Wild Chance (Wilder Irish #13) - Mari Carr Page 0,50

results of her pap smear had come back abnormal, and the doctor wanted to do a second test.

Sunnie scanned the letter, then mercifully shrugged, clearly unconcerned. Emmy had immediately done a bit of research online after reading the results, and she’d discovered that false positives were common. Sunnie’s casual response seemed to support that information.

“You’ve only had the one pap smear, right?” Sunnie asked.

Emmy nodded.

“Then go back for the second. And don’t worry yet. It’s waaaay too early to worry. It’s either a false positive or, if not, you could have a slight infection or something. The chance that it’s cancer is minimal. Like, seriously minimal.”

“Okay. That’s good to know.”

Sunnie studied her face for a moment. “But that’s not really what you wanted to know, is it? I mean, a quick Google search would have told you that.”

Emmy sighed. “That’s not all I wanted to talk about, no.”

“Did you tell Paddy about it?” Sunnie asked. “Oh my God. Did he freak out?”

Emmy hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. “No. I didn’t tell him. I wanted to wait until I got the results of the second pap smear.”

“I think that’s a good idea.”

Emmy breathed a sigh of relief. In addition to the medical information, she’d been hoping for Sunnie’s reassurance over not telling Padraig. She knew what he’d gone through with Mia, and there was no way in hell she wanted to cause him a minute of worry if she could spare him. Especially since there was a chance this abnormal pap smear result was a false positive.

“You do? Really?” Emmy pressed. She’d been stressed out the last two days, less about the results and more about Padraig’s reaction to the results.

“Yeah, I do. Waiting is prudent. I mean…after what Paddy went through with Mia.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Emmy said.

“When’s your second test?” Sunnie asked.

“Tomorrow.”

“Excellent. So you don’t have too long to worry about it. And if this one comes back negative…” Sunnie paused.

“You don’t think I should tell Paddy at all, do you?” Emmy asked, grateful for her friend’s advice.

Sunnie had been there during Padraig’s marriage to Mia. His cousin had an insight into Padraig that Emmy didn’t have. All Emmy knew of Padraig and Mia’s relationship was secondhand stories, from Padraig and from others. Hearing things after the fact was different from having a front-row seat, so she really didn’t know how this news might impact him. If he’d take it in stride or if he’d—as Sunnie said—freak out.

Sunnie shrugged. “I don’t think you should tell him. I mean, if it’s negative, then what is there to tell? If it had been a negative this time, would you have told him about it?”

Emmy shook her head. “No. I wouldn’t have even thought about it. It’s just a routine physical. But do you think this is lying through omission? This relationship between me and Paddy is new, and I don’t want to screw things up, Sunnie. So is it better to save him from the hurt and worry this might cause or come clean about all of it?”

Sunnie didn’t respond right away, taking her time to think, which Emmy respected. “Tell him after you get the results from the second test. Regardless of what they are. You need to be able to talk to him about stuff like this. It’s part of being a couple. I just want you to be prepared because I really don’t know how he’ll respond.”

Emmy nodded. “Okay. I will. And you’re right, he and I do need to talk about it. So…after the second test, I’m coming clean. Thanks, Sunnie. I really appreciate it.”

“What’s going on here?” Padraig said, walking over to their table, a large box labeled “dishes” in his hands.

Emmy panicked briefly, wondering if he’d heard anything they were talking about.

“I came to borrow a spicy romance novel from Mom,” Sunnie said, quickly diverting Padraig’s attention while Emmy hastily shoved the letter from the doctor back into her purse. “Ran into the author on my way to the kitchen.”

Padraig chuckled and rested the box, which appeared heavy, on the edge of their table.

“You guys need any help?” Emmy offered.

“Naw. We’ve moved all we planned to. Just the heavy shit today—furniture, books, dishes. Erin, Oliver, and Gavin said they can handle the lighter things, like their clothes, sheets, towels. Truth is, they don’t have a whole lot of stuff. Oliver and Gavin lost most of their possessions in the fire. Good thing Erin had her own apartment full of furniture they