A/N: Hey! Here's a sweet chapter to (hopefully) lift everyone's spirits! Thanks again for all the support!
Isabel sat reading her favorite book, "Charlotte's Web" as a blood transfusion pumped into her central line. It was a few days since she'd received it, and although it was still slightly uncomfortable, she was really appreciating how much more convenient it was than having an IV stuck in her arm or her back. Her hair was falling out more and more each day, and although she put on a brave face, JJ could tell it was still bothering her. JJ, who was sitting on the floor playing with Henry, looked over at her daughter, watching her face. Even as she read a book that never failed to make her smile, Isabel could barely manage anything besides a frown.
"Will," she whispered to her husband, who was reading e-mail for work in a chair across from them. He looked at her,
"I'm gonna head down to the gift shop, I'll be back soon." She kept her voice hushed and sent Henry to play with Isabel. JJ grabbed her purse and headed out into the hallway.
Every time JJ made this journey down the hall of the pediatric oncology wing, whether she was alone or with someone else, it took all her will to not break down. She hated passing rooms with kids just like Isabel, some worse, some better, but all the same. The majority of them had leukemia or some form of brain cancer, because those were most common in kids. JJ couldn't stand the idea of children with cancer, it just wasn't right. However, she took a deep breath, kept her eyes dead ahead, and tried to block everything out as best she could. She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally reached the elevators, happy to go down to the main floor, away from most of the sickness and horror of the hospital.
She walked into the gift shop, her eyes immediately targeted on the racks of scarves, the majority of which were made specially for cancer patients. They were larger and most of them were made by companies that sent the proceeds to various cancer research organizations and charities. She made her way over to the racks and started to look through all the various colors and patterns.
"Who's it for?" The clerk spoke up.
JJ looked at her with a frank expression,
"Um, my daughter. She has leukemia."
The clerk looked taken aback,
"Oh ma'am, I'm sorry."
It was the reaction JJ had become so accustomed to. She was growing tired of it, she didn't want people's sympathy. Isabel was doing fairly well, and although Will and JJ were still struggling with coming to terms with everything, they were pretty well-off themselves.
"How old is she?" The clerk asked JJ gently.
"She's eleven, she'll be twelve on June 14th." JJ quickly turned her focus back to the scarves, a kind indicator that she didn't want to hold a discussion with the clerk.
She decided to get ten scarves, they were fairly priced and went to a good cause. JJ found the perfect scarf almost right away; it was light purple with soccer balls printed all over it. She smiled at it, knowing that it would make Isabel very happy, and pulled it off the rack.
She made pretty quick work, getting scarves with various bright colors and patterns. One was pink with a plaid pattern, another black with white stars. One of her favorites was grey with little black birds all over, and another was light blue with white hearts.
She paid up and took her bag back up to Isabel's room. When she stepped in, Isabel's eyes immediately went to what was in JJ's hands,
"Mommy, what's that?" She asked curiously.
"Hi sweetie, I got you something." JJ smiled as she set the bag on Isabel's bed,
"Go ahead, open it."
Will pulled up his own chair and another one for JJ, setting Henry down in his lap as they sat, their eyes on Isabel.
Slowly and carefully, Isabel peered into the bag, pulled out the tissue paper, and lit up.
"Oh my gosh mom! Thank you so much!" She smiled and laughed as she pulled out the scarves, looking at each one, her eyes getting brighter and brighter. Then, she got to the light purple one with soccer balls,
"Mommy, this is perfect. Thank you, thank you so much!" She practically fell out of bed with excitement as she leaned over to give JJ a hug and a kiss.
"Oh baby, you're so welcome. I was hoping this would cheer you up! Plus, this way, you get to change your hair color everyday!" JJ chuckled and winked at Isabel, and Isabel laughed. Will smiled at his princess, glad that she could start to gain her sense of security and some of her confidence back. Isabel had JJ pull what remained of her hair into a small sloppy bun, then fitted the purple scarf over her head. It was stunning against Isabel's skin, and it made her eyes have a violet tint to them. Some of her dark hairs still strayed out, adding a beautiful contrast.
