Mama Tiger

Chapter 24.

Chapter 24.

Jude was the first one through the back door. "Last day of school!" he cried. "It's Summer!"

Sharon came out of the kitchen to greet the kids. She smiled when she saw her youngest grandson. "Quiet down, sweetheart. Your mommy's resting."

"Sorry," he apologized. "I forgot she had chemo today. How is she?"

"Tired," Sharon admitted. "But happy. Only two more treatments to go, and she's done." She reached out and pinched Jude's cheek, then looked up at the other four children and Lena, trying to put the pain she'd seen in Stef's eyes that day out of her mind. "I made some fresh-squeezed lemonade for all of you. Come in the kitchen."

Minutes later, the whole family, minus Stef, was drinking lemonade and eating sugar cookies around the table. Lena glanced over at Callie, and took a small sip of her drink. "Your birthday's coming up, honey. Do you have anything in mind? Anything special you want to do?"

Callie finished chewing, and swallowed her bite of cookie. "I don't know. I haven't had much time to think about it. It's still a month and a half away." She wiped some crumbs from her mouth. "I don't want to do anything that mom can't do with us. I think I really just want to stay home."

"That's okay," Lena nodded. "We'll find a way to make your day special. It's your first birthday with us, after all."

Just then, Brandon spoke up. "Are you still leaving tomorrow, Grandma?"

"I am," Sharon told him. "I'm sure gonna miss seeing these faces every day, though."

"We'll miss your face too," Jude told her with a smile.

"Aww," Sharon laughed, ruffling his hair, which caused him to blush.

After she finished her snack, Lena went upstairs, carrying a glass of cold lemonade for her wife. When she entered the bedroom, she didn't see her, but she could hear her in the bathroom, vomiting. She set the lemonade on the bedside table. "Stef, honey," she said softly, passing through the open bathroom door. "Are you okay?"

Stef, who was still hunched over the toilet, nodded "I'm fine." Then her body jerked, shaking with a dry heave.

Lena knelt down beside her, rubbing her shoulder. "Baby, I'm here," she soothed. After raising five kids, and caring for Stef, the sight of vomit didn't affect her.

Stef flushed the toilet, then turned to her, trembling uncontrollably, as if she were cold. Tears sparkled in the corners of her eyes. "Lena-"

"I know, honey," Lena breathed, her eyes stinging. "I know it hurts." She sat down flat, and patted her thigh. "Come here. Sit in my lap. Let me hold you."

Once her wife eased herself from the floor to her lap, Lena embrace her and kissed her cheek. Slowly, she began rocking her; she was so light. "It's going to be okay," she promised. "This will pass. And soon, you won't have to go through it anymore. You'll be done with chemo, and you'll be able to start getting better."

"I want to be done with it now," Stef told her through her tears.

"I know you do," Lena nodded. "I know." She pressed another kiss to her face. "If I could, I'd take all the pain for you, honey. I would take it in a heartbeat."

"Don't say that," Stef sniffled. "I never want you, or the girls, or anyone to go through this."

Lena hugged her tighter. "Maybe someday- when our girls are our age- no one will. Maybe by then, there will be a cure?"