Lace bent to it, fervently.
Inez spoke first. “I really like when we do this together, Miss Lace,” she whispered sincerely.
They’d agreed that Inez would call her that. Lace hoped someday that would change to “Mom”, but she wouldn’t rush it.
Lace gave the little girl a heartfelt hug right back. “Me, too, Inez. It doesn’t seem so scary when you have a buddy to do it with.”
“It still hurts, though,” Inez grimaced.
“I know,” Lace consoled. “But just think, you only have a few more sessions ofthisthing, and you won’t have to do it again.” From her lips to God’s ears.
She and Vince had been told that Inez would move on to a maintenance therapy program; lower doses, but a longer-term chemo that might last up to two years. Still, she’d no longer have to undergo her spinal infusions.
Lace, on the other hand, once her chemo was complete, would be headed for surgery, then radiation.
But being close to the end of their first stage of treatment? It felt like a decent milestone for them both to celebrate.
Lace and Vince finally sat down, and Lace looked at him.
You start, she mouthed.
Vince squared his good shoulder.
“So. Inez,” he began, “I remember you said you haven’t been exactly happy with your current foster home.”
Inez wrinkled her nose and became diplomatic. “They’re nice enough,” she responded quietly. “Just busy.”
Vince dragged in a deep breath and took Lace’s hand in his, giving it a squeeze.
“What would you think about being put in adifferentfoster home?” he asked, leaning forward.
Inez pursed her lips in thought, her face scrunching up. “Maybe. But what if it’s worse than where I am?” she asked. “What if the new people are mean?”
Vince cleared his throat. “What if the new people were us?” he dared.
Inez blinked. “You?”
She looked back and forth between Vince and Lace, her eyes growing wide. “Both of you?” she dared, her tone sounding…hopeful.
“Yeah. Both of us,” Vince affirmed. “We have a really nice house with a yard. And there’s a new bathroom that would be all yours.”
Lace interceded. She wasn’t sure that the mention of a new bathroom was going to thrill a six-year-old.
“You’ll be able to go to the same school as you attend now, Inez. Which means you won’t be missing any friends you’ve made there.Andyou’ll still be able to see all the teachers you know when the new school year starts.” Which would be in a few weeks, when September rolled around.
Lace continued. “The only difference at our house is, there won’t be any other children living with us.” She hoped that wouldn’t be a deal-breaker.
Inez grinned, even as she twitched while the attending put the needle in. “That’s okay. Maybe better,” she stated. “The other kids in the house where I am now don’t talk to me much, anyway, because I’m too little.”
It was Vince’s turn to speak up. “That’s their loss,” he stated gruffly, before delivering what he thought would be good news. “What would you say if I told you you’ll have six little cousins?”he offered up. “Most of my brothers and their wives have kids. But I’ll warn you, the oldest, Reilly, is only three.”
“I can help take care of them all,” Inez responded enthusiastically. “And I can play with Reilly; read my books to her, and teach her stuff I learn in school.”
Vince swallowed hard, and segued back, asking the difficult question. “Does that mean you’d like to come live with us?” he asked.
Inez didn’t jump on that, which was disappointing. Her face, instead, took on a wary cast. “For how long?” she questioned.
That nearly broke Lace’s heart.