"Hello!" CJ says pulling Margaret into an embrace at their room door, over Margaret's shoulder she spots Anthony any releases Margaret opening her arms for the newborn.
"Didn't mean to ditch you there Margaret." CJ laughs curling Anthony's fingers around hers. "Hello little guy." She says softly, smiling down at him.
"Anthony?" Simon looks up from the baby to Leo and Margaret.
"Anthony Lloyd." Margaret answers.
"He's so perfect." CJ whispers passing him back to Margaret.
"How are you?" Margaret asks tilting her head to the side.
"Excited, we're so glad you could come." CJ smiles grabbing Simon's hand as he stands next to her. "And we're so grateful to you." CJ says tickling Anthony's tummy.
*
"So what happens?" CJ asks the doctor, biting her bottom lips outside Emma's room. Inside Emma plays happily with some building blocks with the therapist.
"The thawed blood will be here soon, when it arrives it'll be fed through the central line where it's infused into her bloodstream." The doctor explains looking at CJ, Simon, Leo and Margaret.
"The process takes about five minutes, it has to go in quickly because the cells are alive and looking for life. The important parts of the cord blood are the hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, they're the ones that migrate to the bone marrow where they must lodge and engraft to grow and replenish the bone marrow and blood. They replace the diseased marrow and blood we destroyed with the high course of chemotherapy."
"How long will it take?" Simon asks nervously.
"Migration and engraftment usually takes about two to four weeks once they've hopefully been accepted by the body and engrafted, over the next 100 days the stem cells will rebuild Emma's blood bit by bit for the rest of her life."
"Are you ready?" Simon asks looking at CJ.
"Let's do it." She smiles.
*
"Who is it?" Margaret calls from the couch where she's feeding Anthony. Leo had gone to investigate the knock at the door and she was unable to make out the owners of the voices.
"It's us." CJ says appearing around the corner with Emma and Simon.
"Hi!" Margaret smiles. "I'd get up but someone has latched onto me."
"We came to see the new baby." CJ smiles encouraging Emma closer.
"You've got good timing because it's been almost seven minutes and I'm just about empty." Margaret tells them encouraging Emma to sit next to her. "Would you like to hold him?"
Emma nods shyly, watching Anthony suck away.
"Ok, you've got to sit back into the couch, put your arm on the edge." Margaret instructs placing Anthony gently into Emma's arms. The young girl smiles brilliantly at her mother and then down at the baby.
"Simon and I wanted to tell you something." CJ says calling to Simon who's still in the foyer talking to Leo.
"Emma's in remission, her leukemia cells are gone and her body is producing new blood everyday." CJ announces and Margaret's face lights up, her arms thrown around CJ's neck.
"Thank you." CJ says tearing up over Margaret's shoulder.
"Look at them." Leo indicates to Emma who is smiling with Anthony in her arms.
"They're our two tiny miracles." Margaret whispers.
*
"How'd it go?" Leo smiles broadly Anthony in his arms, Margaret has barely had time to drop her keys on the small foyer table.
"How'd what go?" Margaret asks absently holding her arms out for Anthony.
"The preparations for the party, Emma's two years remission celebration. How does the house look?" Leo asks eagerly, trying to interpret the look.
"I didn't go." Margaret says simply looking at Anthony and wiping his face.
"Where were you then?" Leo asks confused.
"I went to the doctor." Margaret answers with a small smile on her face.
"What's wrong?" Concern laced in his voice Leo steps closer.
"Nothing." And now Margaret is unable to hide her wide smile. "We're pregnant again."
Now Leo can't hide his smile the same size as Margaret's. "I love you." He grins kissing Anthony, "and you." A hand presses to Margaret's abdomen. "And you." He finishes tenderly, wrapping his arms around his growing family and kissing Margaret gently.
*