Hope's Toy Chest Read online

  “Chelsea is actually putting together a party for the children who are in remission. We had hoped Jessica would be one of our honored guests. She’s truly a miracle and we want to celebrate that.” Le looked down at Chelsea and smiled. She never ceased to amaze him.

  “We’d be honored. It would be nice for her to meet other children her own age who have suffered what she has. She’s so small for her age that some of the other children at the park make fun of her.” Kelly frowned as she looked to Jessica. “My baby has been given a second chance but now she has another battle ahead of her—other kids. I couldn’t protect her from cancer, and there’s little I can do about the other children.”

  “Now that she’s healthy, she’ll begin to catch up to her peers. It will take time and she might always be smaller than her classmates but you’ll begin to see the change in her.” He glanced to Jessica, who was rolling around in the yard like a gymnast. “Sorry, but I still can’t believe her recovery.”

  “Me neither. I keep waking up thinking it was a dream, but when I go down the hall to her bedroom and see her laying there it all comes back to me.” Tears glistened in Kelly’s eyes.

  “That gives me another idea.” Chelsea sat her glass of lemonade aside. “Why not start a regular playgroup for the children who are in remission or are well enough to attend? Then children can meet others their own age who understand what they’ve gone through and why they look different. There’d be no reason to try to hide and the ridicule would be minimal.”

  “Where would you hold it?” Le asked.

  “I have a friend who owns a daycare facility, Cradles to Crayons. Last year she added a large indoor play area, with climbing structures, slides, and a large ball pit. It would be the perfect place to have it. We’d have it professionally cleaned before each play session to limit the chance of any of the children becoming sick. Maybe do it once a month.”

  “Oh, that would be nice and I know Jessica would just love it,” Kelly exclaimed. “If you need any help I’d be glad to do whatever I can. Something like that would be good not only for the children but for the parents.”

  “I’ll get started on it this week and let you know what I can use help with,” Chelsea said as Kelly’s cell phone chirped to life.

  “Sorry, I have to take this.” Kelly stepped away and brought the phone to her ear.

  Le kissed the top of his wife’s head. “You never cease to amaze me.”

  “Good. I like keeping you on your toes.” She heard car doors shut around the front of the house announcing Liz’s arrival. She wrapped her arms around him because once Liz arrived with Faith, he would be too preoccupied cuddling that little girl. “Before they get back here there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  “What is it?” He rubbed small circles along her hip.

  “Do you want children?”

  Children? His mind raced on how to answer it. Yes, he wanted children, but he knew when he married her it might not be an option. She might not want to have another child after what happened with Hope. As much as he would have liked children of his own, it wasn’t as important as having Chelsea as his wife. He loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, with or without children.

  He must have taken longer than she thought he needed to answer because she broke the silence.

  “I want to have another child,” she blurted out.

  “Really?” He couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice.

  She nodded. “I love Hope and that won’t change no matter how many children I have. But she’s not here any longer and it’s time for me to move on. We both love children and can offer them the love and home they deserve. I want to have a baby with you.”

  “Then we’ll do it because I’ve always wanted children too. But I didn’t think you wanted another one.” He pulled her around to face him. “I love you, Chelsea Mathews.”

  “As I love you, Kingsley.”

  He lowered his head to hers until he could claim her lips.

  Marissa Dobson

  Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, Marissa Dobson now resides about an hour from Washington, D.C. She’s a lady who likes to keep busy, and is always busy doing something. With two different college degrees, she believes you’re never done learning.

  Being the first daughter to an avid reader, this gave her the advantage of learning to read at a young age. Since learning to read she has always had her nose in a book. It wasn't until she was a teenager that she started writing down the stories she came up with.

  Marissa is blessed with a wonderful supportive husband, Thomas. He’s her other half and allows her to stay home and pursue her writing. He puts up with all her quirks and listens to her brainstorm in the middle of the night.

  Her writing buddies Max (a cocker spaniel) and Dawne (a beagle mix) are always around to listen to her bounce ideas off them. They might not be able to answer, but they are helpful in their own ways.

  She love to hear from readers so send her an email at [email protected] or visit her online at http://www.marissadobson.com.

  Other Books by Marissa Dobson

  Alaskan Tigers:

  Tiger Time

  The Tiger’s Heart

  Tigress for Two

  Night with a Tiger

  Trusting a Tiger

  Jinx’s Mate

  Two for Protection

  Bearing Secrets

  Stormkin:

  Storm Queen

  Reaper:

  A Touch of Death

  Beyond Monogamy:

  Theirs to Tresure

  SEALed for You:

  Ace in the Hole

  Explosive Passion

  Capturing a Diamond

  Operation Family

  Cedar Grove Medical:

  Hope’s Toy Chest

  Destiny’s Wish

  Fate Series:

  Snowy Fate

  Sarah’s Fate

  Mason’s Fate

  As Fate Would Have It

  Half Moon Harbor Resort:

  Learning to Live

  Learning What Love Is

  Her Cowboy’s Heart

  Half Moon Harbor Resort Volume One

  Clearwater:

  Winterbloom

  Unexpected Forever

  Losing to Win

  Christmas Countdown

  The Surrogate

  Clearwater Romance Volume One

  Small Town Doctor

  Stand Alone:

  Secret Valentine

  Restoring Love

  The Twelve Seductive Days of Christmas