CHAPTER FOURTEEN
You know your kid is having a day when he asks if the gators at the zoo would like the taste of his sister. She’s teething. His game was canceled. It’s been a day.
~Text from Kinsley to Emmett~
Emmett
I’m sitting at my desk at work, trying to get my paperwork finished so I can head home.
Kinsley has an appointment with Doctor Schultz this afternoon.
It’s been just over three…no four months since her hospital stay, and she’s doing amazing.
Today, we should find out if the last round of chemotherapy was the last one she was going to have to go through.
We should also find out if she needs to undergo radiation.
I would be off and heading home already if Jason and Thomas didn’t throw me under the bus and leave me to deal with Wanda and all her shenanigans, this time including blow-up dolls and what could only be described as a furry costume.
I know it technically was my turn, but Jason only had to trespass her off a motel’s property last time.
That hardly counts as a Wanda encounter.
Good thing we’re getting a couple of rookies soon.
Wanda is a perfect frequent flyer for them to cut their chops on.
I’ve got a busy couple of days off ahead of me. Hope is so close to crawling, so Kinsley insisted I spend this weekend baby proofing the house. She’s already scooting across the living room floor with ease.
Hope’s still sleeping through the night, but she’s decided that morning means five-fifteen and not a moment later.
Our weekly coffee restocking has increased dramatically because of this.
Even Booker has given up waking up with her.
Last weekend, he informed me that, “She may be my sister, but I don’t get up that early for anyone, not even a gator. ”
I finally get the paperwork finished and get ready to leave.
As I walk down the hall to the exit, I hear Wanda in the holding cell.
I’m so glad that’s gonna be someone else’s problem.
I stick my head into the sheriff’s office and find both Jeremy and Jason.
Jeremy looks up, and I give him a chin lift in greeting.
“You heading out?” I nod. “Yep. Kinsley’s got an appointment in a little over an hour.
” He nods. “Today’s gonna be a good news day.
I can feel it. You go take her and let her know she’s got all of us behind her, and we can’t wait to hear her treatment is done.
” I give a wave. “I’ll let her know. See you two in a couple of days. ”
Less than fifteen minutes later, I’m parking my truck in the driveway.
I grab my stuff out of the car and head up to the front door.
As soon as I open the door, I’m greeted with Hope bouncing in her walker and banging a toy against it while babbling.
Kinsley is sitting on the couch, holding a towel and crying.
“Hey, what’s going on, sweetheart? What’s the matter? ”
She looks up at me and smiles. “Oh, these aren’t sad tears.
” She wipes them away, and I sit down next to her.
“So…should I ask what the tears are about?” She leans closer to me and puts her head on my shoulder.
“I was changing Hope, and she’s had a day.
I think she’s teething, so she’s extra fussy.
She barely napped and didn't seem to like any of the baby food I was giving her. I just put her in the walker so I could clean up the fourteenth mess of the day, and she crashed into me. I might have yelled out in frustration. Then it hit me. I was frustrated and at the end of my rope because I was just doing everyday things. Mom things.” I must have a confused look on my face because she continues.
“I wasn’t frustrated because of something to do with my treatment or cancer.
I wasn’t upset because I couldn’t do something and had to ask for help again.
I was just having the same situation that moms all over the world do.
A normal, everyday kind of thing. Gives me a little hope that this was just the first of years of this kind of thing. ”
I move enough to kiss her forehead. “I get it, good tears. I think your positive spin on it is great. Love you.” She turns and looks at me with a smile, leans forward, and gives me a kiss.
When she breaks it, she wipes the last of her tears away.
“Love you, too. I’m gonna go get ready for my appointment.
Will you change her? Oh, and you might need to have a conversation with Booker when he comes back over tomorrow. ”
“Why, what did he do?” She stands up and heads down the hallway.
“He decided this morning to dig a pond in the backyard for a gator. A gator, so when Hope tries to pull down his dinosaur Legos, he can give the gator his sister as a snack. Told me that’s how evolution works.
That it’s survival of the fittest. He wasn’t happy with me when I told him we weren’t getting a gator and that he'd have to fill the hole back in. You might want to look in the backyard.”
I don’t know how, but I’m sure my brothers are to blame for some part of this.
It just reeks of them. Oh, how the tables will turn once they have kids.
I can’t fucking wait. I stand up and pick up Hope.
“Let’s go see what kind of mess your brother made.
” I walk over to the back door and look out.
