Recovery
A/N: Anything in bold italic is being spoken in Italian.
Anything written in between ** is in Dave's dream sequence
Part 4
Jing-Mei is still up after all night. She's been walking around the house bouncing a fussy, cranky Antonio.
Jing-Mei: What's the matter baby? The Humphrey's isn't working. I know it hurts but believe me one day you will be grateful for this little bit of pain.
Rusty comes out of his room rubbing his eyes.
Jing-Mei: What are you doing up?
Rusty: Sleep no.
Jing-Mei: I know. Who can sleep? You may not believe this Rusty but you were like this when you were Antonio's age. All babies are.
Jing-Mei keeps trying to put the pacifier in Antonio's mouth and he just spits it out as he cries. He is getting extremely upset and she's afraid that it may set is asthma off. Rusty comes running over to her with the baby's teething ring. She gives it to Antonio and he settles down momentarily. Then he starts crying again. Rusty gives up and goes over and starts to play his video game. Jing-Mei decides that if the Humphrey's isn't working and the teething ring isn't working then maybe if she put some Baby Oragel on the teething ring to numb the nerves in his gums while he bit down on the ring than that would help. She was exhausted and willing to try anything. She rubbed the medicine over the ring and handed it back to the baby, the baby held it for awhile and then bit it. He started to drool with the nasty taste of it but all in all it seemed to do the trick. Antonio settled down. Jing-Mei walked into the living room and got Rusty away from the game.
Jing-Mei: Alright Rusty, Antonio's quiet now. You can go back to sleep again. You have school tomorrow.
Rusty continued to try to play with his game when Jing-Mei shut the tv off. Rusty got the message and went over to kiss his brother.
Rusty: 'Night Tonio. 'Night Mama Jing. Love you.
Jing-Mei: 'Night and love you too.
Jing-Mei took Antonio into the nursery and sat with him in the rocking chair.
Jing-Mei: There you go little one. I know it doesn't taste too good but it will make those gums of yours feel better.
Antonio drifted off to sleep still holding his teething ring. Jing-Mei continued to rock him and sing him a Chinese lullaby.
In the morning, when Mrs. Peterson came over to baby sit Antonio. She came in to find the house unusually quiet.
Mrs. Peterson: Dr. Chen, Rusty!
She was very worried when she didn't get an answer. She walked in the nursery to find Jing-Mei asleep in the rocking chair still cradling Antonio as he slept and Rascal laid on the floor by Jing-Mei's feet.
Mrs. Peterson: Ahhhh! How cute.
Mrs. Peterson carefully removed the baby from Jing-Mei's arms and placed him in his crib. She started the mobile up to soothe him if he woke up. Then she went over and shook Jing-Mei awake.
Jing-Mei: What? What's going...Antonio, where are you?
Mrs. Peterson: It's okay, Dr. Chen. I put him in his crib.
Jing-Mei: Oh Mrs. Peterson, it's you. What time is it?
Mrs. Peterson: It's 8:30 in the morning.
Jing-Mei: Oh god, I overslept. Where's Rusty at?
Mrs. Peterson: I checked on him before I came in here. He's still asleep.
Jing-Mei: Well, let him sleep. He'll just have to miss school today.
Mrs. Peterson: Late night?
Jing-Mei: For all of us. Antonio is teething and his crying is keeping us all up. After Rusty's mom and Aunt Sophie died, Rusty was up at all hours of the night crying. It stopped after the first few weeks but than when Dave died it started up again. I think I finally got him through that but now Antonio is keeping us awake.
Mrs. Peterson: It's not either of their faults.
Jing-Mei: I know. I just want to try to get my family through all this tragedy and trauma and go back to a normal life. That's why Dave had to die, so his family could have that.
Jing-Mei started to cry and Rascal woke up and jumped up on Jing-Mei's lap. He tried to lick her face but she had it covered with her hands so he pulled his front two paws off her and walked into the other room. Mrs. Peterson held her to comfort her.
