him carefully. His eyes were almost the same color as hers and his hair was blondish, sort of like a prince’s. How bad could he be? She smiled slightly and took his hand. Hers was nearly swallowed in his grasp. “Hi Mr. Jon. It’s nice to meet you too.”

He looked past the girl to the mother. He could see that Cilla was right when she said they looked almost exactly alike. The mother had stamped herself all over the girl’s face. He smiled and her cheeks flushed. “Hi. I’m Jon.”

Jennie nodded her head. She knew full well who he was. Most everyone with a pulse knew who this man was. “Hi. I’m Jennie. It’s nice to meet you.”

Nurse Mary came in just then and Abby excitedly showed her the cookies Cilla had decorated especially for her. “Aren’t they pretty?”

Mary nodded her head and exclaimed over the cookies. As Cilla watched and listened, an idea started to form. While the girls had their cocktails started the idea rolled around in her head and took root. She would need to do some research, contact the American Cancer Society, but she was pretty sure what she had in mind could work.