The Wisdom to Know the Difference

"I'm going to school. I'm going to school!" Georgia sang.

Kirsten laughed. "Alright, alright. Just don't be popping any more stitches before we get to Harbour."

Georgia grinned. "I won't."

"Now finish your bagel, the driver will be here soon to pick us up." Kirsten spun herself around in her wheelchair. "I'm spinning around…" She hummed to herself.

20 minutes later…….

"Have you got everything? Phone? Money? Brain?"

Georgia laughed. "Yes, I do."

"Do you want me to come in with you? Take you the Dean?"

"I'm fine mum. I have been to high school before you know?" Georgia asked smiling.

"I know I'm sorry. I'm just being the overprotective mom."

Georgia smiled sweetly. "I love you mum." She kissed her cheek as she climbed out the car.

"See you after school sweetie! Love you!" The door shut and Kirsten sighed.

"Back home ma'am?" The driver called back. Home didn't sound too appealing right now. No boys, no Georgia, no Sandy. She couldn't even go stir crazy because she couldn't properly reach the counters. She needed to go somewhere where she could relax for a while; clear her mind and not have to think about the last 6 days.

"No Charlie. I'll redirect you. Just take a left here."

"Right you are Mrs Cohen."

----

Georgia walked down the crowded corridors of Harbour, carrying her school bag on her strong shoulder and a folder and some books in her good arm. She tried to find her way to Dr Kim's office but it wasn't easy to see when there were a hundred of much taller people pushing past her, trying to get to class.

Bang! Crash!

"Ow!" Georgia flinched.

"Sorry." "Sorry." Georgia and her crash-buddy said together. They both bent down to get the books and file she dropped and bumped foreheads. "Oh sorry." They said joint again. They looked at each other and laughed. "I'll get these for you," The boy said. He was 15, fair, cute and carrying a skateboard on his back. All that Georgia needed to know. "Here. I'm Braden."

Georgia smiled. "Thanks. I'm Georgia and sorry."

Braden smiled. "I shoulda been looking. First day huh?"

Georgia smirked. "Is it that obvious?"

"I know my way to Dr Kim's office pretty well. C'mon." Georgia smiled as she walked down the corridor with him. She was going in the right direction at least.

Braden tilted his head and looked at Georgia as they walked. Georgia smiled at him awkwardly. "Sorry I'm staring." Georgia nodded. "It's just…I think I recognise you."

"I get that a lot." Georgia breathed. "You board often?"

"Yeah I love it. Actually I'm going to the skate park after school with some friends, you can come if you want? Watch I mean. Meet some people."

Georgia smiled. "Uh maybe."

"Do you skateboard when your arm isn't in a sling?"

Georgia giggled. "Not really…I rollerblade."

"Awesome. Good stuff. Well maybe when your arm is better you can show me a few things about blading."

"And tonight you can show me a few things about skating." They smiled.

"Well this is our stop. She's not that scary don't worry. Your just lucky Dean Hess isn't back until tomorrow."

"Yeah, I've heard he's a right munter."

Braden laughed a little confused. "If that's what you say then that's what he is."

"So maybe I'll see you at lunch?" Georgia asked hopefully.

"If you find the canteen." Braden said smiling back.

----

"Kirsten?" Julie turned around surprised to see her best friend wheel herself into her own office. "You're…here…?"

"I can't do anything in my house Julie! Not by myself. I have to come back to work."

Julie sighed. "Actually I'm glad. I have a presentation in two hours and I have no idea what I'm gonna say."

"Well catch me up. I'll help you."

-------

In the queue for lunch Georgia looked at all the people around her and sighed. She was trying to put names to faces of the people she was just in classes with. She kept thinking Kellie, Steph or another friend from Scotland would come up behind her, tap her shoulder and give her a big hug. But no such luck. School sure felt strange without having them there.

Just then she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around. "Elle!" She shrieked.

"Hey Georgia!" She hugged her.

"I didn't think you got back from Italy until next week?"

"My mum didn't want Erin to miss her first week of school." Elle squeezed in the line beside Georgia. "How was Almafi's Coast?"

