Sweet tenderness

My parents arrived today. They had gone back home right before Little Warrior's last chemo, confident that we were covered. But they're back for the holidays and happy to see all of us, but especially Little Warrior. They were starved for her.

It's been a month and a half since they've seen her. To me, the difference is her appearance is big, and I see her everyday. To them, it is huge. Plump, pink cheeks. Eyebrows growing back. HAIR growing back.

It is a visible amount of fuzz now, and feels like velvet. She is very tolerant of our caresses, as we all find that fuzz-head irresistible. I encouraged my dad to stroke her head. He was tentative. He voiced his concern that he was afraid of rubbing it off. LW and I both laughed at him and assured him that her hair is securely attached.

I imagine his concern isn't that much about her hair. It's the concern we all have, that somehow we'll "rub off" her health.

But it was still really sweet, seeing the tenderness of the gruff 79 year old man as he carefully ran his hand over the top of her head.