Recovery
A/N: Anything in bold italic is being spoken in Italian.
Anything written in between ** is in Dave's dream sequence
Part 5
Jing-Mei's jaw hung open. She stared at Erik as he looked at the picture.
Jing-Mei: Erik, you recognize her?
Erik: S...o...of....y. Si...se.r mmm..y...sh....she mmmy s..ssis..er.
Jing-Mei: That's right. She's your sister.
Erik: S.sssh.e ccc.ome vi..is..it.
Jing-Mei sits on Erik's bed and holds him. She starts to stroke the side of his face.
Erik: S...h..e ccc...ome..vis..it mmm.e.e
Jing-Mei: She can't Erik.
Erik: Wh...y? Sss.he d...don't ...li..ke mmme.
Jing-Mei: It's not that. It's just...
Jing-Mei debates whether or not to tell Erik about his sister, but Erik is persistent. He keeps shaking the picture at her. She knows he's not dumb. If she doesn't say something soon, he'll figure it out on his own. He looks at her with uncertainty in his eyes. She thinks for a moment.
Jing-Mei: You need to know the truth.
Erik: T..r..rrut..h?
Jing-Mei: How much about your sister do you remember?
Erik: S...sh..e lllit..tle.
Jing-Mei: Right, she's your little sister. Is that all?
Erik: Ppp..retty.
Jing-Mei: Very.
Erik: Sss.he vvi.si.it
Jing-Mei: Erik, your sister was very sick.
Erik: Ll...ik.e mmmee.
Jing-Mei: Sort of but she wasn't as lucky as you---she died, Erik. Do you know what that means?
Erik: S..sh..e in hh..eaven wi..th mmam..ma.
Jing-Mei: Yeah Erik, she's in heaven.
Erik(getting nervous and upset): Oooh, ummm, no.
Erik tried to hold back his tears but he couldn't. Jing-Mei held him while he cried over his sister's death.
Erik: I....no...say....go..odb..ye.
Jing-Mei: You were very sick at the time. I'm sorry you didn't get to the funeral but as soon as you get well, we will go to visit her grave.
Erik: O...okay.
Jing-Mei: We will take the children and go to Italy and....
Erik pulls away from her and starts to shake.
Erik: Nnnn.ooo. Nnnn...ooo ggg..o th..er..e. N..nnn..o www..aant. gg..o.
Jing-Mei: Alright Erik, take it easy. We won't go to Italy if you don't want to. Maybe you will change your mind later, so we won't completely exclude Italy...
Erik pulls his hands up to his ears and starts rocking back and forth.
Erik: Nnnooo Ittt..ly. Cccan't hh..ear yo..u
Jing-Mei sits next to Erik and watches him for a few moments.
Jing-Mei: Settle down, Erik. We aren't going. You can relax, now.
Erik calms down and goes back to looking at Sophie's picture. Jing-Mei sits in a chair near Erik's bed and watches him. He traces Sophie's face on the picture with his finger while Jing-Mei thought to herself.
Jing-Mei: Why are you so afraid of Italy? What happened to you over there?
Erik was due for physical therapy in a couple of hours, so Jing-Mei helped him lay back down in bed. She moved the photo album out of the way and covered Erik up. She checked his machines and made sure everything was how it was suppose to be. She kissed his head and then tiptoed out of the room, careful not to wake her fragile husband. She decided to go and visit some of the other patients to accommodate her cover story about being a volunteer.
After visiting with several patients, Jing-Mei decides to stop by and visit with Dr. Jackson to discuss Erik's rehabilitation. She goes to his office only to find out that he's in a meeting. Having to get to work and unable to wait, she decided to come back the next day. She heads off to work.
Four hours later at the ER, Jing-Mei takes a small break after helping on two traumas. She sits in the lounge with a cup of coffee and relaxes in a chair. Elizabeth and Haleh walk in and join her.
Haleh: Girl, you look beat.
Jing-Mei: I am. With taking care of a rambunctious seven year old, a puppy, a teething 5 month old, working here and volunteering at the rehab center, I'm ready to drop.
