Page 30 of Have a Bear-y Little Christmas
“That’s great to hear,” I said, my voice much calmer than I felt.
“I still would like you to make an appointment for him to get a blood test, and there are a few other things on the docket, but so far so good. If you wouldn’t mind stopping by Sheila on the way out, she’ll get you sorted.”
Compared to the usual battery of tests we were used to, a simple blood draw was a walk in the park. “I’d be more than happy to. Is there anything else we need to address right now?”
“No, not particularly. Max’s next general check-up with us is in about three months, correct?”
“Yes, we’re on a quarterly schedule.”
“Perfect. On a side note, Max’s allergies might be a little stronger this year because his immune system is sorting itself and getting back on track, so if you notice him having exaggerated symptoms once the weather starts to warm, put him on a general antihistamine. There’s no need to panic. And as always, if you do get concerned, you know that you can get an emergency appointment with us anytime.”
That actually made a lot of sense. When Max was going downhill fast, a big part of isolating him was to protect him from other people’s germs because his immune system was so knocked out from his chemo. And not to mention his appendix rupturing. “That’s really good to know. Thank you so much.”
“No, thank you. You’ve really done an exceptional job. Caring for a sick loved one is never easy, and caring for a sick child is even worse. You know that you two can always reach out to us ifyouneed help, too. We’re not just here for Max.”
“Yes, thank you so much. Nurse Bernila has made sure that I’m very aware of that, and I am ever so grateful. I look forward to seeing you in three months. Fingers crossed not a second before then.”
“Music to my ears. You have a great day, Miss Wolfe.”
“You too.”
She opened the door for me, and I left, feeling like I was floating on air rather than walking down the hall. I couldn’t believe it. After what felt like several years of non-stop bad news, things were finally getting better. We had weathered the storm, and it was time for our journey in the sunshine.
Knowing Max was safe and occupied with his favorite nurse, I hurried to Sheila at the front desk to make the necessary appointments. She was possibly the best medical receptionist I’d ever worked with, because she had me all set within minutes so I could go back to my son.
“Mama, look!” Max exclaimed as soon as I stepped into the playroom. A new, knitted beanie complete with little ear flaps sat on his head. Even though his hair was growing like a weed, it wasn’t long enough to protect his ears from the cold yet.“Nurse Berni made me a hat.”
“Is your favorite superhero, yes?” the kind nurse asked in heavily accented English.
“You remembered!” Max threw himself at the woman. The nurse was quite petite, but she was still taller than him.
“I remember everything about you, Max-the-millions,” she said, a little inside joke between the two I didn’t fully understand. I didn’t need to. What mattered was that it made them both happy and had made Max’s chemo much less scary for him. “Do not tell the others, but you have always been my favorite patient.”
“And you’re my favorite nurse!”
“Aye, I better be.”
I had no doubt that she said the same thing to several patients, but I didn’t care. As far as I was concerned, good nurses were magical enough that she was telling the truth to each and every kid.
“Well, say goodbye to Nurse Berni. Mama has an interview with a potential client this afternoon.”
“Okay!” Max let go of the woman, then did something that was so entirelyhim.He offered his hand and stood as tall as his spine could make.
“Thank you for all of your work, ma’am,” he said, as serious as sin.
“Oi, oi, oi, who brought this gentleman before me? Where is Max-the-millions?” The two devolved into giggles, but she took his hand and gave it a firm shake. “I look forward to seeing what you do, young man.”
“I do too,” Max agreed eagerly.
A sharp laugh punched its way out of my throat before I even realized it. I was probably biased, but man, Max’s comedic timing often tickled my funny bone injustthe right way. Or maybe life was easier to laugh at when all my prayers had come true. I didn’t care if money was tight. I didn’t care if bills were stressful. All of it was worth it for the life that was growing and flourishing right before my eyes.
There was a bit more banter before we left, and traffic was hell as usual, but I was caught up in my happy mood. I really couldn’t believe how beautiful my life was. It made me want to share it with the whole world, to spill the buttery sunshine of joy with so many other people who had nothing.
And for some reason, that reminded me of a certain pair of girls who were looking forward to a hangout with a new friend and seeing the Christmas lights. Well, if I wanted to spread happiness, that was the easiest way I knew how. So, once we were home and settled, I took out my phone to text their father about when they might be free for a little holiday adventure.
Chapter 10
Remington
