Before I could answer, the door opened.
“You’re doing the face.”
Superman walked in.
Alice froze.
Then Wonder Woman appeared behind him, followed by Batman, Spider-Man, and Captain America.
One after another, doctors and nurses Alice knew came into the room dressed as the heroes she’d spent months lining up beside her bed.
Alice stared for three full seconds.
Superman walked in.
Then she shouted, “No way!”
Everyone laughed.
Alice started laughing too.
Then she cried.
She pointed at Batman.
“I recognize you! I know who you are, Batman!”
“No way!”
Batman adjusted his mask.
“You have no proof.”
That made her laugh harder.
I reached for my phone automatically.
Then I stopped.
For months, I’d photographed everything because part of me was terrified I’d forget.
“You have no proof.”
That morning, I lowered it.
I wanted to see my daughter without a screen between us.
Then Dr. Malcolm, dressed as Superman, walked over and knelt beside her.
“There’s one part of today your mom doesn’t know about either.”
We were back at the moment that had made my stomach tighten.
I wanted to see my daughter.
Dr. Malcolm looked at me.
“The results we were waiting for came in this morning.”
I gripped the bedrail.
“They’re encouraging, Alice. Maggie, they’re looking good.”
Hope rose too quickly.
“Maggie, they’re looking good.”
He continued before I could misunderstand.
“Treatment isn’t over. Alice will still need medication, blood work, appointments, and monitoring. But we’re comfortable moving her into the next, less intensive phase we’ve been working toward.”
Alice looked between us.
“Is that good, Mom?”
“It’s very good.”
She smiled.
“Treatment isn’t over.”
I started crying again.
Then someone handed Dr. Malcolm a backpack.
It was bright blue, covered in fabric-marker stars, superhero symbols, and messages from Alice’s classmates.
Alice sat straighter.
“Is that for me?”
Dr. Malcolm smiled.
“Is that for me?”
“Your class sent it.”
Inside was a note.
“Whenever you’re ready, your seat is waiting.”
Alice read it twice.
Then she looked at me.
“School?”
“Your class sent it.”
Dr. Malcolm nodded.
“Not tomorrow. Not all day at first. And not without a plan. But yes. We can start talking about getting you back there. When you’re ready, we’ll make sure the school has the medical guidance it needs.”
Alice turned toward me.
