“It is unexpected,” Dr. Ivers admitted. “That is all I can say for now.”
When Natalie arrived that evening, she rushed into the room and collapsed beside Lucas’s bed. After calming down, she turned to Brandon, eyes demanding the full story.
He told her everything. The kindergarten. Ivy. The water. The golden bottle.
Natalie listened in silence, then took Lucas’s hand.
“If that girl makes him smile,” she said softly, “then she can come every day.”
And so Ivy did. After school, she arrived with Denise, bringing drawings, stories, and the unwavering certainty of a child who refused to give up. Lucas seemed to cling to life more strongly when she was near, laughing weakly at her jokes, reaching for her hand when the nights grew long.
Hospital administrators tried to enforce visiting rules. Brandon did not argue loudly. He simply arranged the proper permissions and ensured every regulation was followed. Ivy was allowed to visit, supervised and welcomed.
One day Denise confided that Ivy had anemia and needed treatment they could not afford. Brandon paid for the medical bills quietly.
“Your daughter is giving us hope,” he told Denise. “Hope is more valuable than money.”