A Family To Cherish by Carole Gift Page

sweater hung on a hanger, but otherwise the closet was empty.
    â€œThere’s a plastic bag of her things here on the dresser,” said Doug. “I’ll check the drawers, too.”
    â€œMost of her things should be arriving at the house about the same time we do,” said Barbara. They had given away the bicycle, and toys too large to mail. They could always buy her some new things later.
    Janee grabbed up a scruffy teddy bear with button eyes, which was lying on the pillow beside her. She hugged the bear tightly against her chest. “We’re going bye-bye, Zowie,” she chirped.
    â€œWe sure are,” said Barbara, “and won’t we have fun!” Maybe this wouldn’t be so difficult, after all. Janee seemed happy enough to be with them. Maybe, just maybe everything would go smoothly. But a moment later Barbara realized she had assumed too much too soon.
    â€œWhere’s my mommy?” Janee asked, jutting out her lower lip.
    Barbara and Doug looked at each other, and she inhaled sharply. No, this wasn’t going to be easy for any of them. She put down the guardrail and sat on the hospital bed beside Janee. “Do you remember what Aunt Pam and I told you yesterday, Janee?”
    Janee shook her head, her eyes lowered, her long lashes shadowing her cheeks.
    Barbara ran her fingers through the child’s soft, shiny curls. “We told you your mommy and daddy had to go away. Remember?”
    A tear slid down Janee’s round cheek. “I want my mommy.”
    Barbara’s throat tightened. “I know you do, honey.” She slipped her arm around the girl, but Janee wriggled away.
    â€œI want my mommy!” Janee said in the shrill tone that clearly preceded a tantrum. “Where’s my mommy?”
    The nurse returned with the wheelchair and lifted Janee gently into it. “We’re going for a ride, Janee,” she said in a light, singsong voice. “We’re going to travel around the world.”
    Barbara and Doug quickly gathered Janee’s things and followed the nurse and wheelchair out the door and down the hall. Outside, the nurse wheeled Janee over to their rental car, helped her into the back seat and buckled her belt.
    â€œDo you want me to sit back there with you, Janee?” asked Barbara.
    Janee shook her head and clutched her teddy again. “No, I got Zowie. He’s my friend.”
    Barbara nodded. “Well, if you feel lonely, honey, you give Zowie a big hug.”
    They drove in silence to the airport, Barbara aware of a sudden exhaustion seeping into her bones. So much had happened in such a short time, and now, even though they were returning home, nothing would ever be the same again.
    Once they boarded the plane, Janee seemed to perk up a little. They gave her the window seat, and she gazed out at the planes taking off and landing. “Look! All the big airplanes in a row,” she told Barbara as their airliner taxied onto the runway.
    â€œThey’re lined up waiting to take off,” said Barbara. “They have to wait their turn.”
    â€œWe line up in Sunday school before we go out and play,” said Janee. “Teacher makes us be quiet first.”
    â€œThat’s just how it is for the planes, Janee. They don’t have to be quiet, but the pilot has to be very patient.”
    Barbara looked at Doug, seated beside her. “Janee mentioned Sunday school, and that reminds me. We’re going to have to get back into church. We promised Nancy we’d take Janee.”
    Doug reached for Barbara’s hand. “Of course we’ll go, Barbie. It’s something we should have done a long time ago.”
    The flight attendant, a young redhead in a blue uniform, came down the aisle offering pillows and magazines. She stopped and smiled at Janee. “Would you like some silver wings to put on your pretty dress, sweetheart?”
    Janee nodded.
    She handed Barbara the pin.