BELIEVE IT
Ross and Rachel kneeled by Emma's side, faces blanched, hands shaking. They could not believe what they were hearing. They repeated the same question over and over again, silently begging Emma to say something different.
"Honey, are you absolutely sure?" Rachel asked weakly.
Emma nodded vigorously, "Yes, Uncle Chan got mad so he was cutted me," she said resolutely.
Ross tilted Emma's face towards him, making sure her eyes were level with his. "Sweetheart, tell me very, very carefully exactly what happened."
Emma pushed Ross's hand away in agitation. "I told you already, so many times, I was wanted to play with Uncle Chandler, I was kicked and punched him everywhere, he got mad, and he cutted me with the knife!" Emma exclaimed in angry frustration. It was like her parents were deaf. No matter how many times she repeated herself, they kept repeating the same questions. Rachel stumbled away from Emma's bed and collapsed onto a plastic chair.
Dr Greene sat down next to her, speaking in a gentle voice, "Rachel, honey, you've been asking her the same question over and over for a whole hour now, but her answer's still the same. Is there any chance you're in denial? I know he's your friend."
Rachel shook her head, tears dripping off her nose, "I just, I don't understand. Chandler wouldn't do that, I know him, he's not like that! It doesn't make any sense!"
"Would Emma lie about something like this?"
"No, of course not, but…"
"Well, then, either your friend hurt her, or she's lying. You have to decide which one it is," Dr Greene reasoned sadly.
Ross's voice cracked with emotion, "Is it possible she's confused? She's very young…"
Carol whispered, "I don't know Chandler all that well, and I'm as shocked as everyone else, but she doesn't look confused at all, she looks very certain." Ross glanced at Emma, who looked resolute and frustrated.
"Are you certain, honey?" he asked.
"Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Why everyone not believe me? He stabbed me, he stabbed me!" she screamed with outrage. Her face reddened and crumpled, and she dissolved into tears. "Why nobody believe me? Why nobody do?" she whimpered.
Seeing her daughter weeping with such intense grief, Rachel whispered sadly, "If Em insists that it's true, then it has to be."
"We should probably call Constable Vaughn so Emma can give her testimony," Susan suggested anxiously.
Ross swayed unsteadily on his feet, the bright hospital lights danced before his eyes. That arrogant bastard, Constable Vaughn, had been right about Chandler all along. Ross felt dangerously close to passing out. It felt impossible to believe his best friend would do something like this, but his daughter had spoken. No matter how many times, and in how many different ways Ross and Rachel asked Emma how she got hurt, her answer remained the same. She sounded certain, confident, adamant. Ross and Rachel could see that Emma felt hurt and betrayed that they struggled to believe her. As Emma's parents, Ross and Rachel could not in good conscience disbelieve Emma, even though it completely shattered their hearts to do so.
"I'll call Constable Vaughn," Ross whispered, heartbroken.