Short for: this could have already hit her bloodstream.
"I'm so sorry," I said, "I feel awful for springing this on you last minute."
"Don't worry," was all my manager said. "This is important. Let me know how she is okay?"
I'm about to go smoke with my best friend. Smoking as a coping mechanism for cancer. Spending time with everyone but my family as a coping mechanism for losing them.