Half of me is proud of how big a hole he managed to dig, and the other half knows the kind of conversation we have to have tomorrow.
I also know I’ll be sitting on the back porch with a cup of coffee, watching him fill it in correctly.
That’s a worry for tomorrow. Today, it’s getting this girl changed and all three of us out of the house on time.
Kinsley
We made it to my appointment on time. I just checked in and found a seat next to Emmett.
He’s got Hope in the stroller, and she’s finally napping.
She fell asleep in the car and didn’t even move a muscle when Emmett put her in her stroller.
My girl doesn’t usually fight her naps, so I’m not surprised she’s out cold.
After waiting a few minutes, the nurse calls my name and we head back to speak to the doctor.
I’ve got my fingers crossed that the last round of chemotherapy I did a couple of weeks ago will be my last. I came in last week to have a whole slew of tests done.
I’m too scared to make the even bigger wish that I won’t need to do radiation as the next step.
The nurse takes us into the room to wait for Doctor Schultz.
This isn’t an exam room, but more like a meeting room—a strategy room if you like.
It’s where we’ve come after each round of chemo to discuss what’s next.
Emmett sits next to me and takes my hand in his.
Throughout this whole thing, he’s been my rock, my anchor, my biggest supporter. He really is one of a kind.
Doctor Schultz comes in with a file in her hands, and Doctor Hargrave steps into the room behind her.
“Doctor Hargrave?” She gives me a smile, but Doctor Schultz answers my question.
“I asked her to join us today. I thought it might be fitting since she was with you at the start of it.” I glance at Emmett, and the expression on his face is a mix of confusion and hopefulness.
I can’t wait any longer. “So what are you saying exactly?” Doctor Schultz gives me a big smile, and Doctor Hargrave’s smile matches it.
“All your results look amazing. There’s no cancer detected. You are in remission.” Holy shit!
“I am? I’m done with chemo. I don’t have to do any more rounds of anything, not even radiation?
” Doctor Schultz smiles again as tears threaten to fall down my cheeks.
“Nope, no more rounds and no radiation. You will have to continue with follow-up appointments every few months to start, then spread them out a bit more, just to ensure it doesn’t return.
That’s pretty much all I have for you today.
I want to watch you go out there and ring that bell.
You’ve done great and are definitely stronger than you realize, Kinsley. ”
Tears are full-on leaking now, but I get up and round the table to give Doctor Schultz a hug.
“Thank you doesn’t seem like enough, but still thank you.
” I give Doctor Hargrave a hug, too. Emmett gets up and shakes both of their hands, thanking them.
I give him a huge hug. He kisses the top of my head.
“You did it, sweetheart. You did it, and you’re gonna go ring that bell so I can send that video to all of our family. Go finish this thing.”
I know someday it may return and that I’ll have to be proactive in getting checked out for it, but today’s a win. A win I’m gonna celebrate and enjoy with my family.
We walk out of the room to the bell I’ve passed countless times on this floor, and I’m surprised and touched to see so many nurses out here to celebrate with me.
Both Margarita and Darius are here with big smiles.
I adjust my headscarf and walk over to the bell, taking hold of it.
I look at Emmett, and he’s giving me a big smile, his phone out to capture it.
So I ring it. I ring it for the girl I was before the diagnosis.
I ring it for the girl who cried when her hair fell out.
I ring it for the girl who sees her scar as a battle wound—a survivor’s mark.
I ring it for all of me. I ring it for everyone who helped me along the way.
I ring it. Clapping and cheers surround us.
Emmett pushes the stroller up to me and puts an arm around me.
“Ready to go to dinner and share the good news?” I nod, still overwhelmed by the moment. Today is a good day.
Emmett pulls up in front of Ma and Pa’s house.
We’re having dinner with them, Dad and Erik.
Ma insisted we come over so she could feed us.
Who am I to say no to that? Emmett opens my door and helps me out before he grabs a wide-awake Hope from her car seat.
We walk up to the front door, and I knock and open the door like I have for as long as I can remember.
I’m surprised at what greets me when I walk inside.
It’s not just Pa, Ma, my dad, and Erik. It’s everyone.
It's them plus my brothers, Emmett’s brothers, his parents—it’s just everyone.
I look up at Emmett, and he gives me a smile and a kiss on the cheek.
“It’s a good day, and those should be celebrated with family. ”
Pa gets my attention. “Hey, darlin’! We’ve been waiting for you. We saved you a seat.” Huh. Maybe my heaven really is here on earth.