New Beginnings

"Is that supposed to make me change the way I feel about you?" he asked with a gentle smile.

"I'm not sure I understand," she said even though it was a simple question.

"Margaux? I told you I'm very picky about the women I date. And yes, Doctor Willows was correct. I do prefer women who are older than me. But I don't draw lines at some arbitrary age. All the matters is that I find a woman interesting and attractive and you are very much both of those things."

Now feeling flustered as though she really was back in high school, she said, "I...I just don't want to get hurt again. That's all."

"Hurt?" he said.

She tried to smile then said, "Well, yes. It would be very easy for me to get involved with a man like you. I mean, you're this unbelievably attractive doctor, and you're amazingly smart and, as I learned tonight, you're also very funny."

"I thought those were positive traits," he said as he looked into her eyes.

"They are. And...you're wonderful, Archer. But...well, I'm...I'm 52 years old and divorced and...."

"And unbelievably sexy and desirable and smart and funny and...did I say 'sexy'?" he said as he gently reached out and brushed her hair back as he moved closer.

His lips were now very close to hers now, and Margaux's body was crying out for him to kiss her. In fact, it was begging her to beg him to stay, but her brain was telling her to slow down and then to run.

"Archer. That's all so sweet and you have no idea how much I liked hearing it, but...seriously. What could you possibly see in me? I'm not only 52 and divorced, but I got let go from my job because of my age and well it gets worse."

"Try me," he said with a smile.

"Well, I told Allison if she loses her hair, I'd cut mine off, too. And then what would you think?" she said. "I wouldn't exactly be...what did you say? Sexy? I'd be anything but sexy with a shaved head."

"I'd think you'd look like the most amazing mom ever, and that you'd look even hotter with short hair. Don't get me wrong. I love your hair like this," he said as he gently played with it. "But you'd look hot as hell with short hair."

"But I'd be...bald," she reminded him.

"Not for long, and if you'd agree to see me again—you know, regularly—I'll shave my head, too."

"You...you'd do that?" she said as she looked at his gorgeous, thick, black hair.

"It grows back," he told her. "And some women think bald is sexy."

She was trying to imagine him with a shaved head and realized he would look almost as good—no, hot—like that—as he did right now.

"Can I think about it?" she asked sweetly.

"I hope you will," he told her as he softly touched her face.

"Margaux?" he said quietly after a moment of silence.

"Yes?" she whispered.

"I don't like you for your hair. I like you because of who you are," he told her.

She stood there looking back on all the years she'd been married and the many, many times she'd wished Mark had been able to say something like that to her; anything even close to that, in fact.

Her heart was once again pounding out of her chest as she told him he really should probably go.

"May I kiss you first?" he asked as he raised his eyebrows in hopeful anticipation.

She looked down for a moment then, against her better judgment said very quietly, "Okay," before looking back up and meeting his eyes.

"You are so beautiful," he told her again before kissing her for several seconds.

Unable to speak after the kiss ended, Margaux stood there and listened to him say, "Goodnight, Margaux. Thank you for letting me get to know you," as though she were watching the Dr. Rhodes on television rather than experiencing this with the real Dr. Rhodes.

"You're welcome?" she said in the form of a question as he took her trembling hands out of his knowing she was the one who should be thanking him for coming over and being there for her.

He stood there for a moment then said, "I know you're going to be incredibly busy with Allison, and you know I work a lot of hours, but I'd like to see you anytime I can. Even if it's just for coffee or heaven forbid, cafeteria food."

Margaux laughed a nervous laugh then said, "I'd like that very much. I'll text you whenever we're going to the hospital."

"And I'll let you know whenever I have some time off."

"That...that sounds perfect," she told him.

"Well...goodnight," he said before kissing her on the cheek then letting himself out.

When the door closed Margaux stood there and said out loud, "Oh, my God. What just happened here tonight?"

And then she realized she hadn't thought about Allison more than peripherally since Archer showed up, and suddenly she was unable to remember any of the feelings she'd just experienced as the most frightening of thoughts entered her mind about what might lay ahead for her daughter.

At Abbie's house, as the two of them lay in bed a few feet apart from one another, Abbie could tell Allison was very upset and asked, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I'm never going to fall in love," she said through the tears was she was trying not to cry. "Or get married. Or have kids."