Mrs. Peterson: I know how you feel. I cried for months after I lost Grant and I still do. Let it out. Let it out, dear.
Mrs. Peterson fixed Rusty's breakfast and put Rascal in the yard while Jing-Mei took a shower. Once the pancakes were done, Rusty came in from playing his game and Jing-Mei came out of her bedroom dressed.
Rusty: Where Rascal?
Mrs. Peterson: In the backyard.
Rusty: Breakfast time. Get Rascal.
Rusty got up from the table and headed for the back yard only to be stopped by Mrs. Peterson.
Mrs. Peterson: Young man, sit back down in your seat at that table and finish eating.
Rusty: No, Rascal. Eat breakfast.
Mrs. Peterson: Rascal has his own food and he will eat later. Now turn around in your chair and eat.
Jing-Mei: Well, how do I look?
Mrs. Peterson: Great. What time do you have to be at work?
Jing-Mei: I'm off today. So, I'm going to volunteer at the rehab center.
Mrs. Peterson: You got all dressed up to volunteer?
Jing-Mei: Well, I'm still a doctor when I go there. I still have to maintain a professional appearance.
Mrs. Peterson: If I didn't know better, I'd swear you had a secret boyfriend over there.
Jing-Mei: Don't be ridiculous. You know, it's way too soon. I couldn't.
Mrs. Peterson: Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you wouldn't respect Grant's memory.
Jing-Mei: Dave's memory.
Mrs. Peterson: That's what I mean, Dave's memory. It's just looking that nice, the guys will be all over you in no time at all.
Rusty: Like papa...
Jing-Mei: Rusty!! Eat!!
Jing-Mei started towards the door when she ran back to her room and in a few minutes came out with a package.
Jing-Mei: Almost forgot this. Goodbye you guys and I'll see you later.
Over at the rehab center, Erik is twisting and turning in bed. Obviously upset about the dream he's having:
**Davey was eleven years old when he came into his apartment and saw some of his father's friends in there. He knew he wasn't supposed to stay in the same room with them neither did he want to. He ran into his bedroom and put on his pajamas. It was only 5:00 at night but he knew his father was having one of his meetings and it would go on for hours so his room would be his prison for the rest of the day. He would lay on his cot and stare at the ceiling. The more he stared at it, the more it seemed to spin around. The whole time he would think about what his life would be like if he lived with another family: like the Santinis. He and Sophie would have a nice mama and papa and three very nice looking sisters.
The smell from the living room was seeping under the door of his bedroom. The scent from marijuana, and beer was making Davey high and sick. He turned over and put his face into the pillow of his cot to block out the odors.
In the next room, Davey heard a small cry. He went over to the vent and whispered through it.
Davey: Sophie, what's wrong? Are you okay?
Sophie continued to cry. She slowly made her way over to the vent that she and Davey used to communicate through when they were in their separate rooms.
Davey: Please talk to me, Sophie.
Sophie: Davey, It hurts.
Davey: What does? What hurts you?
Sophie remained silent and Davey knew exactly what was wrong with her. She was always uncomfortable when her father touched her.
Davey: It was pa`pa, wasn't he? He hurt you.
Sophie: Not just pa`pa this time.
Sophie went back to crying while Davey sprung to his feet. He swung his door open and ran into the other room. He stood in the center of all of his father's friends. He looked around at them in disgust.
Davey: Which one of you bastards touched my sister?
High and drunk as they were they just sat in their seats and laughed at the angry little boy.
Davey: I asked you fuckers who hurt my sister?
Vincenzio shot to his feet and grabbed Davey by his shoulder.
Vincenzio: Who the fuck do you think you are to call my friends names. Now you apologize to them.
Davey refused so Vincenzio shook him hard. One of Vincenzio's friends stopped him from shaking the boy. He pulled Vincenzio off of him and walked with him over to the other side of the room as Davey regained his bearings. They whispered at each other and walked back over to Davey.
