Rules Get Broken Read Online Free Page B

like to make an appointment for her to see Dr. Gold-stein as soon as possible. When do you think that might be?”
    There was silence on the other end as someone scanned another already overbooked appointment schedule.
    “No, two weeks from today is not what I had in mind. Actually, I was hoping Dr. Goldstein could see Mrs. Herbert this afternoon.”
    The person on the other end asked a question that Peg couldn’t hear.
    “That’s right,” Dr. Edwards replied.
    Another pause.
    “I think that’ll be fine, but let me check.”
    Dr. Edwards turned the mouthpiece of the receiver into his shoulder and looked across the desk at Peg. “Can you make an appointment at five-thirty tonight?”
    “Yes,” Peg answered quietly.
    “Yes, that’ll be fine. Mrs. Herbert will see you tonight at five-thirty.”
    Another pause.
    “Thank you very much for your help. I appreciate it.”
    He hung up the receiver and began to write something on a prescription form. “Here’s Dr. Goldstein’s address and phone number. He’ll see you at five-thirty,” he repeated, and he handed the slip of paper to Peg. “I’ll fax your lab report over to him now so he has a chance to look at it before you get there.”
    He stopped, seemingly in mid-thought.
    “Call me tomorrow if you can, and let me know how you made out and if there’s anything I can do to help.”
    “I will,” Peg replied, and she rose to leave. A quiet “Thank you.”
    An equally quiet “Good-bye.”
    And she was gone.

Ten
    Peg pushed open the front lobby door of the North Shore Medical Group building. She started to go down the walk leading to the parking lot, but stopped after only a few steps as if she had hit an invisible wall. She brought her hands up to her mouth, clasped almost as in prayer, and looked up at the blue summer sky winking at her through the leaves of an overhanging dogwood tree.
    “Cancer,” she whispered to herself as she stared upward, blinking back tears. “I have cancer,” she continued, allowing the terror that the word generated to well up from inside and wash over her.
    “Cancer,” she repeated incredulously. “I can’t believe it. I have cancer, and this is how I’m going to die. My God!”
    “Are you all right?” a voice next to her asked suddenly.
    She turned quickly to her left and saw an elderly man and his wife on the walk, looking at her with obvious concern. “Is there anything I can do?” he asked before she could answer his first question.
    Peg shook her head while brushing away her tears with both hands.
    “No. No, thank you,” she replied trying to smile, without success. “I’m fine. But thank you anyway. Thank you very much.”
    Unconvinced, the elderly man looked at her for a moment longer and then took his wife’s arm and guided her towards the front lobby door.
    Peg remained where she was standing, breathing deeply, trying to regain control of her emotions, and with each breath, she felt herself retreat from the precipice of panic.
    When she had finally succeeded in calming herself, she looked at her watch. It was four forty-five.
    What do I do now? she thought. Should I call John?
    She began to nibble on the side of her thumb. No , she said to herself. I won’t do that. I won’t call John until I see Dr. Goldstein. Until I know for sure this whole thing isn’t just a false alarm.
    She sighed and looked at her watch again. It was still four forty-five.
    So what do I do? By the time I get home, it’ll almost be time for me to leave for my appointment. But if I go now, I’ll be more than a half hour early.
    A few seconds of deliberation.
    But there’s no way I can go home now and face the children, and God knows what else. I can’t do that. So…I’ll go over to Dr. Goldstein’s office and just sit and wait for him.
    The decision made, Peg turned around, went back inside and walked across the lobby to the main registration desk. “Is there a pay phone somewhere I can use?” she asked the