Change is good, unless it isn't

Chapter 26

When is Elena coming again?"

"Towards the end of the month. The 29th, I believe."

"The 29th?"

"I believe that is what I said," Dinah playfully quips.

"I can't do that," Normani exclaims. "I'm going to be in court all day."

"Relax," Dinah responds with an amused, warm grin. "I arranged for her to come by in the morning before you go. I swear you get more nervous for her visits than I do at this point."

"Well, your mother didn't come in and tell her about the time you ran around the neighborhood naked, did she?"

A laugh bursts from Dinah's lips. "That was adorable, Normani. Elena loved it."

"It was embarrassing."

"You were four," Dinah placates. "It was still in the realm of cuteness."

"Whatever," Normani brushes off. "Did she say if we're making any progress?"

Dinah fiddles with the ends of Normani's hair. The last call from Elena had been anything but encouraging, filled with maybe, I don't know, and we'll see. She knew waiting would be the hardest part, but she didn't expect it to be this hard. "No word yet."

"Damn. I thought we'd be getting a little closer by now. It's been almost three months."

....

Dinah shuts the door behind Elena as the social worker leaves. Their fourth and most stressful visit to date is finally over. She walks towards where Normani leans against the white laminate kitchen counter. "Do you think she found the apartment suitable?"

The walls are still bare and unpainted, though between them they managed to furnish the living room with a faux leather l-shaped couch and coffee tables, their master bedroom upstairs with a stained oak bed and dresser, and Drea already offered to go bargain hunting for décor in the morning. It isn't one hundred percent yet, but there's no doubt that it'll get there eventually.

"It needs a little work," Normani admits. "But she knows we just moved into it yesterday. I don't think we have anything to worry about."

"You don't?"

"Nah," Normani reassures. "She sounded like things are finally starting to move along."

"I hope so." Dinah looks down at the small wallet sized picture of Jace in her palm. Sitting in a hospital bed, the small hospital gown is hanging off one shoulder, and a spoonful of Jell-o is midway to his parted mouth. "I miss him."

Normani nods solemnly. "Me too."

Without missing a beat, Dinah hangs it front and center on the fridge with a set of mismatched magnets. "Is it too soon to start setting up his room? I don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves."

"I don't think so." The timer goes off, and Normani pours a cup of coffee in her favorite red and white mug Dinah bought her in the Nebraskan airport. "What did you have in mind?"

"Yellow induces stress and bright red can encourage feelings of anger, so perhaps a soft blue or green. What do you think?"

"Hmm. I was thinking a nice black would do it."

Dinah scowls briefly until a smile turns up the corners of her lips. She would never tire of Normani's attempts to diffuse her sources of stress. "A moss green would probably be our best bet. It should have a calming effect, and that's something he will most likely need after being moved into a new household again."