"She was brave and strong and broken all at once." -Anna Funder
Wednesday, October 15, 1986
The next morning, Emily is sitting in a chair by JJ's bed with Spencer sleeping in her lap. Emily didn't sleep a wink though. She was too busy watching over her little sister. Watching to see if the little girl would wake up.
A doctor walked into the room to check on JJ's vitals when he noticed that Emily and a sleeping Spencer were still there.
"Is there anyone I can call for you?" The doctor wondered "Like maybe your mom or dad? Or any other relative?"
Emily shook her head, "No. I'm an emancipated teen. It's just me and my baby siblings."
That was a lie though. She wasn't emancipated. At least not yet. She was filing though. She just had to turn in the paperwork and then wait for a court date where a judge would decide her fate, and ultimately her siblings' fate too.
"Okay well why don't you go get food got yourself and your little brother." The doctor suggested
"I will when he wakes up." Emily agreed "I don't want to leave my sister."
The doctor nodded as he finished taking JJ's vitals before heading towards the door of the hospital room to exit.
"Doctor." Emily called stopping the man in his tracks "When will my sister wake up?"
The doctor gave a shrug, "It's hard to be certain, but she's young. Her body will heal faster. She could wake up anywhere from a few days to a few weeks."
"Okay. Thank you, doctor." Emily replied with a soft sigh.
After the doctor left, Spencer stirred as he started to wake up.
"Is JJ awake?" Spencer asked groggily as he rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes
"No. Not yet, bubba." Emily told her little brother "How about we get out of here and go get something to eat?"
Spencer gave a timid nod, "Mimi, I want chocolate chip pancakes."
"We can have anything you want, baby boy." Emily assured her little brother as she planted a kiss on his temple. She picked him up and then stood up before heading out of the hospital.
As Emily walks and holds Spencer's hand, she things about the best place to get pancakes when she spots a Denny's. She heads to the Denny's and then enters the restaurant.
"Table for two?" The hostess wondered
"Yes, thank you." Emily replied "One booster seat, please."
The hostess gave a nod. He grabbed two menus and a booster seat, "Right this way."
While still carrying Spencer Emily followed the host to a table with two chairs. After the host placed the booster seat on one of the chairs and the menus on the table, Emily sat picked up Spencer and sat him down in the booster before taking her own seat.
"I know what I'm getting." Spencer declared without even looking at his children's menu "What are you getting, Mimi?"
Emily shook her head, "I'm good. I'm not hungry, bubba. I'm just going to have water."
"But Mimi, if you don't eat you'll get low blood sugar and then you'll die." Spencer informed her
"I'll be fine, baby. I'm not going to die." Emily assured him
Spencer looked at her quizzically, "When did you last eat, Mimi?"
"Spencer, just drop it. I'm fine." Emily snapped
Spencer's bottom lip poked out and quivered as he started to cry. He's always been a little sensitive. He doesn't like when people fight or yell or raise their voice.
Emily sighed softly, "Bubba, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm just worried about JJ and that's why I'm not hungry and a little stressed."
"You…you yelled." Spencer half cried
Emily nodded, "I know. I'm sorry, baby boy. Please don't cry. I'm so sorry, baby."
Spencer blinked as he sniffled and wiped his tears, "Okay. I forgive you, Mimi."
"I love you, bubba." Emily told him with a smile
"I love you too, Mimi." Spencer replied as he smiled back
After a waitress came by and took their order, Spencer colored on his menu and Emily's phone rang.
"Hello?" Emily spoke as she answered her phone.
"Hi Miss Reid. This is Brandon Munoz." The voice said
Emily's mouth dropped open, "Oh yes. I'm so sorry. A family emergency came up." Emily explained "I'll turn in the paperwork tomorrow."
"I'm so sorry, Miss Reid. I hope everything is alright." Brandon replied "See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, sir." Emily told him
When Emily hung up the phone and put it back in her purse, she looked up and then notice the quizzical look on her little brother's face.
"What's puzzling you, baby boy?" Emily wondered
"Who were you talking to, Mimi?" Spencer asked
Emily smiled softly, "My lawyer. I'm meeting with him tomorrow to turn in my paperwork so I can file for emancipation. Then he's going to set up a court date and a judge will decide whether I can be granted emancipation."