"You look gorgeous sweetie." JJ said, smiling at her daughter, and passing her a handheld mirror as she did.
"This is so pretty! I love it!" Isabel fell in love with her own reflection, then looked at JJ,
"Thank you again, this is all so cool and beautiful."
JJ sat next to her daughter and pulled her close,
"Anything for my bunny rabbit." She pressed a kiss to Isabel's cheek, and indulged as her daughter gained back some of her old self.
Xx
JJ walked with Isabel down to the common room of the wing, where all the kids could safely play together and socialize. Isabel, Will, and JJ had all decided that it was time for each of them to start getting to know some of their fellow patients and parents, considering they were settling in and knowing more and more each day that the hospital was a second home.
Isabel took a deep breath and stepped into the large, colorful room. In one corner there were four little boys-that looked to be about Henry's age-with thinning hair playing with a train set, at a table were two teenage girls wearing knit beanies who seemed to be in the midst of a game of Gin Rummy, which was JJ's own favorite card game that she'd promised she would teach Isabel over the summer. Isabel's eyes went to a beautiful little girl sitting at the back of the room by herself. She looked up at JJ for encouragement,
"Can I…?"
"Go ahead sweetie, I'll be right here."
Isabel gulped and made her way over to the girl,
"Hi." Isabel greeted her softly.
"Hello." The girl looked up with big brown eyes that reminded Isabel so much of Henry.
"I'm Isabel, mind if I join you?"
"Sure, go ahead. My name's Chloe." Chloe smiled at Isabel as she sat down next to her.
"What are you in for?" Chloe asked softly.
"Stage two Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. You?"
"I'm in remission for stage four medulloblastoma." Chloe said proudly.
"Wow, that's awesome! Wait, remission does mean like…recovery, right?" Isabel asked, not wanting to mistake what Chloe was saying.
Chloe simply laughed,
"Yes, you're right, no worries."
Isabel nodded and looked at the floor.
"When did you get here?" Chloe looked back at Isabel.
"A few weeks ago." Isabel said shyly.
"Cool. I've been coming here for eight and a half months." Chloe said with a frank expression on her face.
Isabel's eyes widened,
"Wow, that's crazy. I have to be here for probably another two months, and then I have maintenance chemo for two years, or something like that."
Chloe looked Isabel in the eyes,
"Jeeze. Good luck, it's a long journey."
The two pulled "Scrabble" from the shelf with games on it, which had been sitting right next to them, and dove into the game.
From the front of the room, JJ looked on with a proud smile.
"That your daughter?" A woman that was two inches taller and a couple years older than JJ walked up to her.
"Yeah, Isabel, she's eleven. Stage two Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia." JJ said all the facts right away so she could avoid questions.
"She's with Chloe, my daughter. She's ten and she's in remission from stage four medulloblastoma. It's a kind of genetic brain cancer, originates in the cerebellum."
JJ was impressed and shocked all at once,
"Wow. I'm glad she's okay. Isabel was just diagnosed a few weeks ago."
"That's the hardest, the diagnosis. I'm guessing she's just received first chemo?" The woman asked.
"Yeah, it's called induction. The first two weeks were the hardest for Isabel, she was sick everyday, and was absolutely devastated when her hair started falling out." JJ's heart broke as she recalled the day Will called her, informing her that their daughter was in hysterics over her hair.
"I'm sorry. It's such a hellish thing for anyone to go through, let alone a child." The woman looked at JJ, and paused,
"I'm sorry I completely forgot to mention my name, I'm Lee-Ann, but you can call me Lee." She stretched her hand out and gave JJ a light smile.
"I'm Jennifer." JJ returned the gesture, and went quiet.
"If you ever need anything, feel free to ask. Chloe is in the first room on the right when you come through the main hallway from this direction." Lee showed JJ.
"Thank you, a lot. You're very kind, and I will." JJ smiled.
The two turned back to their daughters, watching as they grew more and more comfortable with one another.
JJ so hoped this was the kind of compassion everyone would show.