My leg bounced anxiously as I waited, the sequential ticks on the nearby clock slowly driving itself further and further into my skull as time went on. I had bum rushed myself to Dr. Folme's office, getting him on the phone as soon as the smurf and I were in the car. Shortly after I had it in my arms, the wild infant closed its eyes and became unresponsive. Fearing the worst, I drove in a mad fury in an attempt to get the smurfling some medical attention. The good doctor and his assistants were there waiting for me, taking the limp baby from my arms. I had been in the waiting room ever since.
Dave already knew I was going to be late; he would have to take care of Gus until I came back. I made sure to send him a text telling him to make sure my smurf knew I would be home, as this was the longer than I would usually be away from him. I didn't want him to worry. As I was done texting the door next to me opened and out stepped Dr. Folme. He pulled off his gloves and wiped some sweat from his brow.
"How are they doctor?" I said tentatively, hoping for any sign of good news in his face.
"You mean how is she?" he said as he gave me a dry smile. It was obvious that whatever work he had been doing had taken a lot out of him. He waved for me to follow and held out the door for me. As we walked, he began to tell me what he had discovered during his examination. To begin with, the baby smurf was alive. It had merely passed out from trauma and exhaustion. I gave him a curious look but the doctor continued. When he had removed the infants clothing, he had discovered that it was covered in bruises, scratches, and bitemarks which ran down the length of its body. Whatever had happened between the photographer leaving and me finding the smurf must have been horrendous. I asked him what could have happened to cause this much injury but he only shook his head.
"Rejections, particularly for the very young, can be violent. The more they are pushed away the harder they fight back, looking for any bit of comfort or acceptance they can find. When they don't get the picture, the troop can get quite drastic with their methods of removal," Dr. Folme explained, his face awash with sadness.
We continued down the hall until we came to a large window which shown the inside of a medical room. There on a sterile white table in a bundle of blankets was the small baby smurf, fast asleep and breathing calmly. Its little body, arms and legs were wrapped tight with bandages. I drew in a sharp breath as I saw her, looking so innocent and defenseless in that big room, something within me needed to help her. I turned to Folme and immediately told him I wanted to adopt the baby smurf, my sight held steadfast on its small broken little body laying there.
The Doctor laughed, saying I had a bleeding heart, but pulled out the paperwork anyway. I quickly signed what I could and got the number for the office in town where I could register her. I handed the form back to Dr. Folme and asked where we went from here. The baby smurf would need to stay here for a couple days, until its wounds had healed enough where we wouldn't have to worry about them reopening. I could get the paperwork finished and get my house ready for her in the meantime. Afterwards, I could pick her up and bring her home. It was hard for me to have to leave her, especially when she woke up, saw me through the window, and began squeaking at me with her little arms outstretched. The Doctor thought it would be best to hold her for a bit, at least until she fell back asleep.
I entered the room and gently scooped the smurfling into my arms, her little fingers dug into the fabric of my shirt as she clung to my chest with all her might. I gently patted her little back and head, running a finger over the minute down which covered her. She purred and chirped slightly as I rocked her in my arms. She cooed for a while and then fell back asleep. I kissed her little head and then sat her back into her blankets. The Doctor asked if I had a name for her, to which I responded Daisy, after the grove where I had found her. I then helped the Doctor move Daisy from the room over to the holding area and into a smurf sized cage. I gently put her down on the cold metal bars which made up the floor and then quietly closed the door.
Leaving, I paid Dr. Folme extra so he could afford some amenities for Daisy while I was gone, having felt guilty to leave her there alone. I had to choke back a tear as I left, knowing it was for her best interest. I couldn't stand that such an awful thing had happen to such a defenseless creature, let alone from within her own kind. I made a commitment then and there that I would do everything to make Daisy happy and healthy. That night, I spent it sleeping on the floor in Gus's room with him. He snored a cute little purr as he lay on my chest. In the moonlight which fell over his little face, I stared at the marvel which I had brought into my life.