chapter one

Isabel smiled and look at herself in the mirror, she was sporting a short black skirt topped with a dark pink three quarter length pin-stripped shirt under a black jacket. On her feet she wore a pair of knee length boots. "Well now my mother does have some taste after all doesn't she?" She brushed the comb through her dark brown hair and backed away from the full length mirror to get a better glance at herself, she liked what she saw as she ran her fingers over her waist down her narrow hips. She nodded and sighed grabbing her purse from her book case.

"ISABEL HALEY DAVIS GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE NOW!"

She rolled her eyes hearing the loud scream over the intercom. Taking one last glance at her reflection, she ran out of her room to find a red faced mother looking at her.

"Your doctor's appointment was at ten thirty, what time is it now young lady?" Her mother's sharp eyes glared into her daughters fancy free face.

Isabel looked at her watch. "Well look at that, it's ten forty-five," she smiled sweetly at her mother. "are we gonna be late?"

Gail Davis grabbed her daughter by the arm and pulled her out of the house, her keys rattling around her finger. Isabel took the keys from her mother and headed for the Red Jeep parked in the drive way.

"I'm driving!" Isabel opened the door to the car and hopped in, turning it on.

Gail walked briskly to the Jeep and stepped inside putting her seat belt on. "You'll have to if we want to get there on time."

She laughed at her mother's comment and backed out of the drive way. "Are you insinuating that I, your only daughter drives like a maniac!" Her right hand reaching for the radio knobs, but it was quickly slapped away by her mother.

"I'm not insinuating anything, I know you drive like a maniac, and how many times have I told you to keep your eyes on the road and both hands on the steering wheel!"

Isabel rolled her eyes and turned on Main street. She shifted to her mother with a coy glance. "Mom, I love you but you really have to learn to cool your jets, go with the flow, live and let live, wake up and smell the ro..."

"I am quickly getting your point Darling. Now, I would 'Go with the flow' if it didn't mean that I had to endanger myself or others with me." She looked at her daughter pushing a wild strand of her hair behind her ear. Isabel pulled away and shook her head.

"MOTHER! DON'T DO THAT! Geez and you're talking about being safe, you scared the shi..."

"Don't cuss that's unattractive Isabel" Gail grabbed her purse and took out her cell phone as the cool breeze continued to blast against her face. She shook her head disapprovingly. "Don't you have a cover for this car? What possessed your father to buy this in the first place"

A chuckle escaped Isabel's lips. "Daddy loves me, I wanted one so he got it."

She pointed a finger. "You're right, but this is not your car, its mine. You own the silver Eclipse parked in garage. I wanted a nice sensible easy car and your father, being as stubborn as he is, decided with out my consent mind you, that this thing was going to be a good car for me. What was he thinking?"

Isabel chuckled, this was the hundredth time she heard the 'what was your father thinking when he bought this car' speech, she had to admit though that every time it was different and getting funnier with each new story. Isabel pulled into the crowed parking lot to her doctor's office and looked around, this would be her fifth visit in the last two months. "Aren't these people supposed to be at work or at school? Geez EVERYONE'S getting sick!"

Gail smiled and stepped out of the car walking around to her daughters side. "Yes they are dear, come on I bet Randy is worrying himself because you're not there."

Both woman walked quickly towards the hospital entrance, passing the front desk. Gail was a good friend of Randy Timberlake, her doctor, and it was his day off so they didn't have to wait. Isabel's mocha eyes took every little detail in of the hospital, from what hung on the walls to what pattern the tile floor was. Her mother always told her she was the most observant person she had ever known. Isabel was the type that noticed everything, from a small scratch on a knee to a trim on her friend's hair. Nothing went past her and she had to admit she liked noticing everything.

"Isabel, Sweetie would you mind walking faster? Dr. Timberlake is waiting and I'm sure he's not happy about you being an hour late."

