Page 107 of Wyatt
“You were telling Mikka about the procedure. Of course you need to speak in Russian.” She kissed his head. “Mama will be with you the entire time.” Her eyes filled then as Sarai went on to explain the specifics of the bone marrow aspiration.
“We’ll be taking a bone marrow sample and biopsy from his hip bone. He’ll be on his side. It’ll take about thirty minutes. We’ll inject a local anesthetic, and that will probably sting a little, but we’ll make sure he doesn’t feel anything, just a little pressure. The results will take about a day to get back.”
She looked at the other doctor, the Korean woman with kind eyes, and flipped into English.
“This is my friend Dr. Nancy Lee. She’ll be doing the procedure.”
Dr. Lee shook Coco’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
She looked at Gerri. “And is this Grandma?”
Coco looked up, frozen, the question holding her hostage.
Gerri just smiled. “Of course it is.” She stepped up and shook Nancy’s hand and winked at Coco.
Oh. Right. Because Coco’s mother had died and left Coco in the care of Gerri. So, yes, that would sort of make her a proxy grandmother.
Never mind the truth.
“Let’s get started,” Dr. Lee said. “You ready?” She directed her question at Coco, who wanted to shake her head, her entire body trembling. Not in the least ready.
Coco couldn’t move.
“Let’s get this over with,” Gerri said, meeting Coco’s eyes.
Yes. Right. Coco nodded.
Behind her, a nurse had entered, carrying a tray of supplies.
Coco got off the bed and came around in front of Mikka, pulling up a chair to sit beside him. Took his hand.
Gerri pulled up a chair behind her. And tookherhand. Squeezed.
As the nurse prepped Mikka, positioning him on his side, then stepping aside for Dr. Lee to prepare his hip with sterile cleanser, Gerri started to sing.
Her voice was soft, sweet, and directed toward Mikka.
Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so…
The song stirred inside Coco, awakening a memory of her sitting on the floor of the big house, in front of the fire, the wee hours of the night clouded in around her, quietly weeping.
She hadn’t heard the steps on the stairs, hadn’t realized that Gerri had come down until she felt the soft wool of the afghan settle on her shoulders.
Then Gerri sat beside her, put her arm around her, and pulled her close. Humming, then singing.
Little ones to Him belong.
They are weak, but He is strong.
Her eyes filled, and in her memory she laid her head on Gerri’s shoulder.
“You are not alone, Coco,” she’d said softly. “And right now, you don’t need to be strong. God is with you. And He will rescue you.”
She hadn’t exactly known what Gerri meant, because with everything inside her she’d wanted to curl up in front of the hearth and never get up.
Now, holding Mikka’s hand, she just wanted to lean in again to the shoulder of this woman who had, somehow, miraculously appeared to wrap her arms around her.
Around them.