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“That’s what Grandpa says. Maybe that’s why I’ve never seen him shoot anything.”
“What do you do instead of shooting?”
“Grandpa collects antlers in the woods, and I pick berries with Grandma. She makes jam.”
“Sounds like you enjoy nature.”
“I love nature. I love animals too. And birds and fish and fairies.”
I listened to her chat all the way to the hospital. She told me all about the animals she’d seen in the forest on their way to Colorado in their RV. The Silvers took summer trips to their cottage home every year. She told me about how much she loved bunnies and chickens, and how sixty percent of kids her age in a big city haven’t seen a farm animal.
By the time we arrived at the hospital, Tiffany and Jacob were already there.
“Mommy!” Kensi ran into Tiffany’s arms.
She lifted her daughter…ourdaughter and held her tight against her chest, mouthing athank youmy way.
“What were you thinking, sugar bug?” She brushed Kensi’s hair off her face.
I stepped away and joined Jacob outside of James’s room. A handful of doctors and nurses were gathered around his bed. “Did they say anything?”
“Not yet. They’re discussing his scans right now.”
The doctors walked out into the hall, and the nurses wheeled James’s bed out behind them.
“Mr. Silver, walk with me, please. We’re on our way to the operating room. James has internal bleeding, which originates in his liver. It’s likely a burst cyst, but the bleeding is not stopping, likely due to the falling platelet count caused by the leukemia. We need to operate before he stops clotting.”
The doctor pressed the elevator button and turned around, facing us. “Unfortunately, you cannot come to the operating floor with us, but I’ll have a nurse update you. Do you have any questions for me?”
“No, thank you,” I whispered, but I doubted he heard me. They were in the elevator before I realized I had never said goodbye. My chest tightened.
“Jacob, I need to sit down.”
“Come on, Laura. You need to stay strong. Your family depends on you. Your whole family.”
He pointed to Tiffany and Kensi. My daughter was sitting beside her mother, glued to her side. Tiffany gave Kensi her phone, which she rejected because she already had a burner and was playing the classic snake game.
Jacob squeezed my arm. “Tiffany’s made her mistakes, but she loves that girl.”
“I know. It will take awhile to get used to this. I… I don’t know how I feel about it, but you’re right.” I looked at him from the side. “We will make it work. If James makes it.”
“He’ll make it. My son’s a fighter, and he has too much to live for.”
“Thank you.”
We walked over to Tiffany and Kensi. Jacob took his granddaughter to the vending machines, and I sat down beside Tiffany.
“How are you doing?”
“I’m broken and relieved at the same time. Is that possible?”
“It is if that’s what you’re feeling.”
“How are you?” she asked.
“Relieved and scared. I don’t know how that’s possible, either.”
“Laura… I got Kensi…” She wavered and looked around the room, conspicuously. “I adopted her illegally.”