Isabel rolled her eyes and nodded picking up the pace. As they were leaving the room, her eyes couldn't help but attach themselves to a group of five men who were in the waiting room. There was a mystery behind thier faces. She couldn't see thier eyes because of the dark shades that cover them, their clothes were something else, she never thought guys had much of a fashion sense but these guys proved her wrong, they looked like they had stepped out of GQ magazine itself. One sporting a leather jacket over dark denim jeans to one wearing a soft baby blue Abercrombie & Fitch sweater over black cargo pants. She felt her eyes look unabashedly towards the men one last time and jogged to catch up with her mother who had already made her way into her doctor's office. Isabel watched as the two talked, she couldn't help but see the flirtatious smile creeping on her mother's lips, her eyes rolled, she could never take her mother out where handsome men were concerned. Even though she was a happily married woman of twenty years to her father, Gail Davis was one of the most flirtatious women Isabel had ever known, and it was even worse knowing that it was her mother.

Dr. Randy Timberlake looked up and smiled as Isabel entered the room. "Hello Sweetie," he looked down at his watch, a small frown on his lips. "I believe I did schedule your appointment for ten thirty and oh look, it appears that it's eleven thirty on my watch." His bright smile stayed plastered to his lips as if it where glued in place.

Isabel smiled slightly and walked to him. "I know I'm very sorry, I didn't know what to wear." He chuckled while her mother rolled her eyes.

"This child knows that she looks good in everything she buys, so it's a wonder she still has to spend thirty minutes trying to decide on what to wear."

Dr. Timberlake nodded. "I know what you mean, I have a son who is exactly the same way. Which in some way makes me worry." He smiled.

It was Isabel's turn to laugh. "Believe me guys have it easy, they can just throw on a shirt and a pair of jeans and look fine, girls on the other hand have to make sure that the top matches the pants, the shoes match the top and the purse matches everything. Not to mention if they put thier hair up, that has to match too!" She counted off on her fingers to make sure she got everything.

Gail rolled her eyes eyeing what her daughter was wearing. Her eyes traveled from her shoulders to her waist, to her legs. "Well if that's how it is, then why aren't you wearing magenta boots?"

She smiled at her mother coyly. "Because black goes with everything mother, you should know since you wear it often." Her smile widened.

Dr. Timberlake was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the two women looking at each other like that. He coughed and clapped his hands to get both of their attention. "Well, I think that we should get started." He turned to Isabel. "I'm sure you spent a lot of time picking out your beautiful outfit since you are an hour late, but you know routine, you're gonna have to strip down into a hospital robe." He walked across the elegantly designed office and grabbed a light blue tissue robe. Isabel took it, looking at the folded up robe as if it were the most horrific rodent she had ever seen. He smiled seeing her common expression. "It's not as bad as it looks."

She looked up at him, their eyes meeting. "Are you saying there is an upside to liking something that you have to strip down naked and wear nothing under in?"

He laughed turning to Gail, who had taken a seat on the fine leather couch against the far fall. She smiled looking up from the magazine she was reading. "My daughter, the sarcastic one of the family."

"I see." He turned back to the young woman before him and smiled. She was turning the robe in her hands. "Well we've wasted enough of our time talking about senseless things as robes. Now Sweetie, I want you to go into the bathroom and change and then we'll head out to the examination room. Good deal?"

She sighed and nodded. "Okay, I'll be back. The next time you'll see me I'll be the one wearing the dress that will win me the Golden Hanger Award!"

Gail and her doctor laughed and watched as she made her way into the bathroom. 

Randy looked at Gail and walked to her taking a seat beside his worried friend. "She's going to be okay Gail, we just have to run some tests and then she'll be starting chemo soon and I'm sure we'll have this thing beat before you know it." He reassured her.

Gail nodded and wrapped him in a hug. "I don't want to lose my baby girl Randy, I cant lose her." She whimpered in his shoulder, the two were interrupted by a low cough.

Randy looked up and smiled. The young man leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest, a smug smile on his lips. "What would mom say if she were to walk in here right now Pop?" His smile stayed on his handsome face. Randy let go of Gail and walked to his son wrapping his arm around his shoulders.

"Nothing, because your mother knows who this woman is you little Racsal." He smiled hugging the young man who appeared to be taller then his father.

"Yo dad... stop... can't... breath... squeezing too hard!" The young man gasped for air to enter his lungs.

Gail laughed at the two men and walked to the bathroom to see if her daughter needed any help. She knocked lightly. "Hunny are you okay in there?"

"I'm fine but I can't get the back to stay closed. I'm not about to walk around a hospital with my butt exposed to every pervert out there!"

Gail laughed and jiggled the door knob. "Let me in and I'll fix it for you."

