Chapter 14 - Page 186 - New Addition To The Family

   One child remained-Shanha, the little girl in bed one. She had no family.

   Rhasha leaned over and cupped Shanha’s face in her hands. She kissed her on the forehead and winked. Then she straightened and stepped in front of Jim. She put her arms around him and kissed him on the lips. “Sweetheart,” she said, “could Shanha live with us?”

   Shanha squealed in glee. “Can I Papa, can I? I’ll be real good for you and Mama.”

   Jim watched Rhasha’s face. He could tell being called “Mama” melted Rhasha’s heart. Jim loved Shanha, and didn’t want her to live in the orphanage. “OK, you two angels,” he said, “let’s go home.”

   Rhasha and Shanha both squealed in excitement.

   They walked two streets over. At the end of the block, across from the hospital, Jim pointed to his house. “Shanha, this is where you’ll be living now.”

   “Ooh, Papa,” she replied, “we have a real home.”

   Jim thought about all of them living together. He smiled. “We make quite a trio,” he said. “A forty-five-year-old white man, an eighteen-year-old black girl, and a seven-year-old black girl.”

   Rhasha smiled as she put icing on the cake. “Yes, now we can be a real family.”

   Tears ran down Shanha’s cheeks. Jim thought she was sad. “Shanha, are you missing your Papa and Mama?”

   Jim and Rhasha knelt down in front of her. Shanha put her arms around both their necks. “You and Mama are my papa and mama,” she replied. “I don’t know why I’m crying. It’s just that . . . I’m so happy.”