Page 85 of Trading Yesterday

“Yes, sweet pea?” I lay down beside her and turned propping my head up on my fisted hand.

“When Jensey comes home, will Daddy go away?”

Her question took me aback. “I’m not sure exactly what will happen, Remi, but I do know Daddy will never leave you.”

“Not even for soccer?”

“Well,” I said thoughtfully. “That’s his job, just like talking at the football game is Jensey’s job. So he will have to do that sometimes. But that doesn’t mean he’ll go away for good.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Do you like Daddy, Remi?”

Her face brightened with a big smile and she nodded again, this time more vigorously. I couldn’t help smiling back, though she couldn’t see my face through the stupid mask.

“He’s funny and he likes cheeseburgers and Clifford, just like me. He said we could do lots of stuff when I’m better. He said he’d show me some real castles and he’s gonna teach me to play soccer with him.”

I didn’t hear Chase enter because Remi held my attention. She was so happy talking about Chase and it filled my heart to bursting. I was completely unaware he was listening until he laughed from the just closing doorway. “And why are we going to visit castles?”

Remi giggled with delight at seeing him and the sound was music to my ears. “‘Cause all princesses need castles!”

“That’s right!” His voice was full of joy and his eyes were sparkling above the mask. “Look at me! How lucky can a guy get? I’m surrounded by princesses!”

He was openly flirting with me and making Remi squeal in delight. He walked to Remi and ruffled her hair. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”

“Fine. Mommy was reading Dr. Swiss.”

“Wow! I love Dr. Swiss!” He deliberately pronounced it like Remi.

I cocked my head and shot him a wry look. He only laughed out loud.

“Which story?”

“Green Eggs and Ham. I wanted it for breakfast, but they didn’t make it green like mommy.”

“Mommy makes green eggs and ham?”

“Sometimes it’s only eggs, ‘cause her green ham turns out sorta brown.” She wrinkled her nose and Chase laughed again, gleefully.

I couldn’t help but laugh with them. I cleared my throat and changed the subject because Chase had to get on the road if he wanted to be back and get a decent night’s sleep before the transplant. “Remi, Daddy and I want to talk to you, okay?”

“Okay.” The head of her bed was elevated and I was sitting on her right, and Chase sat down on her left and reached for her hand with his blue latex covered one.

“Remi, I’m going to give you some of my bone marrow tomorrow, so tonight the doctors have to put you in a big machine to get you ready, and afterward, your body has to stay really clean, so you’ll have a new room for a while. Mommy, Jensey or me won’t be able to see you for a few days, but the doctor says we have to do this right now, to make sure we don’t bring in any germs. We don’t want you to be scared because we’ll be very close, okay sweetheart? Dr. Radar and the nurses will be able to visit, but we’ll all be just outside the room where you’ll be.”

My arm slid around her. “I know how brave you can be, Remi, and this is what we need to do to get you better. We talked about this, remember?”

Her eyes were wide and I was afraid she was about to cry. I kissed her forehead as best I could through the mask and held her close to me. Chase’s thumb rubbed the top of her hand. “Yes,” she said quietly.

“Daddy will give his marrow to another doctor and then Dr. Radar or one of the nurses you know will give it to you through your port and after a few days, he’ll let us all be with you.”

“Will it hurt?”

“No, honey,” I answered. It wouldn’t hurt going in, but it wasn’t certain if she’d feel any pain as it seeded in her bones. “If it does, Dr. Radar will make it stop. He promised. It won’t hurt like the mean medicine, though.”

She seemed to consider this. “Okay.” She looked at Chase. “How do you get it out of your bones for me? Do you have to break your leg to get at the inside stuff?”

“No, honey. Big needles.”

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