"Okay one second."  A second as promised the door opened, she walked in the spacious bathroom locking the door behind her. Gail looked up at her daughter, she couldn't believe how even in frustration her daughter was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen, and that was not coming from a mother sense. Isabel was one of a kind, her body not only beautiful, but past her narcissism and pride she was a big teddy bear waiting to hug everyone that came in her path. She moved her long dark hair so she could tie up the back securely making sure there was nothing visible.

"Okay sweetie you're done." Gail patted her daughter on the back and turned her around to face her. She looked into her daughter's suddenly troubled expression. "Are you okay Sweetie?"

She nodded solemnly. "Yeah, I think so."  Isabel took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second to let herself calm down. She smiled brightly, a beautiful smile only she could possess.

Gail looked at her daughter and smiled back, she was the most wonderful person and all she wanted was to make sure that she was okay. "Come on, I think Randy's is waiting for us."

She nodded and walked to the door locking her arms behind her back as extra protection. Gail laughed. "A little paranoid aren't we Dear?"

She looked back at her mother opening the door. "Well if your butt was on display then you would feel a little self conscious too don't you think?" 

A nod came from the other woman as they walked into the office. Randy's son looked up to see the woman he had seen his father hugging, this time with a much younger looking woman. He figured it was her daughter, a smile crossed his lips as she stood awkwardly behind the older woman, the girl was busy biting her lips to notice he was looking at her.

Randy noticed his son was paying no attention to him and turned to see what had caught his attention. He smiled seeing Isabel behind Gail, her arms tightly locked together in back of her. Quickly he stood up and grabbed his son's arm to pull him up. "Come on, let me introduce you to her before you pop your cornea."

Justin turned to his father, confusion glazing his eyes. "What?"

Randy laughed as they made their way to the two women. Gail smiled as Randy and his son walked to them.

"Well this must be your son." She looked at the handsome young man who looked nothing like his father.

The young man smile politely and shook her hand. "Yeah."

Gail nodded and looked over her shoulder to Isabel who was busy doing something with her robe. She elbowed her in the stomach to get her attention.

"Oww mother!" She looked up suddenly and came face to face with with a young man who looked seemingly familar.

Randy watched as the two looked at each other. He bumped his son, sending him tripping a few steps. Gail backed away so he wouldn't bump into her. When he caught his balance he turned and glared at his father, after a smug smirk from him he turned back to the beautiful girl before his eyes. "Ugh... umm... hi, Im..."

"Cat got your tongue? I see. "

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Justin, I'm Justin." He extended his hand over Gail's shoulder to shake Isabel's hand.

She looked at it curiously and looked at him. "Isabel." She ignored his hand and looked at Randy. "Can we get this over with?"

Justin quickly retracted his hand and placed it in his pocket embarrassed, his eyes shifted to the floor hoping she wouldnt see it.

Isabel looked at him taking in his lineaments, the curly reddish brown hair, soft blue eyes, full lips, nice cheek bones, good size nose, strong jaw. She smiled, he was handsome, nice smile, a little on the crooked side but nice never the less. She noticed a little pimple near his chin, it was good knowing even the best looking guys had blemishes.

Randy smile watching Isabel's observant eyes size Justin down. Braking the tension that was mounting between the two he coughed. "Well let's get this ball rolling, come on Isabel, the sooner we get the blood samples the faster you'll be out of the thing you love most and back into your nice clothes." 

She broke her concentration on Justin and looked up at her doctor, her head moving up and down as she understood what he told her. "Okyee dokyee, let's get this done and over with." She walked past her mother to the examination room, a room she was getting used to visiting lately. Gail walked after her leaving the two men alone with each other's company.

Justin turned to his father. "So who was that?" He smiled thinking about the girl that just walking into his life.

Randy smiled at his son and together they walked out of the room following the two women. "One of my patients. Her mother Gail, is an old friend of mine and your mother's. When Isabel was diagnosed, she wanted the best doctors to help her, so she came to me."

Justin stopped in his tracks and grabbed his fathers arm. "Diagnosed?"

Randy nodded. "Yeah, she has Lymphoma."

He looked at his father curiously. "Lymphoma?" He looked at him curisouly. "What's that?"

Randy sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's another form of Cancer Son."

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