Bonds of Blood |A Heartland Fanfic

Chapter Twenty Six

He watched his wife's hands, holding Katie in place as the little girl perched on her lap; the child's attention focused on the doctor. His was on his wife, nearly a month had passed and last week Katie had received her last transfusion, blood tests confirmed her body was finally making healthy new cells fast enough to support her immune system.

Dr. Siddal had decided to wait for the blood tests to confirm it before removing Lisa's IV, and as Katie had happily gone back to school on Monday this was the last part of that situation to deal with. Katie had asked to come to Lisa's last appointment and her bid had been won when the doctor told them it might give the child some closure; and it would be brief.

The doctor had helped Katie put on the gloves and shown the little girl how to hold the external part of the IV. The woman did a few things, her own hands in the mix, Lisa kept her face turned away and her eyes shut.

"Go ahead." Dr. Siddal told Katie and Jack felt tension run up his back as his great granddaughter helped remove the IV.

"All done." Katie announced, his wife barely reacted, and the doctor kept firm pressure on her collar bone before covering it with a bandage; this time a much smaller one.

"There may be some minor bruising in the next few days, but it will not look or feel like it did last time." Dr. Siddal deftly took the now useless IV from Katie and gave the girl some hand sanitizer.

"Thank you." Lisa murmured, her arms sliding around the girl in her lap, who had decided she needed a hug.

"Is Lisa better now too?" Katie asked the doctor, shifting in Lisa's lap; her face earnest.

"Lisa's going to be just fine." Dr. Siddal told Katie as the little girl held Lisa's hand; Jack saw her pull the child close for a moment.

As the doctor sat down, he took his cue. "Katie, lets go for a walk."

They had only returned to Calgary for this appointment so Dr. Siddal could confirm that all side effects had passed now that Lisa was done with the medications. Katie didn't need to hear that conversation, and Lisa would speak with more freedom if the little girl was somewhere else.

"Why don't we pick up some flowers for Lisa? She will meet us at the car." And there was a little shop just across the street from where they had parked.

"I think she'd rather have a coffee." Katie slid her hand into his and Jack choked a laugh; clearly someone had been paying attention lately.

"We'll get some drinks on the way home." He agreed, Lisa had been enjoying the fact her restrictions had been lifted, she was glad to have her coffee back; as well as a few other things.

She deserved to it was at least a small reward, Jack thought, the doctors had added something to the last round and Lisa had been dealing with more muscle pain, stiffness and aches than any of the previous rounds. He knew that she had already spoken with Dr. Siddal about it, but the effects were still lingering.

They went into the little shop, and he let Katie have free reign, he'd made other plans for them to celebrate the end of this. He'd managed dinner out for their anniversary, but Lisa had been on the medications and feeling rough and distracted by an upcoming competition. Georgie had been jumping Diamond just about every weekend and cleaning up consistently, already qualifying to move on they were getting all the practice they could.