Cowboy Casanova

Chapter 15 (Two Weeks Later)

TIM POV: It's been two weeks since I received the diagnosis. Kendricks says I'm at stage three. Apparently I'm close to four, though.

I haven't thought all to much about it... Okay, never mind. 

Faith has been a wreck since we got the news, constantly reminding me that I have less than a year left... The girls know, but they don't understand how short my time left is. I only have around four months till I start going insane according to the hospital. After that, I have another four months till it's all over. Part of me just wants to go before I start going crazy. I don't think Faith understands what the tumor can do... 

It was about a month before Tug died when I last talked to him. He was acting different, and even forgot Faith's name. He started apologizing immediately. I guess that was more guilt than anything. But then he started talking about things that weren't adding up. 

"I remember when you and Mark used to play catch out back when you were young." was how it started. I didn't even know about Mark till I was 19 years old. I didn't even know about Tug till I was 11. 

He was losing his mind, talking about Mom and him getting married on the beach, how I should really marry a girl named Carrie that he saw on TV because the bachelor life isn't for me, and how he was going to meet up with Elvis Presley for lunch later that day. I couldn't do anything besides smile and nod. It broke me to see him like that. God forbid my own kids have to experience that with me.

Today, Faith is going to work for the first time in two weeks. I have an interview on Letterman tonight. The news got around to the tabloids, so my publicist is already talking my ears off. It really doesn't matter if I listen to him or not. I just pray that after these next four months, Faith pulls me as far from the spotlight as possible. I don't want to be known as this crazy guy after I'm gone. 

Backstage at Letterman, I call Faith. The phone rings three times before she answers with her sweet voice. 

"Hello?" She says. 

"Hey." I say. "I'm at Letterman right now, so the girls are with Ma at home. I know she fed them and got them all ready for bed, so you shouldn't have to deal with too much." I say, filling her in. She takes a sigh of relief. 

"Thank god."

"Tough day?"

"Yeah," she says, sounding exhausted. "I wish we could've just stayed home, you know?" She adds. I don't feel the same way. Going back to work is bringing back whatever normalcy there still is. 

"Yeah, well we'll be home soon." I say. She takes a deep breath. 

"You're right."

"I'm always right." I say. I hear her laugh, which is music to my ears. We haven't laughed all too much since we got the news. "Well, I'll see you when I get home tonight."

"Alright," she says. "You going to be late?" She asks. 

"It seems like it. I wouldn't wait up if I were you, because I got post interview crap to do too." I say. She sighs. 

"Okay."

"But when I do get home," I say, trying to change her mood. "I'm going to have a little post party." 

"Oh really?" She says, sounding intrigued. 

"Yeah, party for two." I say provocatively. She laughs. 

"Sounds like it could be fun." She teases. 

"Can I expect to see you there?" I ask. She thinks for a second. 

"I guess." 

"Alrighty, see you then." I say, laughing a little bit. "Love you"

"Love you too." She replies. We hang up right when I'm called up for my interview. I'm the first to be interviewed tonight.