“Come, let me see you!” Dr. Spara exclaimed. “How are my two favorite patients?”
Victoria and Elizabeth bounced into the doctor’s examination room at the Bambino Gesù Hospital and gave their Bruno Bear the hugs he demanded. Leonora and Armando Cutrì followed them in and shook Spara’s hand.
“So, we’re coming up on their six-month anniversary of their bone marrow transplants,” Spara said. “How have they been?”
“Full of energy,” Armando said.
“Their appetites are very good too,” Leonora said.
“How’s their Italian coming along?”
Elizabeth answered in Italian, “We speak like natives!”
“Like natives, eh?” Spara said.
“I’m an Italian girl!” Victoria exclaimed.
“Of course, you are,” Spara said in English. “Come on. Up on the scales. You know the drill. Height and weight.”
Spara did his measurements and wrote down the results.
“Tell us, Professore,” Armando said.
“I’m pleased to say that each of them has grown two centimeters.”
Leonora began to weep.
“Why is Granny crying?” Victoria asked her sister.
“I don’t know,” Elizabeth said. “Are you sad, Granny?”
“No, dearest ones, I’m not sad. Just give me a minute.”
Her husband followed her into the hall and gave her his pocket handkerchief.
“They’ll get old and they’ll die, like all men and beasts,” she said, drying her eyes. “At least they’re in God’s hands now, not the Devil’s.”