Lost Soul
Chapter 2
Mike had anticipated all sorts of things on the drive to his mom's house, but seeing Christine had been a gut punch. Hannah had been fairly receptive and even gave him a big hug, but Kaitlyn was completely indifferent to him and at times, very harsh with her mother. The entire evening, Christine sat next to Mike and kept a hand on his arm. Sometimes, the way she talked was very childish and she didn't understand a lot. Mike was nervous about sharing a bed with her, but the last thing he wanted was to upset her, so he settled in next to her; not really sure how to act. But, Christine curled into his side and gave him a sweet smile.
"I'm so glad you're back." Christine said.
"I am glad to be." Mike told her.
"When will you leave?" Christine asked.
"I'm retiring now. I may have to go back to St. Louis to finish everything, but I will come back, I promise." Mike said.
"I don't want you to leave again." Christine said with tears in her voice.
"If I have to leave, it will only be for a few days or a week, at the most. I promise." Mike told her.
"I hope you don't have to. Stupid Navy." Christine answered. It had been an argument from years before, but Christine was presenting it with a lot less maturity now. Mike wasn't sure which argument he'd rather have. The one with sharp as a tack Christine, or the one where she had the reasoning skills of a ten-year-old.
"When I go back, I want to speak with a neurosurgeon and see if there is anything that can help you. Is that something you'd want?" Mike asked.
"To…get better?" Christine asked.
"Yes. It might not perfect, but it might help." Mike told her.
"Yes!" Christine agreed.
"It might be really painful." Mike warned.
"I want to be a normal wife and mother again. I don't want my daughters to have to take me to the bathroom and help me shower. Whatever it would take, I want to do it." Christine said. Sometimes she shocked Mike in how well she could articulate.
"Don't get your hopes up. I don't even know what sort of injury you had." Mike warned.
"I don't remember much. The last thing I remember is a shovel or something hitting me right above my left ear." Christine explained. Mike was shocked she even remembered that, but it gave him an area to start with.
"Can I feel?" Mike asked.
"Of course." Christine said with a smile. Mike gently probed the side of her skull and immediately felt where the bone had been broken at some point. It was very noticeable.
"Does that hurt?" Mike asked.
"Not when you do that, but sometimes, my head really hurts. My eyes hurt too. Sometimes lights bother me." Christine answered.
"Do you have migraines?" Mike asked.
"I suppose that's what you'd call them." Christine told him.
"Alright. I will start making some calls tomorrow. While Mom is having her surgery, I'll see about getting you in for some testing and go from there." Mike said.
"Your mom tried really hard. There was just never any doctors or money." Christine told him.
"Its okay. You just rest." Mike said as he kissed her forehead. Christine inhaled deeply and put her head on Mike's chest. Mike covered them both with a blanket and wrapped his arms around her. She fell asleep pretty quickly and for the first time in years, Mike slept without tossing and turning.
The next morning, his mom had a doctor's appointment to set up her surgery, but Mike stayed home with Christine and the girls. It gave him more of a chance to monitor Christine to see what she struggled with. She could feed herself, but Hannah usually jumped in and did it, because Christine's motor skills weren't the best. She also could dress herself and go to the bathroom without assistance, but she did have to be watched because she could become terribly light-headed and dizzy which turned into a f all-risk. Her patience was lacking and she got frustrated very easily. Of the two girls, Hannah handled her better, but she sometimes struggled understanding Christine's moods. Kaitlyn didn't even bother trying.
Hannah convinced Christine to lay down for a nap after a temper tantrum and Mike had to lay down with her for a few minutes to get her to go to sleep. He slipped out of bed and quietly left the bedroom, hoping he didn't wake Christine up. Kaitlyn was in her bedroom, but Hannah was cleaning the kitchen and Mike sat down at the island and watched her for a moment.
"Your grandma should be home soon." Mike told her.
"Yeah, I know but I still want to get this done and clean the bathroom before she does." Hannah said.
"Honey, I know its been rough and I appreciate everything you've done for your mom and grandma." Mike told her simply.
"I wish I had done more." Hannah admitted.
"Why didn't you?" Mike asked as he stood up and walked around the island to where Hannah was standing.
"I don't know. The day Mama got hurt, she made me and Kaitlyn go hide. I found her…Dad, it was bad. Kaitlyn thought she could have done more to protect herself, and still does. She thinks all this with Mama is an act. I know better, but I can't convince Kaitlyn of it." Hannah explained. At fourteen, she was wise beyond her years.
"I felt the side of her head last night. Sweetie; her skull was bashed in. I am going to get her to a doctor to see if they can help her, but there is no way that's an act and I will tell Kaitlyn that much." Mike insisted.
"I know. When I found her, there was a huge goose-egg on the side of her head and blood coming out of her ears. She wasn't like this then, but within a few days, she got steadily worse. Her eyes looked weird too. Like…the brown had become all black. Not sure that makes any sense. She was having nose bleeds too." Hannah told him.
"I'm no doctor, but it sounds like she had swelling on the brain." Mike said.
"Yeah. She seemed a bit swelled up. I also remember, a week or so later, this weird pink fluid came out of her ears and nose." Hannah explained.
"Not like blood?" Mike asked.
"A little, but like the blood was just coloring it a little. It kind of looked like strawberry milk." Hannah told him.
"Cerebrospinal Fluid probably. I'll tell the doctor." Mike said. He leaned over and gave Hannah a hug and kissed her on the top of the head.
"There were other injuries. Have you seen her back?" Hannah asked.
"She dressed herself today. I was close by but no." Mike answered.
"He took a board with nails at the end and beat her with it. The only reason I know that was because I found it. There was blood all over it and she's got scars all over her back." Hannah said.
"Anything else?" Mike asked.
"He burnt the bottom of her feet. That's why she won't wear shoes." Hannah answered.
"Thank you, sweetie. I appreciate you telling me all this." Mike said.
"Do you think they can fix it and we can get Mama back?" Hannah asked.
"I don't know. I hope so, but we can try." Mike told her. He patted her shoulder and smiled at her. "I am going to go in and lay down again. When Grandma gets home, wake me up please?" Mike asked.
"Okay." Hannah agreed. Mike kissed the top of her head again and then walked into the room where Christine was still asleep. He slipped back into the bed with her and smiled at how, in her sleep, Christine grasped for his hand, and once she found it, immediately smiled, despite being asleep.
I am no medical expert so…take the medical stuff with a pound of salt!