Spencer gave a nod, "Okay Mimi."
After Spencer finished his breakfast, Emily paid the bill, and then they headed back to the hospital to see JJ and sit in her room.
"Mimi, the police arrested the bad man that hurt JJ. He wanted to hurt me, but JJ came in front of me." Spencer stated on the short walk back to the hospital
Emily nodded, "I wouldn't doubt that, bubba. What he did was a very rotten thing. He had no right to hurt JJ the way he did. He's going to be in jail for a very long time."
"I know, Mimi. The nice police man told me that." Spencer replied
Upon arriving at the hospital, Spencer ran to JJ's room to see if she was awake yet. Emily smiled at his hope and excitement as she followed after him. Her heart broke all over again seeing her little sister just laying there in that hospital bed.
"JJ's not awake, Mimi." Spencer said sadly
Emily gave a small nod, "I know, baby."
"I miss her. I miss her calling me 'Spence'." Spencer admitted
"I miss her too, baby. I miss her sweet voice and her laugh." Emily confided as she scooped up Spencer into her arms and then sat down, cradling him to lay across her lap.
Later in the afternoon, Spencer is reading one of his books - To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee -, while Emily works on her schoolwork. Spencer finishes his book quickly and soon becomes bored again, until he formulates an idea.
"Mimi, can I read to JJ?" Spencer wondered "I brought my Little Women book. It's her favorite, and I've read that studies show that reading to a coma patient is good for them."
Emily looks up from her laptop, which she bought with her own money, "Um maybe later. I need to focus on my homework."
"Okay, but I'm bored, Mimi." Spencer complained
"How about you draw a picture for JJ?" Emily suggested "I brought your markers and crayons. They're in my bag along with your drawing pad."
Spencer smiled, "Okay. Thanks Mimi."
Spencer gets out the drawing pad along with the markers and crayons, then he starts to draw JJ a pictures of a butterfly. Emily settles back to her homework, but not long after there is a knock on the door and then a woman steps inside. Spencer turns his head to look at who is entering the room. Upon seeing the woman, his eyes widen and his mouth drops open. Emily sees her little brother's face and turns to see who he's looking at.
"What are you doing here?" Emily asked as she moved close to her brother and stood by his chair protectively.
"I been notified that Spencer and JJ's foster father went to jail." Their social worker, Lydia Benton stated "I'm so sorry about what happened to JJ."
Emily furrowed her eyebrows as her nostrils flared angrily, "Yeah well if you did your job, my little sister wouldn't be here fighting for her life. And you're not taking Spencer from me again."
"You and I both know that you don't have a choice. I have to take Spencer. Legally you can't have him." Lydia explained
Spencer wrapped his arms around Emily tightly as he clung to her for protection.
Emily protectively hugged Spencer back, "I made the mistake in not fighting for Spencer and JJ four months ago because I didn't have an standing, but I'm not going to make that mistake again. I'm meeting with my lawyer tomorrow to turn in my emancipation paperwork and then set a court date with a judge."
"Okay, but in the meantime I have to take Spencer." Lydia replied "I'm sorry, Emily."
"Don't let her take me, Mimi." Spencer cried to Emily as he clung tighter to her
Emily shook her head and pleaded, "Please, Lydia. Please, just let him stay with me. If he ends up in another bad foster home, he'll never survive. I know that I'll lose him, and I already might lose JJ. Please don't let me lose my baby boy too."
Lydia sighed softly, "I'm sorry, but I have to follow protocol."
"This isn't fair." Emily said as she blinked and a single tear rolled down her cheek
"I'll give you two a minute to say goodbye." Lydia told her before stepping out of the room.
Emily sighed. She pulled Spencer off of her and then crotched down to his level to talk to him.
"I don't wanna go, Mimi." Spencer sobbed
Emily gave a nod, "I don't want to let you go either, but I don't have a choice. I need you to be a brave boy for me. I need you to be good and don't cause trouble in your foster home. Keep to yourself and listen to the foster parents no matter what. I will get you back as soon as I can, baby. Okay?"
"Okay Mimi." Spencer said with a sniffle
Emily hugged him tight, "I love you, baby boy."
Spencer hugged her back, "I love you too, Mimi."
"To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world." -Dr. Seuss
Hope you enjoy. Comments are greatly appreciated.
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