Despite their anxiousness to see her. Doctor James advised the Belchers to take some time to digest the news, before visiting Louise. For a long time, they sat alone in the small office. Linda and Gene were clinging to each other crying, Bob ran his hands through his hair and took long deep breaths, and Tina stood in the back of the room stunned.
Wave and wave of guilt washed over Bob's body. His little girl was paralyzed and would never walk again. Even though they hadn't done it in years. There would be no more father/daughter dance contests in the living room. He would never watch her run around the apartment or try to climb the highest trees in the park again. Louise was strong and resilient. She would adapt to being in a wheelchair. What really bothered Bob was the fact that he was so cold when Linda first got the call from the school. He was so jaded, so cynical. That he hadn't even been concerned. He was sure that Louise was just faking attention. Even when Linda was speeding to the school. He was sure that she was overplaying things. It wasn't until he saw her strapped to a backboard and heard them say she couldn't feel her legs that it really hit him. Still, he was sure it was not as bad as it seemed. He was sure that Louise would be OK, but she wasn't OK. She would never be OK again. That was a lie, but this hurt so bad.
Tina felt tears stinging her eyes, her glasses were fogging up. As the seconds ticked by it became more and more obvious this was not a nightmare. Louise really was paralyzed. Her baby sister was never going to walk again. Why did this have to happen to Louise? What had she done to deserve this? Of course, she knew that Louise could still live a full life in a wheelchair, but it just hurt so much. The sorrow was rapidly growing into anger. Louise had fallen on her back, but something had damaged her spinal cord. Something that should not have been there. Now Louise would never walk again. Tina was determined to learn what it was and make whoever put it there pay.
"Tina? Gene?" Bob asked wiping away tears.
"Yes?" Tina asked.
"What is it father?" Gene questioned trying to keep things light.
"Um we are going to know what exactly happened to Louise. We are going to ask her, and we are going to see if anything was caught on the cameras. Maybe ask the kids she was handing around with, but we are going to have to fill out an incident report. That we are going to need to be as accurate and thorough as possible. Especially if we end up having to get a lawyer. Like I said we are going to talk to Louise and the school, but we were just wondering. Did you see anything?" Bob rambled.
"No, I was on the other side of the playground. I was trying to make myself throw up. Because I had a test the next period. A test that I didn't super duper study for. I just wanted to get out of it. I even prayed to get out of it. I feel like this is my fault." Gene sobbed.
"Oh, Genie Weanie it was not your fault. It was a freak accident. Besides God would not cripple your sister just to get you out of one spelling test." Linda assured.
"I know but I just feel lousy." Gene sighed.
"We all do." Bob replied.
"Tina? Did you see anything?" Linda asked.
"No, I was hanging out with Susmita. Wait I remember something but it's probably nothing." Tina replied.
"What is it, sweetie?" Linda asked.
"I remember Louise went to the bathroom. Which is weird because Louise almost never uses the bathroom at school and if she does, she never goes during recess unless it's a huge emergency." Tina recalled.
"Could she have slipped in the bathroom and done something to her spinal cord that was worsened by the fall?" Bob wondered.
"She didn't seem to be hurt but she was hanging out with Chloe Barbash." Tina added.
"Why was she hanging out with Chloe Barbash?" Gene questioned.
"Because she got in a fight with Chloe in class and decided to try the "Bullies to Buddies" program." Linda explained.
"Oh" Gene replied.
"Do you remember anything else? It doesn't have to be much we will take anything we can get." Bob asked.
"Uh I mean I was on the benches near the play structure, but I wasn't really paying attention. Susmita was talking about how Henry's uncle works for the record label that back "Boyz 4 Now" and how he got her an advanced copy of their new album." Tina explained.
"OK but are you sure you don't know anything else?" Bob questioned.
"I remember! Louise and Chloe were arguing." Tina remembered.
"What were they arguing about?" Linda asked.
"Something about Louise's hat." Tina replied.
"Typical" Gene scoffed.
"Gene" Bob warned.
"Anything else?" Linda questioned.
"I remember Louise screaming and then I heard a thud but then the bell rang or maybe the bell rang over the thud. Then I was getting my bag and I noticed that everybody was going to the monkey bars instead of going inside. I was going go break it up and make everybody go inside. When I noticed teachers joining them. So, I walked over there. I heard Ms. Peters say that Louise was hurt badly, but I didn't know it was Louise yet. Then I saw her. Then I heard Chloe say something." Tina recalled.
"What did she say?" Bob asked.
"Oh my God!" Tina cried.
"What is it, Tina?" Bob gasped.
"Chloe said that Louise jumped she saw her!" Tina gasped.