Elizabeth: I know how hard it is to deal with the teething stage of an infant. When Ella was going through it, I made sure Mark got up with her just as many times as I did.
Jing-Mei: Well, I don't have the luxury of having the baby's father to help me.
Elizabeth: I'm sorry Jing-Mei, I didn't mean anything...
Jing-Mei: That's okay. I know. It would be so much easier if Dave were around to help but at least he's not suffering anymore. It would've been nice to have him be there when the boys grew up.
Elizabeth: Yes, the thought that I almost lost Mark before Ella was born was awful. Giving birth to her was the greatest experience of my life and more so because Mark was right by my side the whole time.
Jing-Mei: I think that's why I like volunteering at the rehab center. Seeing the patients getting better and knowing I had a part in helping them gives me satisfaction. I only wish it was Dave that I was helping to get better.
Haleh: I don't know how you do it. Work here all day, volunteer there and then take care of the boys...
Jing-Mei: ...and a puppy. As I see it, what choice do I have? Dave left behind two of the most precious gifts known to man and he can't be here to make sure they grow up right so I have to. He entrusted me with his children and I can't...no I won't let him down. Besides, I love those little ones so much. Without Dave around, they give me a reason to get up in the morning and on days that I don't think I can get by without Dave, I have them to give me cause to go on. When I just want to give up I think about them and that gives me my strength. That and plenty of coffee.
At the rehab center, Erik is with Larry in the physical therapy pool room. Erik is in a Hubbard bath and enjoying the warm water on his tender muscles. He's been in for about an hour when Larry helps him out, to his disappointment. As Larry is lifting him out, Erik screams and starts to fight him.
Larry: Take it easy, man. It's alright. It's me, Larry--your friend.
Erik: Ggg...e.t. wwway.
Erik starts to swing his right arm around and makes contact with Larry's jaw.
Larry: Owwww!! A little help here.
Two orderlies came over and grabbed Erik, managing to get control of his right arm and restraining him while Larry got a nurse to administer a sedative. Once Erik was calmed down, the orderlies and Larry lifted him back into the wheelchair. Larry pushed him into his room and put him in the bed. He started to walk out when he turned back and sat in the visitor's chair. He watched Erik sleep.
Larry(to himself)What in the hell happened? What was all that about?
Several minutes pass and Larry sees Erik tossing in bed. He considers waking him up but with the sedative in his system, that may not be so easy. He sits and watches him making sure he doesn't hurt himself.
**Davey is four years old. Baby Sophie is crying in another room. Inside a small room resembling a bathroom but looking more the size of a closet, Davey is sitting in a tub with a group of people, all of which are drunk and high, around him. Vincenzio is reaching underneath the water and playing with Davey. Davey is fighting him. Everytime, Davey pushes him away, Davey gets his hands smacked with the a leather belt by one of the other people standing in the room.
Vincenzio: Control! Obedience! You must learn these things, punk!
Davey(begging and crying): Please pa`pa! Don't... no more, please. Stop pa`pa.
Vincenzio slaps Davey's face.
Vincenzio: DON'T YOU EVER TALK BACK TO ME, FUCKER!!!!
Vincenzio takes the leather strap and strikes Davey across the back several times.
Vincenzio: RESPECT YOUR ELDERS! DISCIPLINE!! YOU MUST BE PUNISHED!!
Vincenzio continues to order the others to hit Davey, while he goes about playing with Davey's penis under the water. Sore and tired of fighting his father, Davey just gives in and does as his father tells him. Vincenzio, angry that Davey is no longer fighting him, walks up behind Davey and pushes his head in the tub and holds it down. Davey struggles to pull his head up. Vincenzio lifts the drowning boy's head up.
Vincenzio: You let someone touch you there, boy and do nothing about it. That's the devil in you and your soul must be washed thoroughly. DISCIPLINE, DAMN IT, YOU WILL OBEY ME!! YOU WILL BE OBEDIENT AND WE WILL RID YOUR BODY OF THAT DEVIL IN YOU! YOU ARE THE PRODUCT OF SATAN'S WORK!!