"So pretty! We had so much fun but never mind that how are you? Are you ok? Your mum and dad? I heard about the explosion."

"Well I dislocated my shoulder." Georgia said gesturing to her sling. "And I got stabbed by the pizza fridge." Georgia said laughing and showing Elle her stitches.

"And your mum and dad?"

"Not so good." Georgia shrugged. "I'll tell you tonight."

"Soda. I haven't got any soda." Elle said skipping back to the fridges.

Georgia paid the lunch lady and turned around but accidentally knocked her tray against someone.

She gasped. "Oh my god, I'm sorry!" She looked up and smiled when she saw who it was. "Why is it that we're always bumping into each other?"

Braden smiled. "That's ok." He took the napkins off Georgia's tray and wiped his shirt. "It's just water, right?"

"Yeah. Wanna sit with me?"

Braden nodded and walked with her to a table. "So you found the canteen." Braden smiled.

"And you found me."

"Hey Braden." Elle said sitting down beside him.

"Georgia this is-"

"Elle. Yeah I'm familiar with her." She said giggling and Elle laughed back. Another guy came and sat down beside them. He was a jock looking kind of guy but he also seemed nice enough. "And this is Ash."

"So yeah we're going to the skate park after school. Wanna come?" Braden asked.

"Do you all skateboard?" Georgia asked.

"Nah that's mostly Braden. I do a little and Ash is a swimmer." Elle said.

"I could probably go…"Georgia said.

"Yeah, I mean wouldn't you rather come to school tomorrow knowing a few people?" Braden asked.

Georgia smiled. "Yeah, ok, I'll just call my mum."

Georgia went outside into the quiet and called Kirsten's mobile. "Georgia, sweetie, is everything ok?" Kirsten asked concerned.

"Everything's fine. I was just wondering if-"

"I was just about to call you actually. I'm at work and Julie's going to drop me off at physio so we can come pick you up after school. Saves you getting the bus."

Georgia cringed. "Oh right…your first physio is tonight…"

"Why? Is something wrong?" Kirsten asked.

"Ah…it's just…" Georgia looked through the window at Ash, Elle and Braden. Braden looked back at her and gave her a friendly smile. "It's just I've got a lot of homework to catch up on." Georgia said lying, which she hated doing.

"First day and behind already huh?" Kirsten asked laughing a little. "Well, ok, it's not a problem. I'll see you back home tonight. I'll be done around 5 ok?"

"Ok mum. Thanks. See you later." Georgia hung up took a deep sigh. She looked at Braden who gave her a smile and thumbs up. She smiled and gave him thumbs up back.

-----

Bang! Braden slammed his hand on the locker beside Georgia's where she was putting away some books. She closed her locker door.

"I figured out where I know you from." Braden said. "You're Georgia Cohen, right? Your family was in that Publix last week. I saw it in the paper."

"It's McRoberts. My last name's McRoberts and well done genius, you're right; I was in the Publix when the bomb went off." Georgia said walking down the corridor.

"Wait you're last name is McRoberts? Did your mum remarry?"

"No but that's a long story." Georgia said with a laugh. "Why don't you ask Elle? She'll explain it to you."

"Oh come on. Can't be that complicated. Tell me in 15 words."

"Babies switched in hospital mix up. Lived with another mother for 14 years in Scotland." Georgia grinned and laughed. "Hey I could tell you in 15 words."

"But you never changed your name to Cohen?" Braden asked.

"No. I never really thought about doing that." She shrugged. "Maybe one day."

Ash ran up to them all of a sudden. His hair damp from swimming. "Hey. You guys still heading to the park?"

"Yup we are." Georgia said.

"Great." Ash said. "So when do you get your sling off Georgia?"

"Tomorrow actually." She said with a smile.

"Great, you can come swimming with me. Do you swim?" He asked hopefully.

"A bit. I surf a lot."

"Awesome! That's cool." Ash replied excited.

------

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Julie asked Kirsten in her room waiting to see her physiotherapist.

Kirsten smiled sheepishly. "I'm a big girl. I'm sure I'll cope alright and get home safely by myself."