"Allison. We're fourteen. Come on!" Abbie said trying to be helpful without knowing how.

"That's easy for you to say. You're going be 15 then 20 and 30 and you'll do all those things. But me? I never will."

Abbie got out of bed then laid down next to her best friend and told her, "You're going to be fine, okay? You have to believe that. You do, right?"

"I don't know," Allison said as she tried her best to stop crying. "I honestly don't know, Abbie."

"You will. I promise," her friend said. "Now go to sleep, okay?"

Allison pulled her friend's arm around her and said, "Please stay with me, okay?"

"Of course," Abbie said as tears of her own welled up in her eyes.

The next morning, Abbie's mom drove Allison home and as she dropped her off asked, "Allison? Can I do anything to help?"

"No. I'll be fine," she said feeling better in the light of day.

"You'll let us know if we can, though, right?"

"Sure. And thanks for having me over," Allison told her.

"Anytime, sweetie. You know we love you, right?"

Abbie's mom had never said that, and it was obvious why she was doing so now. Allison knew people didn't die in a week or two from cancer, but still, it was like she was saying goodbye in some strange kind of way.

"Yes. I know. And I love you, too," she said as she hugged her friend goodbye then got out and ran inside desperately needing to talk to her mom.

Margaux had been up for a while after a very fitful night.

When Allison ran straight to her Margaux knew her daughter had had one, too.

"Come here, sweetheart," he mom said as Allison sat on her lap and just held her.

After letting her cry for a while, Margaux said, "Hey, you want something to eat?"

"No. I just want to sit with you for a while longer. Is that okay?"

"Yes. Of course it is, honey. Sit for as long as you like."

After a period of time went by, Allison said, "Do you think I'll ever fall in love?"

"Honey? Where is that coming from?" her mom asked.

"I don't know. I...I was just wondering if I ever will."

"Of course you will, sweetheart!" her mom assured her.

They both knew neither of them could be sure so Allison let it go then said, "Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Do you like Doctor Rhodes?"

"What? Now where is that coming from?" she asked trying not to sound harsh.

"I saw the way he looked at you. And...and the way you looked at him."

Allison pulled back then said, "I just want you to be happy again."

"But I am happy," her mother told her.

"No. No, you're not. Not like...before," her daughter told her and Margaux knew it was true. Until she lost her job she did a pretty good job putting on a strong front, but there was no denying her life had become a shell of its former self and when she was honest, she knew she was anything but happy.

"Let's not worry about me right now, okay?" Margaux said. "You are all that matters."

"No. That's not true," Allison said. "We all matter. All of us. And I want you to be happy again, Mom—really happy. So...so if you want to, you know, like...go out with Doctor Rhodes, please don't not go out with him because of me, okay?"

Allison looked into her mother's eyes to make sure she knew she meant what she was saying.

"Okay," her mom told her now recalling the way he'd made her feel just hours before and the way he'd kissed her.

"Promise?"

"Yes. I promise," her mom told her as she tried not to tear up.

Allison sat there on her lap just looking at her before Margaux asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No. I'm trying to imagine you being bald. That's all," Allison said before laughing and making her mom laugh, too.

"Come here, kiddo!" her mom said as she pulled her 'baby' close and held her for a good long while being getting up to make them something to eat. They had breakfast together then went to Allison's school to get her assignments and let her teachers and swimming coach know what was going on.

Margaux was unbelievably proud of her daughter as she informed each of her teachers what was she was facing, and was also very touched by the way all of them hugged her, or in the case of the two male teachers, shook her hand, and wished her well.

They promised they'd send each day's assignments to her on line so she could keep up with them, and wherever possible, they'd make special allowance if she simply couldn't do something like creating an invention for a science project.

"Okay, you ready to get started?" her mom asked after they stopped off for lunch at Allison's favorite restaurant.

"I am," her daughter said bravely. "And thank you for lunch. I may not be able to eat much with the chemo."

"That's not always the case, but if it is, we'll deal with that one day and one meal at a time, too," her mom assured her.

That afternoon, Allison had her first treatment.

Archer stopped by and chatted with them both before asking Margaux if she had a moment to talk to him alone.

