I can't focus on any of the gossip that my patients are dishing out because I can only focus on Rose. I seriously feel in over my head. Rather than make us close, my guardianship has made everything worse.
One of my patients snaps me out of my trance.
"Ms. Hart! Now I know I'm just some lowly southern grandma, I don't care if you don't listen to me, but your phone's been ringing."
"Oh crap. You're right excuse me."
"shoot it's not like you need me to excuse you anyways"
I disregard her comment, it's not my fault Rose decided to have a meltdown in my car. I see the number, it's from the school. I panic.
Hesitantly, I answer, "umm Hello"
No answer.
I try again "Hello, this is Zoe Hart"
I hear Mrs. Ortega in the background, "Rose, say something, I can hear Zoe on the other line."
There's a sigh and then I hear Rose's voice, "Zoe?"
I grin, I know she had to swallow her pride to talk to me after she yelled at me saying I would NOT be getting any phone calls from her.
"What's up Rose, is something wrong?"
She hesitates, " I'm going to need you to come to school right now."
"What? Are you okay!?"
I hear Mrs. Ortega again, "Go on Rose, tell her."
I get nervous and my voice comes out more authoritative than I expected, "Rose tell me. Now."
"Look I almost got into a fight with Amber but Frederick Dean stopped me from hitting her."
At that moment nothing else mattered I had to get to Rose, "I'm on my way." Then I click.
I run out and tell Brick to care for my old southern grandma. I quickly fill him in and he just looks at me confused, but gives me the okay. I make it to her school in ten minutes. I rush into Mrs. Ortega's office and Rose seems embarrassed at my over zealousness. I see her sink into her chair, but I didn't care.
I yell, "What the hell Rose! What are you doing getting into some stupid fight!"
Rose stands from her seat, "What do you mean stupid?! You don't even know what it was about!"
"It doesn't matter you don't resort to violence!"
I walk closer towards Rose, but Mrs. Ortega stops us.
She demands her presence to be recognized, "MS. HART! Please take a seat and let me explain the situation."
I sit by Rose and I try to take her hand, but she pushes it away.
Mrs. Ortega nods and continues, "It seems that Amber was berating Sam over the death of her parents. Things just escalated from there."
I turn to look at Rose and tears stream down her face, I grab her hand again, but this time she squeezes back.
"What kind of person would do something like that?" I ask disgusted
Mrs. Ortega stares at me for a while then comes out of the trance, "It pains me to say this but we have zero tolerance for any kind of violence, we have to suspend both girls."
Rose gasps, but doesn't say a word.
"that's idiotic" I retort
"I know Zoe, and I agree, but my hands are tied."
"For how long?" I ask
"one week"
Rose turns to me with her tear stained face, "I'm really sorry Zoe, I screwed up bad."
I look at her and feel so much sympathy, "Don't worry sweeti- ahem I mean Rose, it's going to be okay."
I embrace her and I take her home. She decides to go straight to her room, but I think otherwise.
"Rosie, I need you to go sit on the couch for me, we need to talk."
She looks surprised at what I ask, "Why? I said I was sorry, I want to go to my room."
She keeps on walking, expecting me to allow her to go. But we were going to talk about today, whether she liked it or not.
"NO! You are staying out here, you're going to sit on that couch, and we're going to talk about today."
"What about today?" Rose asks in a defensive tone
"ABOUT your meltdown in the car"
"UGH! I DON'T WANT TO"
She has never defied me, then again she's never had a reason to, but it doesn't faze me.
"ROSE! I am NOT messing around today. So SIT DOWN."
She shuffles towards the couch and we both sit.
I start the conversation, "Alright Rose, I need you to tell my why you got so mad today."
In a matter of fact way Rose answers, "I told you, because you need to stop calling me sweetie."
"So you got mad because I called you sweetie?, excuse me if I sound stupid but I don't understand why that would make you mad."
She seems annoyed as if the reason was obvious, "Zoe! My mom was the only person that called me that whenever someone uses that word, it reminds me of her! And she, she was my mom, you know? And now she's gone! So it's not fair that I'm only allowed to think about her, but never actually see her again! It's not fair, it's not fair!" Rose is beside herself and begins to yell and cry
Suddenly I understand why she had that meltdown, I grab her and embrace her as hard as I can. She cries into my shirt, and I hold her very much like a mother would hold her crying five year old daughter. I rub her back and tell her that I love her and that I'm sorry. Soon enough she falls asleep on my lap. I stroke her hair and allow her to rest on top of me.
This was such a tender moment between us, I've never experienced something like it, but I love it! She begins to stir, and I assume she is dreaming.
She start calling out, "No mommy! No daddy!"
I rock her a bit, "Shhh Shhh baby, I'm here. Zoe's here. Calm down Rosie"
To my surprise my words soothe her, and the stirring stops. She is sound asleep and soon enough I drift into sleep as well.