Julie smiled. "OK, hunny." She kissed her friend's cheek. "Have fun." She was just leaving when a tall handsome doctor walked in. "Afternoon Mrs Cohen. I'm Dr Paul and I'll be taking your therapy sessions with you over the next few months."

Julie turned to Kirsten behind him and mouthed. "Tall! Hot! Have fun!" Kirsten smiled and rolled her eyes. "Nice to meet you Dr Paul." Julie said. "By Kirsten."

"So how have you been? Any pain at all? In your back?"

"None at all." Kirsten said with a grin.

"How about your legs? Any feeling come back yet?" He asked bending and stretching her legs.

"Uh no. Not really…well, none really." Dr Paul made a concerned face which worried Kirsten. "That's bad isn't it?"

"The first two weeks are vital. If there's no feeling in the muscle during that time it usually means a much slower recovery process-"

"Or no recovery at all, right?" Kirsten asked.

Dr Paul nodded. "But you've still got over a week left. This is your first session. We can worry about those situations later on." Kirsten nodded still caught up in the horrendous thought that she'd never be able to walk again. "Now I'm just going to do a few reflex tests ok?"

"Sure." Kirsten said.

"Are you ticklish?" He asked. Kirsten frowned "Uh…" Dr Paul took the end of his ruler and meandered it down the sole of her feet. In a normal person, they would have reacted immediately; kicking their leg or jerking their foot at least. But Kirsten had no reactions. She couldn't even feel the ruler on her the base of her foot. "Can you feel that?"

Kirsten shook her head. This concerned Dr Paul; no one can fake a reflex. "OK." He said, staying calm on the outside. He took his little hammer and banged Kirsten's knee. Again, in a normal person, they're leg would have bounced up but, again, nothing happened to Kirsten. "Mmm…" Dr Paul mumbled.

"I was afraid you'd 'Mmm'." Kirsten said.

"Look, Mrs Cohen, if you want me to be honest, I am concerned that you don't have reflexes in your legs. However, I have a leaflet with exercises you should try. They are core stability exercises that should improve the muscular corset around your back. Three times daily is enough and, hopefully, should they work, we'll get you sitting and standing by yourself again." He said with a smile.

"Hopefully." Kirsten said with a fake smile she pushed through her fear and anger.

-------

Georgia sat on top of a half pipe watching Braden, Ash and Elle muck about on their skateboards. Braden was the best out of the three. Clearly Ash should stick to swimming and Elle was fair enough. Georgia laughed and cheered when Braden was doing tricks; impressing her.

"Show off!" Elle screamed at him. Georgia laughed.

"What time is it?" Georgia asked.

"5:15." Elle said.

"What? No! Hell no!" Georgia jumped up. "My mum is gonna be home by now. Crap. I gotta go guys."

She jumped down off the half pipe and picked up her school bag about to run off when Braden jumped in front of her. "Hey, I had fun tonight."

"Yeah, me too." Georgia said smiling.

"Maybe, another time, we could bump into each other, on purpose?" Braden asked.

"I'd like that." Georgia answered.

----

Georgia went round the back hoping to be able to sneak into the house but Kirsten was sitting out on the back patio reading.

"And where have you been?" Kirsten asked, lifting her head out of the newspaper.

Georgia sighed. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm getting some air. Where have you been?"

"I decided to go to the library; you know, easier to stay focused." Georgia tried to say casually.

"Don't lie to me Georgia." Kirsten said sternly. "Where did you go after school today?"

Georgia hesitated. "I went…to…a skate park with some friends."

"You made friends?" Kirsten asked gladly. Georgia nodded. "Yeah uh Braden and Ash and Elle's back too."

Kirsten smiled. "That's good. I'm happy for you. And I wouldn't have minded that you went to the skate park with them instead of the hospital if you had asked me."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Why did you lie to me Georgia?" Kirsten asked being serious again.

"I don't know. I think…I knew I should have been with you because I kind of promised I would be there."

Kirsten raised her eyebrow. "Well since you broke a promise and lied to me, twice, I'll have to punish you. Go to your room and do your homework for now. I'll think of something later. And always call me before you go anywhere, kay?"