The way he said it made her think he was about to tell her he'd decided there really was no reason to keep seeing her, but instead he said, "I had such a great time with you."

Pleasantly surprised, she told him, "So did I."

"I really want to see you again, but I understand your priorities. I'll be happy to take a minute here or an hour there," he assured her.

Her heart was fluttering again even as thoughts of being hurt by this gorgeous, younger man swept over her.

"Let's just take it a day at a time, okay?" she said sweetly repeating her new mantra.

"I'm okay with that," he told her with a smile. "You're more than worth waiting for, Margaux."

People were walking by and several very attractive, younger women told him 'hello' with big, bright smiles causing her to realize just how popular he was with the ladies.

He sensed her discomfort and after the last such event, he took her hands again then moved closer to kiss her. When she didn't balk or pull away, he did and as much as Margaux had always been against 'public displays of affection' she gladly kissed him back.

"I'll be thinking about both of you," he told her as he slowly pulled back.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "I...I find myself thinking about you quite often now."

"Join the crowd," he said with a smile before kissing her quickly one more time. "I hate to run, but duty calls."

"No. I understand, Archer. You never have to apologize."

"See you soon?" he said.

"Yes," she said with a sweet smile of her own as he smiled and waved as he headed down the hall.

Allison felt nothing at all for several hours after her first treatment. She was even able to eat dinner, but later that evening, Margaux saw her suddenly jump up and head straight for the bathroom as she covered her mouth with her hands.

After hearing her daughter retch, she went in and asked her if she could help.

"Can you hold my hair up?" Allison asked, her head held over the toilet bowl just before puking violently again.

Margaux held her hair until she had nothing left to throw up then got her a warm, wet wash cloth so she could clean herself up. When she finished, the two of them held each other for a moment before Allison said, "I feel better now. Thanks, Mom."

Trying not to cry, her mom said, "Honey? If you ever need me, you call me. Anytime. Day or night. No matter how big or small. Okay?"

Allison nodded and tried to smile before hugging her mom again then going to lay down until the urge to vomit hit her again.

Allison continued her treatments as laid out by Dr. Willows, and her mom continued seeing the handsome young doctor as often as their schedules permitted. They did their best to keep it from Allison until she surprised them one morning by leaving her room as they stood out in the hall holding hands face to face.

"Ah, hah! I knew it!" she said when she saw them. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Archer was smiling after Margaux snatched her hands away as though she'd been doing something wrong.

"Well, I guess I just thought there wasn't all that much to tell, honey," she said to her daughter.

Allison gave her a 'look' as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

"Okay. Well, maybe there is something to tell. I just wasn't sure you'd want to know."

"Mom!" she said in her best kid voice. "I have to live vicariously through you now. You know that, right?"

Allison reached up to brush her long hair back behind her ear when a clump came out causing her mom to feel momentarily sick even though she knew this was coming.

"Yeah, I was brushing my hair this morning and noticed it was starting."

"Um...looks like someone is going to be shaving her head real soon," Dr. Rhodes said with a smile.

"If you really do decide to do do that, we're doing it together," Allison said without asking for approval.

"You did promise," the doctor reminded Margaux with a slight tilt of the head.

"Yes, and I meant it," she said. "Just tell me whenever your ready."

"I'd say...very soon," Allison told her as she pulled out another clump causing her mom to wince. "It's okay. It doesn't hurt. It just...comes out."

"All right. Then we'll do it later today after we find some clippers," her mom said trying to be brave, and now very much wishing she hadn't offered.

Allison looked over at 'Dr. McDreamy' and said with a smile of her own, "You don't really have to cut your hair, Mom. I don't want to ruin your chances with my future step-dad."

Allison smiled as her mom did another 'recoil in horror' kind of thing which caused Dr. Rhodes to laugh.

"Hay, you never know!" he said.

This time there was a little shoulder shrug instead of the head tilt. "And for the record, it won't matter one bit how much hair your mom has."

He leaned over toward Allison then said, "Your mom is gonna look hot no matter what."

"See! I told you!" she said to her mom was on the verge of blushing for the first time in...decades.

"I think Doctor Rhodes may need to see one of his colleagues in the psychiatry department and take you with him," Margaux said as she fought off the flow of blood to her face.