Vincenzio continued dunking Davey and calling him a product of the devil, the entire time Davey is fighting and struggling for air while the others in the room laugh and go taking turns hitting Davey with the leather strap. **
An hour later, Erik shakes awake. His eyes become fixed to the tv on in his room. He starts searching the room until he comes upon Larry sitting off to the side.
Erik: Www...hat do..doing y..u he..re?
Larry: Hey, I was worried about you. What happened down in the pool that scared you?
Erik: No...th.thing. I fff..ine.
Larry: Come on, I saw you. The look on your face--you were scared to death. You were screaming and thrashing around, even caught me in the face.(rubbing the side of his face that Erik hit him in) You've got a great right hook--ever boxed before.
Erik: S..ss..orry, Lll..arry.
Larry: It's okay. (pause)You want to tell me what happened?
Erik shakes his head no.
Larry: Alright, but if you ever want to talk, I'm here. Okay?
Erik nods and smiles as Larry holds his hand out for Erik to shake.
Larry: Friends, right.
Erik: Yyy..es. Fr..en..ds. (shaking Larry's hand)
Larry: So, is there something that you want to do?
Erik: Cc..ards.
Larry: You want to play cards?
Erik nods. Larry searches the room until he finds a deck on a bureau. He picks them up and starts to shuffle them.
Larry: What kind of card games do you know? Poker, gin, War, Fish.
Erik takes the cards from Larry and places them, one by one, face down on the table in front of him. He lifts one up at a time and looks at it and then places it down. He continues to do this until he finds two cards with the same numbers on them.
Erik: Mmm..atch.
Larry: Oh, the old memory game. Part of your therapy?
Erik nods.
Larry: Well, we can play that later. You've had enough therapy for the day. Now, it's time for some fun. I'm going to teach you a game that's a little more stimulating for you. Ever play 5 card stud?
Erik shakes his head.
Two hours later, Jing-Mei walks into Erik's room with Rascal on his leash.
Jing-Mei: Look, who I brought to visit?
Erik drops his cards and a large smile appears on his face. He starts to clap his hands and Rascal jumps up on the bed and Erik cuddles and strokes him.
Jing-Mei: Sorry, I didn't know you had company? I'm Dr. Jing-Mei Chen. I volunteer here a couple of days a week. Erik, here is my first patient. And this is Rascal. Erik seems to respond very well to him.
Larry(extending his hand to her): I can see that. Hi. I'm Larry, Erik's physical therapist and friend. He was bored so I was just teaching him a few card games.
Jing-Mei: Thank you for spending time with him. I know Erik enjoyed the company but we don't want to keep you from work.
Larry: You're not. I was off hours ago. He looked like he needed a friend after what happened today...well, I can see he's got new visitors so I'll let you guys alone. Erik, we'll finish our card game later.
Erik, pushes his cards over to Larry.
Erik: I..I wwin.
Larry looks at Erik's cards and then at his cards.
Larry: You've got a straight! You sure do win.
Erik smiles and goes back to playing with Rascal as the excited little puppy licks his face. Jing-Mei stares at Erik and Rascal.
Larry: Maybe next time, I'll teach you how to play strip poker for when you play with the women.
Erik watches over Jing-Mei's shoulder as Larry leaves the room, he gives Erik the thumbs up and then points at Jing-Mei, smiles and sucks his lips making a clicking sound with his mouth. Then he mouths to Erik:
Larry: She's HOT.
Larry leaves and Jing-Mei sits on the bed with Erik and Rascal.
Jing-Mei: You know, our boys want to come up to see you again. Especially Rusty. He asks all the time about you.
Erik pays little attention to her and concentrates on keeping Rascal happy and occupied.
Jing-Mei: They are really wonderful little boys. Once, you spend more time with them you will see that.
She stares at Erik and watches how gentle he is with Rascal.
Jing-Mei: I wish you could be that comfortable with our sons as you are with the dog. (pause) You know, I was thinking after you've adjusted to the boys and you're use to them and when you're up to it...I mean when you're ready and when all the trouble is over with and we don't have to live in fear anymore then maybe we can try for another child.
To be continued. Please read and review.