She didn’t hesitate for a second. “For as long as you want,” she offered, then looked at Vince, who nodded.
“If you decide you really like us,” she added, “we’re interested in making it…permanent.”
Inez could barely be contained on the table. The nurse had to hold her down with gentle hands as she squirmed excitedly. “You mean like adoption?” she chirped, incredulously.
“Uh, huh,” Vince quickly agreed. “Adoption.”
Inez’s eyes filled with tears that quickly spilled over.
“That’s what the older kids talk about all the time. But they say people only want babies, so it’ll never happen. Even for me, because I’m six.”
Lace’s chest wanted to crack wide open. “It’ll happen for you, Inez. I promise. If you decide you want us, you’ll be ours, forever.”
“I want you. I want you,” she cried excitedly in reply. “When can I come?”
Vince’s smile couldn’t get any bigger. “How about today? After we’re through here?”
“Really?” Inez looked like she was about to jump out of her own skin.
She turned to her nurse. “Did you hear that? I’m going to my new home.Today,” she shouted.
Lace was finally able to take a deep breath; her nervousness gone. “I’m so glad you’re excited. You don’t know how happy you’ve made us, Inez,” she admitted.
“I’m happy. You’re happy. Everyone is happy, happy,” Inez sing-songed heartily, then burst into sobs, for real. “I have a new house. And real parents.”
Lace and Vince both bent to hold her, letting her cry it out.
They knew happy tears when they saw them.
And the next best part? Inez didn’t even know of the surprise she had waiting for her at home.
Tex, along with Ellen Sothard, had pulled some strings to make miracles happen.
Nearly three hours later, laughing their asses off after finding all the buckets of golf balls on the hood of Vince’s truck, they put them all in the bed and declared the prank a success.
Vince let her know it would only be a matter of time before his brothers retaliated.
But what else was new?
With Inez finally strapped into a booster seat in the back of the vehicle, bouncing excitedly all the way home, they eventually pulled up to the house.
“Is this it? Is this where I’m going to live?” The exuberance in her voice bubbled over, making Lace almost giddy.
“This is it,” Vince confirmed, turning the vehicle off and getting out to help Inez emerge.
Lace reached back and grabbed the one trash bag that had accompanied the girl.
The social worker had come through and brought Inez’s belongings to them before they’d left the hospital. But what she’d been handed, made Lace want to bawl.
One bag was all Inez had.
To her name.
And when Lace had glanced inside, it was only clothes and a toothbrush…and one deflated blob fish. Not much to show for being on earth for six years.
The clothes all looked so small and worn, Lace knew they wouldn’t work for Inez much longer.
A shopping trip was definitely in order.