A good one.
Lace and Vince had been told to be careful; not to go overboard with buying things for Inez; that the little girl would begin to expect it.
They’d both agreed that one outing to spoil the crap out of their new foster-daughter would make themallfeel better.
They’d set boundaries and rules, later.
“You want to see your bedroom?” Lace asked, excitedly.
Inez, walking between Vince and Lace, reached for both of their free hands.
“Uh, huh.” She skipped with an energy that was amazing for someone who’d just had a bag of chemicals pumped into her tiny little body.
But it was clear, Inez wasn’t about to let anything rain on her parade today.
“I think you’ll like it,” Vince winked at Lace over Inez’s head.
“IknowI will,” Inez chortled back. “I don’t have to share it with anybody.”
They walked in and headed straight for Inez’s room, leaving the rest of the tour for another time. Because first…
“Well, we might have fibbed just a little bit,” Vince teased. “There isoneroommate you might have to put up with.”
A frown creased Inez’s forehead as Vince pushed open the door. But her face instantly cleared as she squealed and threw herself toward the bed.
“Murphy!” she cried out, grabbing up the stuffy.
Kisses and hugs were showered upon the long-missing bear, while tears streamed once again down Inez’s face.
More happy ones.
After all, she’d finally been reunited with her best friend.
EPILOGUE
One year later…
They were going to be late, and that wouldn’t do.
But Inez had misplaced Murphy, and she was determined that the stuffy wasn’t going to miss their big day.
“Did you take him outside on the swing set?” Vince asked.
They were all mobilized, searching high and low for the cherished toy, which wasn’t anything new. Inez took the dog-eared bear everyplace she was allowed, and invariably Murph ended up lost.
“Nope.” Inez, looking puzzled, got down on her hands and knees to gaze under the living room couch. “Nothing,” she declared.
“How about Nana and Papa’s? Did you take him there yesterday?”
Those were the names Inez had settled on for Vince’s parents, whom they’d just had lunch with the day before, for some last-minute planning for today.
“I did,” Inez tapped her lip, emulating something Lace did all the time, which made Lace smile. “But I remember I had him coming home.”
“Wait.” Vince snapped his fingers. “You took a bath last night. Is he?—”
“—on the shelf next to the tub,” Inez shouted triumphantly.
She’d been so wiped out after her bath,andafter maintaining a level of excitement for what would be happening today, that she’d practically fallen asleep on her feet and they’d had to carry her to bed.