Chapter 17

Harrison kneeled down in front of Delilah, one of his latest patients to go into remission from leukemia. “This is going to be the last time we see each other for a while,” he said, smiling. “You take care of your mom and dad, okay?”

Delilah, with her red cheeks and lips, looked like a porcelain doll. Except her predilection of jumping in giant puddles and throwing mud at her siblings generally destroyed any comparison with a breakable doll. The chemotherapy had caused her blond curls to fall out, but Harrison could make out glints of peach fuzz on her head.

The girl nodded solemnly, then reached inside her pocket to pull out some leftover Easter candy. “Thank you. My mom said I should say that. I wanted you to have some candy, too.”

He bit his lip to keep a straight face. “Thank you,” he said in a serious voice.

The candy was melted, but Harrison couldn’t help but feel that it was the best part of his week so far.

As Delilah and her parents left his office, though, the depression