Charlie
Dad frantically called me. "Your sister broke her arm"
"What?"
When Nat took Rach to get ice cream A boy tripped her , and her arm hit a wall."
"How is she?"
"She has to wear a cast for a long time. I'm just glad she didnt' hit her head again."
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Amita and I went to the hospital as soon as we could. Rach's right arm was in a sling, and she sat in a wheelchair.
"how are you feeling, sweetie?" Amita asked.
"my arm hurts" she complained. Dad stroked her hair, while Natalie talked to the doctor.
"I'll give you more medicine when the doctor says it's okay" Dad promised her. Don arrived just then.
"What did they do with that little psychopath?" he demanded.
"nothing, Nat was too busy getting help"
-----------------
Alan
Rach was both shocked, and in pain. After some talking, Nat and I decided that Rach would stay with me, as I had a more flexible work schedule.
"What did the doctor say?" I asked Nat when she finished talking to the doctor.
"Just confirming that she only broke her arm, and didn't injure anything else."Nat turned to Rach "We're almost done here, honey. You're going home with Daddy, but I'll visit you very often"
"okay."
"We'll talk to you teachers, but you'll still go to school and do you homework" I said.
-------------------
Over the next few weeks, Mirna and I mostly kept in contact by phone.
"How is Rach doing?"
"School's become a struggle. She can't use her good hand to practice braille reading, and is frustrated at not being able to play with the other kids."
"Poor girl!"
"How is your daughter coping?"
"April enrolled her other children in signing classes, and is trying to learn herself" Mirna said. "She's been taking the child to specialists"
Nat
I visited Rach every day, and consulted with my new boyfriend, who's in charge of the Emergency room where I volunteer, about Rach's condition, and had him check in on her; I was careful and introduced him as a 'friend of mommy's'.
"How is she doing?" I asked.
"She's recovering as expected." he assured me, and presented her with a teddy bear.
"Thank you" she said.
"I've got a daughter about your age, maybe you two could meet?"
"Okay" she agreed, to my worry.
"Let's wait until she gets better" I said, giving him a look.
Later, in the car, he asked me the reason for the look.
"It's too soon" I explained. "To take such a step"
"You've spent lots of time with my daughter" he protested.
"As her rabbit's vet" I pointed out, as he made a turn.
His beeper rang before he could say anymore.
The next day at the hospital, I did my duties, and tried to avoid him. I needed time to think. A failed marriage is enough to make anyone wary.
Alan
Eventually Rach could finally take the cast off, and I could finally propose my idea of having Rach go to a special summer camp for blind , as I predicted refused.
"It'll do her good to be with kids her own age who are also blind." I argued.
"But she's too little."
"Rach is seven, and I'm sure that every precaution is taken" I assured her.
"Let me look into it"
"Fair enough" I said.
Eventually, she became convinced that Rach would benefit from the camp. When the time came, I carefully packed everything she would need.
"Take care and listen to your counselors!" I advised her during the drive.
"okay daddy."
"You're gonna make new friends and have lots of fun!"
-----------------------
4 years later.
Alan
"I wanna live with you all the time, Dad." Rach told me as I fried some eggs for her one morning.
"Live with me?" I repeated, suprised.
"I hate living with Tom and Beth!"
"I thought it was getting better" I remarked. Nat's remarrying had given Rach a stepfather and stepsister.
"Beth leaves her stuff all over the floor" she whined. "and is mean. Tom always takes her side! It's not fair!"
"How is she mean?"
"she never wants to do anything with me, and says mean things. Tom says she's just blunt, and needs me to be patient"
"You mother mentioned that she has a condition called Aspergers"
"I can barely walk in my room!"
"Why don't I have a talk with your mother?" I suggested
"She just fights with Tom and nothing happens."
"What you are asking for is a big change" I gently reminded her. "Let me get your mother's side of the story"
"Pam says that she go to choose who she lived with." Rach told me.
"did she?"
"yeah....and mom doesn't let me do anything!"
"Like what?"
"Go to slumber parties, or go ice skating with Pam, and I don't wanna have it at mom's house because then beth will be there, and act dumb."
I wanted to offer to host a slumber party, but knew that no parent would allow their children to come if a man hosted it. I'd probably get a visit from the police!
"I could hang with mom some weekends, some holidays" she suggested.
Were things that bad with Tom and Beth? I needed to find out for sure!
TBC
