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they measure their lives in Little League standings, math tests and piano lessons, but in the mortal scores of magnetic resonance imaging, mean hormone values and Tanner grades. Suddenly she had something in common with the mothers of cancer-ridden Coburn. |
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Calvin arrived home shortly before Matty. Her summary of Dr. Tojian's report left him shaken, more than she had expected. More than just fear for Matty, all his dreams of starting a new life in upstate New York had suddenly been shattered. |
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"There's just no way we can think about moving. Even if his condition is reversible, I don't like the idea of hauling him off to some Podunk place with strange doctors." |
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"It's not like we're moving to Borneo," Calvin said. "Albany is less than an hour's ride." |
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"And Boston's in our backyard. Besides, I want Mitch Tojian on his case. He's known Matty all his life." |
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"He isn't the only pediatrician in the universe." |
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Her eyes flared at him. "How could you even think of moving?" |
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"I'm saying let's not just write it off yet." |
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"I haven't," she said, "but if he gets through this okay, maybe they can put a hold on the job until next year." |
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Next year? That wasn't how it worked. If he didn't accept the position now, it would be offered to the next name on their list. Priest had all but said that. It was now or never. Frustration tightened his chest. She was right, of course. Yet he felt the promise of his lifetime slip from his fingers. For the past several days Argyle-on-the-Hudson had become in his mind a place of healing, where they would move to and be whole again. "Well, let's not be hasty," he said feebly. "Just wait a few days." |
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"I already did," she said. |
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He nodded. "What did you tell her?" |
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"That we're putting things on hold." |
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"Not in any detail. I just said Matty needed some tests. I said we'd know more next week." |
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