Our a Cappella Read Online Free Page A

tongue slip out and graze her lips just so I can see her eyes smoke over. Damn this woman.
    “What’s got ya all worked up?” I ask her after I take a seat.
    “I got the job,” she tells me and I don’t have to question what she’s talkin’ about.
    Tonya’s a marine biologist, a real life scientist, and she’s been pinin’ for a position in a shark laboratory in Bimini. She’ll be swimmin’, catchin’, taggin, and observin’ the sharks of Bimini. A dream come true for her.
    I smile at her, happy her hard work is helpin’ her reach one of the many goals she’s set for herself.
    “When do ya start?” I ask her, proud of her accomplishment.
    “Mid-June,” she responds with such a shit-eatin’ grin I find her excitement contagious.
    “This calls for a brownie,” I tell her.
    “But we haven’t ordered lunch yet,” she says.
    “Brownies then lunch.”
    “Fine,” she agrees on a smile. “A sundae and you’re sharing with me.”
    “’Course I am. Can’t let you get fat on me,” I tease and she flips me off good naturedly.
    Only my stomach revolts after my first bite and I rush to the bathroom just in time. I hate the weakness leaving my body more than the disease that’s probably hell- bent on killin’ me. After I wash my face off several times with cold water, I walk out of the bathroom determined not to ruin Tonya’s celebration. She meets me at the door of the bathroom and her face says it all.
    “I think ya got me pregnant,” I tell her, trying to ease the tension off her face.
    “I got some sticks you can pee on at home,” she says taking my hand in hers.
    “First we gotta celebrate,” I tell her adamantly.
    “My thoughts exactly,” she responds with a sly smile.
    I go back to the table, leavin ’ more money than is necessary for an uneaten sundae and let Tonya go ahead of me to her car. Still not feelin’ well, I shuffle my feet until I reach for the car handle and can hear her music blasting from the outside. I try to remember the name of the band, Elephant Man, maybe?
    Hell if I can remember so I just open the door, slippin ’ myself into the passenger seat. I barely have time to close the doors before she pushes the gas pedal. People in Miami can’t drive worth a shit. And, yea, that includes Tonya. I swear I ain’t never seen that woman use her blinker. But she’s got no problem using the horn. One of these days, I’m disablin’ the damn thing.
    She maneuvers in and out of traffic expertly and we arrive to her townhome faster than I thought possible. Indy drivers should pay homage to this woman.
    Before I can make it into her room, she guides me to her couch where she sits me down and then promptly sits on my lap. I place my hands on her hips, trying to maneuver her so that she is straddling me, but she just shakes her head no at me. I look into her eyes and see the worry in them and know I’ve been out-maneuvered.
    Tonya puts both her hands on my face, forcing me to look at her, and asks, “What’s wrong Nate?”
    But I just shake my head at her. I am given the opportunity to talk but I have no words.
    “Don’t lie to me,” she says, anger creeping into her voice. “You’ve lost weight, you’re tired all the damn time, and you have a cough that only seems to be getting worse. You said you went to the doctor back home but where’s the inhaler for your supposed asthma? ” she accuses, her arms flyin’ wildly in the air. “I haven’t seen you once take any medication. So what is it?”
    I stare into her eyes and see the need to understand as well the desire to help. I also see her anger that’s ready to bust at the seams if I don’t tell her the truth. I sigh, resigned to ruin both of our days.
    Before I speak, I rest my head on the crevice of her neck and breathe her in. Once my words are spoken, there’s no goin’ back. Normalcy between us will cease to exist. I will have cancer while she remains healthy but useless in my plight.
    “I have cancer,” I