"No, I think he's pretty much nailed it, Mom," Allison told her. "You are hot. I just hope I'm half as hot when I'm old enough to find someone of my own."

Dr. Rhodes walked over to her, put his arm around her shoulder, leaned close and said, "Let me assure you you're already there."

Allison beamed with pleasure and unlike her mother, her cheeks glowed very red a second later.

"He's right, honey. You got it goin' on, and there will plenty of hot guys chasing after you," her mom said chiming in.

"You know...." Dr. Rhodes said. "We have clippers here for when we need to shave body hair before doing surgery. I could track down a pair and the three of us could 'rock it' cueball style."

"Gee, thanks, Arch...Doctor Rhodes," Margaux said having already forgotten about the promise.

"Really? You'd do it with us?" Allison asked with great enthusiasm.

"I sure will," he told her. "I always keep my word."

The last comment was directed to Allison's mom who never really thought someone so handsome would shave off all that gorgeous, yummy hair. Now she was faced with keeping her word or finding a way to try and gracefully back out which really meant 'weaseling out' and she wasn't about to do that no matter how much it killed her.

"Okay. I'm ready," Margaux said trying to muster up some courage by saying the words out loud.

"Great. I have to check on a couple of patients, but I'll be back within an hour. We can use the restroom in the doctor's lounge to wash our white, bald scalps off afterwards."

"White?" Allison asked wondering what that meant.

"Sure. The last time your scalp saw sunlight was when you were a baby," Dr. Rhodes told her. "Our scalps are very white. And living around here, they may not darken up before our hair grows back."

He smiled then said, "And it will grow back. I promise."

Just before the good doctor came back Margaux was losing her nerve when Allison went to brush her hair back again, and another small clump ended up in her hand.

Her thoughts were interrupted a few moments later when she heard, "Okay! Who's first?"

Dr. Rhodes was holding up the clippers and smiling like he was the bearer of some kind of treasure.

"Me! I want to go first!" Allison said. "Will you shave it?"

"At your service!" Dr. Rhodes told her with a bow.

He grabbed a chair, draped a towel he'd brought with him around her shoulders then asked, "Just a light trim today, sir?"

Allison giggled for the first time in weeks as she said, "No, let's shave it all off, okay?"

Dr. Rhodes leaned closer and said, "Okay. It's your hair. You ready?"

"Yep!" Allison said.

In just over a minute, she was as bald as bald could be.

"I wanna see!" she said almost jumping up to get a look in the mirror.

After the briefest moment of shock, she smiled then said, "Cool! Mom? Do you like it?"

Her daughter turned around and the shock really hit her, too, but she found a way to say, "It's all the rage! Anyone who's anyone is shaving their head."

"Milady?" Dr. Rhodes said pointing to the chair.

Margaux teared up but didn't cry as the clippers sheared off her long, beautiful locks one row at a time.

"You look great, Mom!" Allison told her as she nearly pulled her out of the chair toward the mirror.

"Oh...my...gawd...." Margaux said as she turned left then right.

"You look like Lieutenant Illia in the Star Trek movie from back in 1979," Archer told her. "And she was hot! I had a huge crush on her after seeing the movie."

"But not in 1979," Margaux quipped.

"Um...no. I did not watch the release," he admitted knowing he was several years from even being a gleam in his father's eye when it hit the big screen that year.

"Allison? You wanna do me?" Dr. Rhodes asked extending the clippers.

Margaux saw the way she was smiling and prayed her daughter wouldn't say something about him 'doing' her. Mercifully, she only smiled as she took the clippers.

"Just don't gouge into my scalp, okay?" he said as he took a seat.

It took Allison a couple of passes to get it right, but she was able to shear him like a sheep in short order.

He took an admiring look at himself then pulled out his phone and said, "Group pic!"

They took a couple of selfies when a nurse who was walking by stopped and did a double take.

"Doctor...Rhodes?" she said in complete disbelief.

"In the flesh, but not...in the hair," he said keeping everyone's spirits up. "Hey, would you take a pic of us?"

"Um...okay," she said unable to take her eyes off the newly-shorn doctor.

"Hey! We're a newer version of The Three Stooges!" he said before going into his 'Wise Guy' routine again.

"I love Curly!" Allison said. "We watched them all the time when I was little, right Mom?"