He rose as Selena escorted a plainly dressed, middle-aged woman into his office. “Ms. Andrews, I’m Daniel Kinsley.” He extended a hand in greeting. “Would you like a coffee? Some water?”
“Call me Laura, please,” she said, shaking his hand, “and no. I’m fine, thank you.”
Daniel signaled to Selena that she could leave and offered Laura Andrews a seat.
“Thank you for meeting with me,” Laura began.
“The pleasure is mine. Your organization has a stellar reputation, and so do you as its executive director.”
“All of us at the Wish I May Foundation believe wholeheartedly in what we do, and we work very hard for our program’s children and their families. Yet we always have more families in need than we have sponsors, especially at this time of year. I can assure you that if your firm sponsors a child, you won’t regret it. All our sponsors tell us how much it means to them to make a difference in a young person’s life.”
“What’s involved in sponsorship?”
“It’s straightforward. You’d be given information on a chronically ill child and that child’s family and Christmas wish list. You’ll find that their wishes, for the most part, are very basic. Winter clothing, books, some small toys.” Laura’s smile conveyed sadness rather than pleasure. “Basic because these families often endure hardships that extend well beyond the illness of the child. We encourage sponsors to consider doing something extra for the child, if they can.” Daniel thought he saw a mischievous glint in her eye. “A trip to Walt Disney World, perhaps, or a PlayStation gaming system.”
It didn’t take Daniel long to commit his firm.
“All that’s left is to decide on the family you’ll be sponsoring.” Laura reached into her bag and pulled out a folder. Flipping through the papers, she finally drew out two sheets.
“Problem?” Daniel asked when Laura continued to scrutinize the two pages.
“Hmm? No. Not really.” She glanced up. “It’s just that I know both these families personally, and I’m having a hard time choosing between them.” She held out both sheets. “Here. Why don’t you decide?”
Daniel read the pages and examined the photographs at the top of each. Choosing between the two children and their families was impossible. Finally, coming to the only decision he could, he set the pages on his desk and looked up at Laura. Her eyes were focused on him, and a small smile played at the corners of her mouth. Her expression made him think that he’d been masterfully manipulated. In this case, he didn’t mind. “You’re very good at your job,” he acknowledged.
She gave a slight nod, and her smile remained in place. “I do my best.”
Daniel knew that when he shared the children’s stories with his partners, he’d be able to raise the needed money for each of them, including enough for some nice extras. “We’ll sponsor them both,” he said.
For the first time in months—no, years—he felt he was doing something worthwhile. And it had nothing to do with the law.
IT MIGHT HAVE been a blessing, Paige mused as she unlocked her door that evening. Nearly every call she’d made at work had ended with the recipients arguing that they didn’t owe the money. In a few cases, they’d turned their anger on her. Although unpleasant, it kept her mind—at least briefly—off her own troubles. She’d worked late but was grateful for the extra hours. She could barely make ends meet, even without factoring in Jason’s medical expenses not covered by her insurance or any indulgences for Christmas.
Despite her worries, she smiled as she entered her living room. Louise Bennett had been true to her word. A teapot covered in a quilted cozy sat on the coffee table. Mrs. Bennett reclined on the sofa, her hands folded tidily on her lap, her head drooping forward in sleep. She snored softly.
Paige nudged her gently. “Mrs. Bennett. I’m home.”
Mrs. Bennett’s head jerked up, and a hand flew to her chest. “Oh, my goodness. I must’ve fallen asleep.” She smoothed her short, wavy hair. “Sit down, honey. I’ve made our tea.” She lifted the cozy and tested the temperature of the pot to make sure the tea was still warm.
“I appreciate that, but it’s quite late. You should go home.”
“Nonsense!” She waved dismissively. “I said we’d talk when you got home, and we will. You shouldn’t keep things bottled up inside.”
“Mrs. Bennett...”
“We’re going to talk,” Mrs. Bennett declared emphatically.
Paige realized it would be useless to argue. “All right. Let me check on Jason first.”
She opened his bedroom door quietly. In the glow of the nightlight, she could see her little boy snuggled in his blanket. His arms were wrapped around his teddy bear, his eyes closed and his mouth slightly parted. She heard his even breathing. Satisfied that he was sleeping peacefully, she closed his door.
Mrs. Bennett was pouring their tea when Paige rejoined her. “Go ahead, dear. Tell me what happened,” she said.
“Oh, Mrs. Bennett. It’s awful,” Paige began. “Jason’s tumor has recurred since his last checkup a year ago. His oncologist, he...he believes Jason has less than a year left. He...” Paige dropped her head into her hands and struggled to hold back the tears. Mrs. Bennett folded Paige in her arms and held her tightly as Paige’s body shook in despair.
When the tears changed into dry, hitching gasps, Paige pulled back and wiped her eyes with her fingertips. Accepting the tissue Mrs. Bennett offered, she blew her nose and fought to collect herself. “The doctor...he feels Jason’s only chance now is surgery to remove the tumor. But even if I could afford it...” She choked back a sob. “The tumor’s too big right now, and the risks are significant. His chances of survival are...low.”
Mrs. Bennett’s eyes filled with tears, too. “I know it’s hard. But think about all the challenges he’s already overcome.”
Paige raised anguished eyes to Mrs. Bennett’s.
“Wasn’t Jason just three when he was first diagnosed? And didn’t you both get through it, despite his father deserting you?” When Paige was about to interrupt, Mrs. Bennett raised her hand. “I know what you’re going to say in his defense. ‘It wasn’t that simple.’ But let’s face it. He abandoned you. You and Jason were both strong and determined, and you made it through. Then the tumor came back.”
The horrific day when Paige learned the tumor had recurred the first time was indelibly etched in her mind, as today would be. “Yes, it came back five months later.”
“And?”
“And...” Paige said in a whisper, “Jason underwent treatment and made it through again.”
“Twice you’ve beaten it. Twice. Can’t you believe you can beat it again? And this time for good?”
“I’d like to think so, but I don’t know.” Paige shook her head. “I just don’t know.”
“What did the doctor say about treatment?”
“Jason has to undergo aggressive treatment again.” She tried to stay composed, but the tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. “The oncologist is recommending a new cancer drug that’s still in the clinical trial stage. It specifically targets the cancer cells to shrink the tumor so they can do the surgery. With the size of the tumor now, surgery isn’t an option. The drugs are going to make Jason very sick, just like the last time. How much can he take?” Paige broke down again.
“There,