“It’s okay. You can pick him up,” the nurse told her with an affirming nod.
Reva’s initial hesitation dissolved. With a gentle yet assured motion, she lifted Lucan from the confines of his bed, embracing her role as his immediate protector in this unfamiliar environment.
“Can I have a dinner tray brought up?” the nurse offered.
“Thank you. I’d appreciate that.” No way was she leaving, not even to fill her growling stomach.
As soon as the nurse vacated the room, Reva folded into the empty rocking chair. “Well, Lucan. It’s just us.”
With small hands, he reached into the air, grasping for something—perhaps a blanket or a familiar toy that carried the lingering scent of home. “Ma-ma,” he said, looking around, his tiny voice hopeful.
Reva’s heart squeezed. “Reva,” she quietly said, tears streaming down her face.
She did her best to distract him, playing games with his toes and making animal sounds that brought a smile to his dimpled face. He looked at her with large, round chocolate-brown eyes.
“Everything is going to be okay,” she promised again.
Over the past hours, he’d been subjected to unfamiliar faces and places that would scare even the bravest children. Now, Lucan oscillated between a desperate need for closeness and a bewildered withdrawal, a tiny soul adrift in confusion. Finally, he tired and leaned his body against hers, letting sleep overtake him, his slumber fractured by restless movements and soft whimpers.
The nurse came back into the room and offered the tray. Reva quietly told her to put it on the adjustable bedside table, then waited for the nurse to depart before laying her head against the top of Lucan’s.
She was starving but nothing would make her move this sleeping baby.
The warmth of his body seeped into her own as Reva’s thoughts inevitably drifted to his mother, a woman she had never met but whose presence loomed large in this moment of profound sorrow. She pondered the dreams and aspirations the young mother must have had for her child, the plans laid out for a future now irrevocably altered.
Reva imagined the countless tender moments between mother and son, now memories that Lucan was too young to hold onto.
She thought about the love that had once surrounded the little boy, a love that had been his shield against the world. With each passing second, Reva felt a growing resolve to honor that love, to ensure that the warmth and care his mother had enveloped him with would continue, even in her absence.
In a silent vow made in the quiet of her heart, she determined to protect and cherish the fragile life left in the wake of an unimaginable loss.
At least while he was in her care until his family was found.
12
The medical team released Lucan the following morning. After completing more paperwork, Reva was assigned to be the orphaned toddler’s temporary guardian, under the supervision of Child and Family Services.
At the helm of the agency was a woman who would serve as their caseworker. Shaped by years of dedicated service, Bea Followill’s very presence commanded respect. The depth of understanding and compassion reflected in her eyes hinted at countless stories and decisions she had navigated with a steadfast heart. Yet, beneath her composed exterior lay a tangible weariness, a signal of the weight of her responsibilities as she stood as guardian for society’s most vulnerable, their children.
Reva carried Lucan to her car and Bea instructed her on how to properly use the car seat. She’d never used one before, so the help was appreciated.
“I’ll check in soon,” Bea promised, handing her a bag filled with diapers and baby food.
Reva thanked her and climbed into her car, quickly glancing in the rearview mirror at Lucan who was fastened securely in a car seat in the back. Through her open window, she gave a wave to the woman seeing her off. “Thank you, Bea. I appreciate everything you’ve done.”
“Oh, honey. You’re the one who should be commended here. It is a good thing you are doing.”
Reva pulled from the hospital parking lot hoping she was right. The idea of doing anything else had never crossed her mind. Still, what did she know about taking care of a baby? The occasional babysitting for Charlie Grace and Lila didn’t exactly qualify her for caring for a child full-time.
She reminded herself this unexpected situation was temporary.
The idea both relieved and depressed her as memories of his soft, dark skin brought a smile to her face. Lucan was the most adorable little guy she’d ever seen. His beautiful black hair and dimpled cheeks qualified him as a poster child for cute. Those chocolate eyes, framed by long, delicate lashes, held a depth of pure wonder. He captured the hearts of everyone around him.
Reva took the long way home, avoiding driving past the accident scene. Everything would be cleaned up by now, but the site would always be a reminder of Lucan’s dreadful loss. She prayed God would protect him in the years ahead as he learned the details of that fateful day.
Until then, she would do everything in her power to bring smiles to his face.
She wondered what he liked to eat. Did he have a favorite bedtime routine? Did he love to take a bath?