"Yeah, sorry." Georgia said. "So how was therapy?" She asked trying to avoid going to her room.

Kirsten sighed. "Do you want the truth or shall I tell you what you want to hear?"

"Truth please."

"Horrible." Kirsten said with a sarcastic smirk. "It was a struggle; really hard. But it's not just therapy; it's the little things that seem to have been getting to me. But I'm doing what I can to not to be getting down."

Georgia sat down. "You know, I was thinking we should get one of those escalating chair lifts so you can get upstairs."

"I don't think so." Kirsten said sternly.

"Even if it's not permanent, it's probably worth having."

"No I don't want to get one. I'm perfectly fine without one." Kirsten enforced sharply. She was refusing to admit she was some kind of 'handicap' or 'disabled' person.

"You haven't been upstairs since we've got home!"

"We-are-not-getting a stair chair lift! End of conversation."

"But mum-!"

"Georgia enough! Go to your room, you're grounded."

"That's not fair!" Georgia yelled.

"Don't answer me back!" Kirsten yelled angrily. "Now go to your room."

Georgia breathed. "Fine." She sulked. "Whatever to get away from you."

Kirsten sighed deeply rubbing her face in her hands. "Oh Sandy…grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

-----------

"…and now I feel really bad because she is obviously making a great effort but still hardly getting anywhere. And I never saw my dad at all today. My mum probably went after physio. Ugh this is all so messed up!" Georgia cried falling back onto the bed holding the phone in her hand.

"Look hunny, you're mum is in a wheelchair, her whole life has been turned upside down, and she's going to get really frustrated a lot. Especially since now you say the therapy isn't going well." Steph said down the phone. It was after her midnight but she had Founder's Day the next day so she didn't have to worry about getting up for school early. "She probably didn't mean to get mad at you."

"No, I know that and you're right; her life has turned completely upside down but she seems to be ok."

"Then…what's the problem?" Steph asked.

"That she's ok. That losing her legs or not having dad around hasn't killed her. That she can deal with it all. In her whole life no one ever mattered to mum…not like dad did. And now there's the chance that he'll go…forever. I just feel like she's being disloyal to him in some way."

"No. Georgia, hunny, your mum is an amazing mum who is still fighting and trying to look after her and her husband's family. And that's not being disloyal to him, that's honouring him."

"You know what you're right Stephy." Georgia said peering through her curtain looking down at Kirsten. "I'm going to go and apologise."

Georgia got to the kitchen and took a deep breath as she walked outside.

"Hey mum…"

"Oh Georgia, sweetie, I'm sorry about-"

Georgia shook her head insistently. "No it's fine."

"No I think you're right. We should probably get one of those stair lift things. It makes sense; if you have a fit at least I know I can get to you."

Georgia hadn't thought about her fits. "Oh right, yeah. I'm sorry too."

Kirsten smiled. "That's ok."

"Uh…do you wanna hear the poem I had to write for English?"

"Yeah, ok. I would like that." Kirsten said.

Georgia read off the piece of paper she pulled out of the back pocket of her jeans and held in front of her.

"A light, the brightest light in my life, went out of sight

Fell down a hole, went dark as coal,

and I cried, till my eyes went dry.

In dark air, in despair, I made a promise, I made a swear,

to that light, that I'd persevere, that I would hold it dear.

I said goodbye, then opened my eyes.

I saw a glow, that lifted me from my low.

I had new fight, and there were two new lights, and boy do they shine bright."

Kirsten grinned widely when Georgia had finished. "You are officially UN-grounded." She held out her arms and Georgia went over to her mum, embraced her hug and sat down beside her on the outdoor couch in front of the lit fireplace.

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Ok hope you guys liked that!

I do not own the OC or any of the characters.

Soon…Soon! I will reveal what is happening with Sandy. But…for now you'll just have to deal with not knowing. I'm putting yourselves in Kirsten and Georgia's places.

And now…you see that wee button to your bottom left…please click it and review. You know you wanna ;) Thanks for all the reviews from the last chapter!