The Barefoot Girl

Chapter 37

After I finish talking to Natalie, I saunter back into the waiting room and sit by Ben. Something told me we still had a long way to go.

And, boy was I right... Sadly.

I attempt several times to start up a game with Ben. Something like twenty questions. But he refuses me each time. So I'm left with nothing but my own imagination.

My own, overly active imagination.

Every single possible scenario of how this day could end run through my head... Every single negative scenario that is....

Her body just couldn't take the surgery... I'm sorry.

We were too late... I'm sorry.

Something went wrong... We lost Lacy and the donor... I'm so sorry.

"I'm so sorry."

The familiar voice of Lacy's doctor, Dr. Marvin, cut through the deafening sounds of my thoughts. The words he just said give me a mini heart attack. I straighten up in my chair and find him talking to my parents.

"We could've called you to let you know when the surgery was done! Sorry again, for leaving you all here waiting so long."

The rush of relief I feel is audible in the long sigh I blow out. I wait anxiously for him to keep talking. The spilt second he takes to breath before he tells us anything more feels like an eternity.

Mom and Dad are clinging to each other's hands, their lips pursed in a fine line.

"You're daughter's really something, let me tell ya," he smiles down at the clipboard in his hands.

"She's gonna be ok."

I start breathing so hard and smiling so wide that the twins sitting across from me give me weird looks. But their faces hold their own grins and soon enough, my siblings and I are all laughing. We laugh and laugh until our sides ache! It's as if the feelings of relief, joy, and a little unbelief don't know what else to do with themselves.

Mom and Dad let out an unknowingly held breath and look at each other as if they just fell in love.

It's all I can do to keep my rear end in my chair and my lips from proclaiming that my Lacy was going to be ok! Liam literally can't keep from doing just that.
He stands up and grabs Michelle's hands, jumping up and down.

"She's gonna be ok! Lacy! Lacy!" he cries.

"Can we see her?" Ben asks.

"We're gonna give her a five minutes to kinda wake up from the sleeping meds and all that junk," Dr. Marvin replies grinning as wide as the rest of us.

"Tell the donor we say thank you! SO MUCH!" I say.

He chuckles.

"I'll be sure to do that. I've never seen a kid like Lacy. I'm so happy she's ok. She's the real heart and souls around here. Cheers the others, heck even cheers me up on bad days," he says flashing a smile that makes me believe every word he says.

"Welp, I'll go check on her, and the donor," he says.

"Wait!" my dad calls.