The smell of death. Daniel would forever associate hospitals with death; that too-clean smell, where nothing alive could possibly survive.
The sounds of suffering. Nurses' shoes squealing as they scrape the hard floors. Wheels squeaking on rolling beds and wheelchairs taking people off into tiny rooms. The hushed tone of doctors issuing instructions. All heard above the backdrop of stifled laments.
From the moment he passed between the wide, automatic glass doors, Daniel was transported back to the time he'd spent in this impersonal building. Walking between George and Ruby, he gripped their hands tightly and prayed that they wouldn't let him go.
He endured the check-in routine; the embarrassing hospital gown, peeing in a cup, thermometer slipped under his tongue, blood-pressure cuff strangling his arm, the routine chest x-ray and the disinterested efficiency of it all. Throughout all of it, either George or Ruby kept physical contact with him. He needed that human touch to keep him connected to reality otherwise he felt he would slide into nonexistence.
George and Ruby were heartbroken as they watched Daniel revert to the silent, detached child they first knew. He had made such progress over the past year and now it seemed to evaporate and mingle with the impersonal odors of the antiseptic institution. They had known that this would be a difficult experience for him, but they hadn't thought that something as minor as a tonsillectomy would be this traumatizing.
The nurse came in one last time with a tiny paper cup and a glass of water. She handed the glass to Daniel and gave the paper cup to Ruby. "Sleeping pill," she said and left.
"Daniel, open your mouth."
Daniel obediently opened his mouth and Ruby placed the pill on his tongue. He took a sip of the water, handed the glass to Ruby and slid down into the hospital bed. George and Ruby watched wordlessly until they were sure he was asleep.
When Ruby finally released his hand, she turned to her husband. "Dear God! No child deserves to feel the way he does. He hasn't said a word since we stepped through the door. What are we going to do? We can't leave him behind in December. He'll never accept another family. Look how long it's taken him to settle in with us and now this hospital stay seems to have undone all the progress he's made this past year."
George, disturbed by Daniel's regression, simply nodded and held his wife.
XXXXXXXXXX
Daniel survived the hospital stay and was safely settled down on the living room couch. Rachel was reading Little Britches to him while Julie played quietly with her dolls. Ruby was waiting on the front steps for Barbara to come by with Ethan. The family was going to baby-sit for a few hours while Barbara when down to the university to get some things ready for the start of fall semester.
Daniel heard the gate screech open, reminding him of the sound the chains had made before they broke. The stroller wheels made a thumping sound as they passed over the sidewalk joints on the way to the front door. He listened as the two adult sisters greeted each other and Ruby made a fuss over Ethan.
"Julie, why don't you take Ethan into the back yard for a while? Keep a close eye on him. You know how he likes to put things into his mouth!" Barbara unbelted him from his stroller and carried him though the house to the back door. Julie led him into the yard.
Barbara reached for Ruby. "I can't believe he'll be a year old next week. I thought being a mother wasn't going to be any more difficult than being a wife or a professor who happens to be blind. Boy, was I wrong! Now that he's walking, he's into absolutely everything!"
Ruby just laughed. "Welcome to the world of parenthood! We all go through it." She turned and led her sister into the kitchen. "I asked you over for a reason."
Barbara settled at the kitchen bar while Ruby poured two cups of tea and put some cookies on a plate. She finally sat on the stool next to her sister.
"You know George and I have been trying to get permission to take Daniel with us to California. Well, so far the state is saying no. They 'own' Daniel until he's eighteen or his grandfather decides to let us adopt him." She absent mindedly patted her sister's hand. "George and I were hoping that maybe you and James would be willing to foster him."
She stood up, nervous energy preventing her from sitting for long. "He knows you guys and trusts you." She twisted her fingers in her hair, something she had always done when she was nervous. "You know, he hasn't said a word in the two days that he's been home from the hospital. I'm scared that he's lost all that progress he made in the past year."
She began pacing. "Dear God, I'm terrified for him, Barbara! He's such an incredible kid and I want everything in the world for him. George actually brought up the idea of leaving the Air Force and just taking him and going into hiding, but that's no way to live for any of us."
Barbara sipped at her tea. "I'll speak to James. He likes Daniel and I think he'll be glad to take him in. I'm just concerned that the state won't accept me as a foster mother because I'm blind. I'm qualified to be a wife, a mother and hold a job, but paper-pushers often don't see beyond the fact that I can't see."
Ruby stepped over to her sister and hugged her. "Thanks. I was really worried about asking you. The kids don't know yet that George is being transferred. The girls are used to it, but I have no idea how in the world we're ever going to tell Daniel. We've decided we don't want to say anything to him until we know for sure if he can go with us or what exactly will happen to him if he can't."
XXXXXXXXXX
A week later, Daniel had fully recovered from his tonsillectomy, at least physically. He'd been experiencing nightmares again, but didn't want George and Ruby to know. He knew that they were worried about him and he didn't want to be any trouble. There were only a few days left before school started and he was looking forward to seeing Amy and a couple of other friends he had made. He was also a bit nervous about starting some of the high school classes, but he knew working more with Aunt Barbara would be fun and really interesting for him.
He knew they were really worried that he hadn't spoken since they entered the hospital doors tens days before. He didn't really understand why he hadn't. At first it was terror at being in the hospital again. Then it was because his throat hurt too much. Now it was probably just habit again. He tried to remember what it had been like when he didn't speak for almost a year. He hadn't liked that at all. So, that meant that if he didn't want to experience that separation from other people, he'd have to speak.
He lifted his head at the sound of a knock on his door.
"Daniel? It's George. Can I come in?"
Daniel slid off his bed and opened his door.
"Son, I'd like to talk to you. Come, sit next to me." George patted the bed next to him. Daniel heard the muted sound and cuddled up next to George. George gathered him up in a hug and ran his hand though the soft blond mop.
"Ruby and I are a little concerned about you since you got home from the hospital. Does your throat still hurt?"
Daniel shook his head no.
"Is there another reason you haven't spoken this week?"
Daniel blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to think of something to tell George. Nothing came to him. He shrugged.
"You know, school starts again next week and if you're not speaking yet, then I don't think they'll let you do the advance classes with Aunt Barbara. I know you're looking forward to that." In George's military mindset, a little threat never hurt.
Daniel stiffened. He'd never thought of that. He was really looking forward to doing some formal work with Aunt Barbara. She had some really cool stuff.
George watched the emotions play across the boy's face and grinned. He knew that if Daniel could possibly speak, he would. Knowledge was Daniel's chocolate candy bar. If you dangled it in front of him, you could get him to do almost anything.
George grabbed the book sitting on the table next to Daniel's bed. It was a Braille copy of Mythology by Edith Hamilton that belonged to Barbara. "Daniel, how about you read to me from this?"
Daniel considered this. He really wanted to work with Barbara and he wouldn't have to think of anything to say; just read.
He nodded. He opened that book and begin running his fingers along the first line he found.
Endymion the shepherd,
Ashis flock he guarded,
Daniel made a strangled effort and finally choked out:
"She, the moon, Selene,
Saw him, loved him, sought him,
Coming down from heaven
To the gate on Latmus,
Kissed him, lay beside him.
Blessed is his fortune,
Evermore he slumbers.
Tossing not nor turning,
Endymion the shepherd."
By the time he finished reading the poem by Theocritus, his voice sounded normal to him.
"I'm proud of you, son." George was impressed by the child. He had begun to notice the character traits in him that would serve him well as a future adult. His concern about the welfare of others. His drive to learn. His persistence. Okay, the kid was down right stubborn.