Chapter 94 Poor and Desperate
In any case, after the townspeople learned that Matilda and Wentworth had reconciled, many offered their blessings.
After all, the town was so small that the shop owners all knew each other. While competitors might secretly compete, the border town residents were genuinely grateful for both the soldiers and doctors.
...
Levi took Ava to Prairie Horizon Medical Center in the county the next day for testing.
That day, Levi came back very late—it was already dark when he returned to the clinic.
Matilda was cooking a pot of chicken and vegetable soup in the backyard. Seeing them return, she hurried out to ask how things went.
But both Levi and Ava looked wrong—one frowning deeply, the other sitting on a bench sighing.
Matilda didn't dare ask too much, only saying, "Dr. MacAllister, Mrs. MacAllister, you're just getting back. Are you hungry? I made soup—would you like a bowl?"
When she had overly greasy meals at the town restaurant for lunch, she'd cook soup or stew for dinner, since eating out every meal made her stomach uncomfortable.
Ava glanced at Matilda, her eyes suddenly reddening as tears began to fall.
"Mrs. MacAllister, don't worry. We'll figure out a solution together if there are difficulties."
Levi said, "The doctors at Prairie Horizon Medical Center suspect... liver cancer. Results won't be back for a week. We'll know for sure when the report comes."
Normally, with serious illnesses, doctors would inform family members first before deciding whether to tell the patient, but in small counties like this, family expressions were hard to hide and patients could tell immediately, so Levi didn't conceal anything.
Matilda said, "But there are no results yet, right? We'll figure out what to do when the results come back."
Levi and Ava had naturally already prepared for the worst.
Ava said, "I won't tell our two sons about this. They're both working out of state and need their money to support their kids. I'll call them back when I'm close to the end. There's no point treating my illness—it's a waste of money."
Levi said, "We should treat it. You gave birth to them and raised them. If they don't treat you, their consciences will never be clear."
Ava was firm. "I said no treatment means no treatment. Don't put the burden on the kids. Besides, I've already lived to fifty-something—that's enough. If you make them go bankrupt, I won't be happy even in heaven!"
Levi sighed.
In remote small towns like this, many people weren't obsessed with life and death. They'd put off minor illnesses and refuse treatment for major ones, especially the elderly. Many didn't even have insurance and worried about spending extra money just getting medication at the clinic, let alone treating cancer that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Matilda didn't know what to say for a moment. Cancer treatment was expensive—even if she emptied her savings, she couldn't help much.
Levi gathered some things and left with Ava.
Over the next few days, she noticed Levi spacing out occasionally—waiting for results was clearly agonizing.
Finally, the day came for the results. Levi took Ava to the county again.
Since they were just picking up a report, they returned early.
Matilda heard them arguing outside.
"I said no treatment means no treatment. Stop talking about it. I will not leave everything at home to go to the state hospital with you. If I go, who'll take care of our grandson? Who'll cook for you?"
"If you're gone, that's when they'll really be heartbroken."
"If I make this family go into debt because of treatment, that's when their lives will be hard. Do you want me to be that sinner?"
...
After arguing for a while, both their tones grew heated, and people from surrounding shops came out to watch.
Small places were like that—good news might not spread beyond home, but bad news could travel far.
News of Ava's serious illness quickly spread through town. Local people didn't understand medicine much—any cancer was classified as "terminal."
That night when Matilda went to the restaurant for dinner, she heard the owner and several diners discussing it.
"Dr. MacAllister graduated from medical school and came back to treat people in town—that should be a good thing. How did his wife end up with a terminal illness?"
"That's life being unpredictable. Good people don't live long, while bad people easily live to a hundred."
"But Dr. MacAllister is still young. Finding another wife won't be difficult."
...
That evening when Wentworth called Matilda, she told him about this situation.
She was just lamenting ordinary people's helplessness.
"I feel like Dr. MacAllister still wants to treat Mrs. MacAllister, but his abilities are limited."
Wentworth said, "Any man would refuse to give up on his wife."
"Today they argued on the street and lots of people found out. Mrs. MacAllister absolutely refuses treatment, saying there's no point."
"Can liver cancer be cured?"
"Liver cancer is relatively slow-moving among cancers. While I can't say it's 100% curable, with active cooperation, extending life by several years is possible."
Wentworth said, "Then it should be treated."
"The patient won't cooperate—there's no way to treat it," Matilda said.
...
A few more days passed.
Levi still went to work as before, showing no change in his expression.
Matilda couldn't help asking once, "How is Mrs. MacAllister?"
Levi shook his head. "Stubborn as a rock—refuses to go to the state hospital for treatment."
"Do... your two children know?"
"Each child gave two thousand dollars—probably all their savings—saying they'll treat her no matter what and figure out more money somehow."
"Your children are really devoted," Matilda said.
If Ava would agree to treatment, she'd be willing to contribute thirty thousand dollars to help.
Just as they finished talking, the clinic phone rang.
Thinking it was an emergency, Matilda answered.
But the caller asked for Levi, saying they were from a hospital in Majestic City.
Levi took the call, and after a series of "Yes, that's right, really? Okay then," his face actually showed joy.
After hanging up, he happily told Matilda and Sarah, "A hospital in Majestic City called saying Ava's case data fits perfectly with a clinical research project they're conducting. They want us to come over—we won't have to pay treatment costs, just cover our own meals and accommodation."
"Really?"
Both Matilda and Sarah were happy for him.
Levi said, "Now my wife shouldn't object anymore."
"You should hurry home and tell her, get her convinced as soon as possible," Matilda said.
Levi happily went to get his coat, but paused at the door. "If I go to Majestic City, what about... the clinic?"
Matilda said, "I'm still here, aren't I? Your situation is more important!"
"Then I'll notify headquarters right now to send another person over."
"Dr. MacAllister, don't worry about all that—just hurry home," Matilda urged him.
...
After Levi left, Matilda felt somewhat puzzled.
As a doctor, she knew that large hospitals and specialists would recruit some typical patients for clinical trials without charging or only charging partial treatment fees, but cases like Ava's—being included right after diagnosis—were rare.
Could it be that someone was secretly helping behind the scenes?