Chapter 8
Time to Return the Favor
Mike returned home two days prior to his first shift back. Around two-thirty pm, there came a knock at his door. Mike was pretty sure he knew who it was. Sure enough the door opened revealing Alisha.
"Hi Alisha, would you like to come in," Mike asked as he stepped aside to allow her to come in."
Alisha stepped in just far enough for Mike to close the door. Since it had been a while since they had been together, Mike didn't want to make her feel uneasy. He walked over and sat down on the couch. "How are you," Mike asked.
Alisha approached the couch again keeping the arm of the couch between her and Mike, like she had done before. Instead of answering Mike's question she asked, "Are you feeling better?"
Mike smiled and answered, "Yes, I'll be returning to work tomorrow."
Alisha nodded her head and looked over to the kitchen. "Got anything to eat?" She asked hopefully.
"Sure, I have some bananas would you like one?" Mike asked.
Alisha nodded her head vigorously. Mike smiled as he stood and headed for the kitchen with the little girl following. Mike had made sure he always had something special for Alisha to eat after school when he was home.
This continued for a week except for days when Mike had to work, and Alisha was showing more trust in him. After school she would knock and Mike would let her in. Then they would sit at the table and eat their snack. He always had a snack ready for her each day. As they ate together, Mike would ask her about her day at school. Alisha would start babbling on about this and that with a big smile on her face. This warmed Mike's heart. However he kept assuring himself that he wasn't getting too involved, but was still able to help the little girl.
Three day's later, Tuesday; Alisha didn't come to his door. At first Mike thought that she may have thought he wasn't home. So he looked around the complex for her, knowing she hated to go into her step-father's home until she had too. But he didn't find her.
On Wednesday, Mike watched for the bus to drop her off but it didn't stop. "That must mean that Alisha was not at school today. Maybe she has been sick." So he let it pass. On Thursday, he had to work but he was looking forward to Alisha's visit on Friday. He had missed the interaction with the little girl.
Friday afternoon, Mike again watched for the little girl to get off the bus and again the bus didn't stop. Mike began to worry about her. He knew her step-father Cliff would not provide the best of care for a sick child. Finally he convinced himself go over and check on Alisha. He knocked on the door. It took some time but finally the door opened. What Mike saw devastated him. Alisha's left eye was swollen shut and there were other bruises visible on her exposed legs and arms. "What happened?" Mike asked as he knelt down in front of the little girl.
Before Alisha could answer, Cliff's voice boomed out as he entered the living room. Swearing, Cliff told Mike it was none of his business and that he needed to leave and quit interfering. He took two steps towards the door grabbed Alisha by the arm and yanked her away, slamming the door in Mike's face. Mike was no longer worried about getting involved. He has seen enough that little girl was hurt and needed medical attention. He hurried to his apartment and called for a squad.
Again it was Dwyer and Peters, Mike met them as they came up the stair well and told them what he had seen and witnessed. Dwyer remembered how the man had treated the little girl when they had been there the last time. The three men stepped over to the door and knocked. But there was no answer. Dwyer knocked loudly again and declared, "Fire Department." The door flung open and Cliff stood in the door way.
"There's no fire here, get lost."
Dwyer, didn't back off. "We received a call about a little girl who was injured."
"What of it!"
"Then there is an injured girl here?" Dwyer said.
"She's all right, she just fell out of bed." He glared at Mike as he said, "I didn't ask for you to come and your not welcomed so get lost." With that he slammed the door. Dwyer turned and looked at Mike. "Sorry Mike, you know we can't go in there with out his consent and even if we did get a hold of the little girl we wouldn't be able to treat her with out the father's or mother's consent."
Mike knew that was true. He thanked them for coming and returned to his apartment. He was heartbroken that he couldn't help her.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Later that night, Mike was reading in his bedroom, when he heard a knock at the door. He hurried to the door and opened it. There stood Alisha.
Tears came to Mike's eyes as he quickly brought her in and closed the door. Kneeling at her side he asked, "What happened to you?"
Alisha dropped her head and mumbled, "I fell of the bed." Then she looked right at him and said, "Mike my arm really hurts, can you make it feel better?" Mike couldn't take this any longer. He knew Cliff had hurt this little girl. Some how he needed to get her some help. Then he thought of Roy, he would know what to do. Mike quickly pulled on a pair of sweats pants and a shirt and carefully wrapped Alisha in a blanket and put her in his truck and hurried over to Roy's home.