Vincenzio: Little punk, it's about time you earned your keep. Take this bag down to Milani Street. Don't come back until it's empty and you better sell every pill in there for twice the street rate. I'll be expecting the money so don't think of dumping the product. Compren`de.
Davey: Can I get changed out of my pajamas first?
Vincenzio shoved Davey towards his room. Davey walked towards the door of his bedroom as if he were obeying and going in and getting changed, then he tossed the package out a nearby opened window. Vincenzio blew his stack.
Davey: You sell your junk yourselves. I won't do it.
Vincenzio grabbed Davey by the throat and pushed him up against the wall.
Vincenzio: You little shit. That was over 19,118 lira. That's like $10,000 dollars in American money. Did you know that you little shit?
Friend of Vincenzio: Hey, you can't blame the kid. He doesn't want to sell the product until he's tested it first. Get what I mean.
Vincenzio starts to laugh in his typical evil matter with the rest of the group accompanying him. Vincenzio heads over to his desk and opens a drawer. Davey, knowing what comes next starts to move towards the front door. Unfortunately, he doesn't get far. Three of Vincenzio's goons grab him and throw him to the floor. They hold him down. Davey starts kicking and screaming til one of them finally puts a rag in his mouth. Vincenzio heads back over to Davey with a loaded syringe. Still struggling, Davey realizes he's fighting a losing battle as his father injects him with the heroine. It takes fast and Davey starts to convulse on the floor. The men get off him and watch as he seizes. Once the seizure is over, Dave tries to get up. He pulls himself onto his knees and retches. He finally pulls the rag from his mouth and throws up all over the floor. He tries to stand when Vincenzio places his foot on Davey's neck and forces him to the floor, slamming his face in his own vomit. The men laugh at the shaken kid.
Vincenzio: You guys get the fuck out of here. I'll see you later. I've got something to do.
The men leave and Vincenzio heads into Sophie's room. Davey hears her scream but is unable to get to her in his drugged condition. He passes out. The next thing he remembers is his father walks by him and kicks him in the stomach.
Vincenzio: Clean this fucking sick mess up, you little scum. It better all be gone before I get back home.
After Vincenzio leaves, Sophie comes out of her room and gets a basin of water. She turns Davey over and starts to wash him up.**
Erik jumps up in his bed. His sheets are soaked and he is shaking when Jing-Mei walks through the door.
Jing-Mei: Dav..Erik! What is it? What happened? Erik, calm down. Your heart rate is off the chart. Now just settle down before you have another attack.
Erik looks around the room like he's trying to figure out where he is. He takes a couple of deep breaths and lies back down in the bed. Jing-Mei puts her package down on Erik's bed and sits in the chair next to him. She runs her hand down his sweat and tear covered cheek. Erik tries to pull away from her, but she eases him back over.
Jing-Mei: Shhhhh! Shhhhhhhhh! It's okay. I'm here now.
Erik: C....Ch...i.n.
Jing-Mei: That's right, Chin is here and I'm not going to hurt you. Did you have another bad nightmare?
Erik nods.
Jing-Mei: Do you want to tell me about it?
Erik shakes his head no.
Jing-Mei: It's alright. You don't have to. You don't have to do anything until you're ready to. No one is going to push you, I promise.(pause) Now, I have something here that might cheer you up. I brought it from your old apartment in "Little Italy" when we moved all your things to the new house. I thought maybe it might help you remember.
Jing-Mei picks up her package and she pulls out Erik's photo album. It's a thin book and there's not many pictures in it. Jing-Mei brings it over to him and places it on his stomach. Erik motions to sit up and Jing-Mei raises the book so Erik can scoot up into a seated position. As she is putting the book back down, one picture falls out face up. Erik stares at it.
Erik: S...S...o..f...y!
To be continued. Please read and review.