Chapter 16

After our beach trip it was time for my internship. Since Charlie was now back working and I was going to be working much more than usual; Bryan was placed under the care of a woman named Jennifer. A woman with two grown kids of her own, who runs a daycare babysitting business. I left my sweet little Bryan in their care with important instructions regarding his diabetes.

I was going to intern under a special teacher. I assumed she retired I guess, but no she was still in her prime and working hard. One of my most favorite people in the world and daily indpiration: Mrs. Brunner. My kindergarten teacher. When I came to her classroom the next day she was definitely happy to see me. Her hair was also now cut short into a stylish pixie. Regardless she was still that same sweet soul I always knew.

"Harmione!" She shouted. "It's been almost 17 years!"

"I know..."

"How are you doing, I want to know all about it, you've gotten so tall...and you're absolutely beautiful. Not to mention you want to be a teacher, your Daddy must be so proud!"

"He's absolutely the happiest Dad ever."

"I can understand why..."

For my first day as an intern at Bellwood Elementary I too was given a set of important instructions. It started with:

"Listen carefully, each morning the principal will read the announcements, then I will begin with our English and reading lesson. After that the kids have an extra activity such as P.E. or library time. We then have our science lesson. Then they go to lunch. When they return we finish up our science lesson. They have a 30 to 40 minute they go to recess. Our last subject of the day is math, then we have snack time, then activity time until the busses come. Did you get all that?"

"Yes mam...I understand."

"Great you'll do just fine." She said with a smile.

When the class began so many of her students kept asking me questions. Like who I was, and what I was doing there. Mrs. Brunner explained my existence to them very briefly. The questions didn't stop, and it was so hard to ignore them. I took notes and tried to learn all of their names and faces. By lunchtime I had everyone down to a T.

What happened next was something I didn't expect. During recess one of the older kids from either the 1st or 2nd grade pushed one of Mrs. Brunner's kids down.

"Hey!" I said sternly and walked over to the kids.

"What's your problem?"

"Aw, he's my kid brother and he won't leave me alone!"

I got on my knees, down to their level.

"What's your name?"

"Luca..." The older one said. I knew the smaller one to be Liam.

"Well hey listen Luca...I got two brothers just like Liam... and they used to bother me too...but just because I was a bit bigger than them didn't give me the right to pick on them, cause I loved them, and you love Liam right?"

"Yeah..."

"And he loves you... And he only wants to play with you because he thinks you're cool...you Luca are a cool kid."

He smiled and helped his brother up off the ground.

"I'm sorry Liam... you can come play space cowboys with us if you want too?"

"Can I be the alien?" He asked softly.

"Sure!"

I smiled.

"There now...be careful."

"Thanks Mrs. LeMay." Liam said and hugged me around the neck.

"You're welcome sweetie."

"Yeah thanks lady..."

"No problem Luca...if you boys need help call for Mrs. Har...that's me okay?

"Okay and thanks!"

They took off for the swingset together. Suddenly another little boy from Mrs. Brunner's class came up to me. He had a weed in his hand.

"Here...Mrs. LeMay I picked this for you."

"Aww aren't you sweet...thank you Ashton."

He grinned. He was missing some teeth. He then ran off in the other direction. That wasn't the only gift I recieved. Later, during activity time a girl named Sadie drew me a picture of a rainbow. She said her class is "more funner" now that I'm there. When I helped the car riders cross the street I got goodbye hugs and waves. The kids seemed to really like me, and I really loved them. I headed to my own vehicle smiling. It was a great day. It couldn't have gone better. Then my pocket hummed. It was my phone on vibrate. I looked at my wallpaper. It was the picture of me, Bryan, and Charlie at the beach. I grinned and looked at the number that had Charlie's picture. My sweetheart was calling me. I couldn't wait to tell him about my day.

"Hello?"

"Har!" He shouted.

"Charlie...what's-"

"I've tried to ring you three times..."

"Charlie are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine...but it's not me it's...its Bryan, babe."

I frowned.

"What is it?! What happened?"

"I think you better come down here."

"Where are you Charlie?"

"The ER."

"I...oh my God...I'm coming!"

My hand trembled over the phone. I sped out of the school parking lot and I stormed through the ER doors and met with Charlie. He was there with Jennifer and one of her kids.

"Where?! What happened Jennifer?! I trusted you!"

"Babe...wait a minute it wasn't Jen's fault."

"Then what happened?!"

Charlie sighed.

"He was playing with the other kids and he tripped and fell...he busted his chin open pretty bad."

I covered my mouth.

"They called me first and I knew I wouldn't be able to get you until after 2:30. But he's in there...I think they're going to sew and stitch up his chin.

My heart ached for my baby. He already has so many problems with needles and taking medicine that having stitches wasn't going to work for him. I wanted to weep, but I held back.

"Anyway they just took him back there...we'll know how he is in a few minutes."

Charlie rubbed my back.

"Harmione I am so sorry." Jennifer began and stood up. "I was cleaning up the kitchen when it happened. It happened behind me actually. He fell on the kitchen floor...I told the other kids repeatly not to run in the house...all he was trying to do I think was keep up with then...I should have watched more closely I feel so bad about it...I'm deeply sorry Harmione."

"No...it's alright Jennifer I understand...thank you."

"I can pay for today's visit and the stitches."

"No...Jen you need that money for your family."

"It would be the least I could do Harmione."

She talked with the nurse to have all the medical bills sent to her. I was grateful. The door opened and a nurse carrying Bryan entered.

"Here he is, he's all patched up and ready to go."

"Oh baby!"

"Mama!"

He wrapped his arms around my neck. I held the back of his head and embraced his little body gently. When Charlie and I got him home we were a little afraid he'd mess with the stitches. Although they put a piece of gauze and surgical adhesive tape on top of it; it still bothered me.

Later that evening after dinner I found Charlie in the bathroom with his shirt off. He was leaning against the countertop and appeared to be rocking himself. He was in pain. I wasn't sure where but I could just tell he was.

"Charlie?"

"Yeah?"

"Your feet and hands hurting babe?"

"My shoulders...it'll quit I'll be alright."

That episode Charlie had left him with sore muscles on a daily basis. I felt awful for him.

Just then we heard Bryan scream. We darted for the living room. Bryan was in the floor crying and having a seizure.