"So, you are saying that Louise broke the safety rules? Oh, that may not look good for our case." Linda noted.
"I will get a second job to cover the medical bills and modifications." Bob sighed.
"No! She said that Louise jumped but she said it in a super suspicious way! I mean it was straight out of a crime drama. I think that Chloe pushed Louise off the monkey bars!" Tina cried as she began to hyperventilate.
Louise stared at her feet. She was focusing so hard on getting them to move. Moving was supposed to be unconscious. Her brain had to tell her body to do it, but she wasn't supposed to actively be thinking about it, but here she was. She knew she was thinking hard about it, but her legs would not move. Her toes would not even wiggle. The doctor hadn't talked to her yet and her family had not yet come to visit, but she knew the truth. She knew she was paralyzed. She knew from the second she hit the ground. She remembered the feeling of the wind hitting her legs as she crashed down. Then the fall. Then came the horrible pain in her upper body but nothing in her legs. She knew when the paramedics were loading her onto a backboard. She knew by the somber expressions on the faces of the medical personnel who came to her room. She knew by the way the nurse's voice caught when she called her "Brave." Nobody had told her, but she knew she truly was paralyzed. She really would never walk again. How would she get to the apartment? Would she just have to sleep on the floor of the small entry way? Would they set up a bed for her in the restaurant? She wondered if Murphy booths were a thing. How would she take over the restaurant? How would she do anything? She knew that paralyzed people could do most things that able bodied people could do. She had seen all the "Very Special Episodes" where shows had introduced a handicapped character and how hard they seemed to beat that over the viewers heads. She even knew wheelchair users in real life. Though admittedly not that well. Benj was the one she knew best but she didn't really know him that well. It's not like she didn't want to associate with a wheelchair user. He was just between Gene and her in grades, and he didn't really have any common interests with the Belcher children. He had helped with the Amelia Earhart presentation but that was only for a couple of days. She wondered how he spent recess. She wondered how he did anything.
Chloe splashed water on her face. "This was bad. This was very, very bad." She was going to be in so much trouble if she got caught. Which was so stupid! It wasn't her fault. It was Louise's fault. Louise was the one who taped her hat down. Seriously what was that girl trying to hide? She was so stupid and such a baby. She was a stupid baby. Now Chloe's whole life may be ruined by that stupid, baby Louise Belcher. Which was totally unfair. Louise was practically a criminal, but Chloe almost never did anything wrong. Now she was the one who might go to jail or at least get suspended? How on Earth was the fair? Then again Meredith was the only one who saw it and she was no snitch. Millie may have seen it too, but Millie was crazy. Nobody would ever believe her.
Jessica huddled over the toilet. She wondered how long she could be gone before Ms. Labonz noticed. Typically, she had at least twenty minutes before Ms. Labonz got suspicious of her. Typically, Ms. Labonz had a classroom full of students to worry about, but today only four or five students remained. After "the accident." The school had called parents and gave them the option of picking up their children. Jessica wished her parents could have come for her. School was the last place she wanted to be. Unfortunately, both of her parents were busy at the hospital. Meaning she was stuck at school until the end of the day. She watched Chloe pace around in front of the sinks. She was glad to see that worm was scared. She deserved to be scared. She was the reason Louise was hurt. Eventually Jessica flushed the toilet and stepped out into the bathroom. Chloe spotted her and tried to bolt. But Jessica grabbed her by the wrist.
"I saw what you did to Louise, and I am going to tell Principal Spoors." Jessica hissed.
"Yeah, I wouldn't do that if I were you." Chloe warned.
"Why not?! Louise is in the hospital!" Jessica cried.
"Because if you do, I will tell everybody that you wet the bed at my sleepover!" Chloe warned.
"Who would believe you?" Jessica questioned.
"Everybody" Chloe smirked.
"How do you know?" Jessica demanded.
"This I've been saving this for a good time." Chloe laughed opening a video on her phone that showed Jessica running down the hall, her sleep pants completely soaked. The camera panned over to her wet sleeping bag. "So, you see. You keep my secret, and I will keep yours." Chloe snarled.
"Louise is right! You really are a which!" Jessica cried before collapsing into the sink.
"Is everything aright in here, ladies?" Ms. Labonz questioned from the doorway.
"Just ducky. Isn't everything ducky. You know ducks. Those YELLOW things that sleep in WATER?" Chloe taunted.
"Ducky" Jessica sighed a sharp pain forming in her stomach.
After taking time to process the news, questioning Tina, and Gene on Louise's accident, updating the school on Louise's condition, and demanding a meeting. To view security camera footage and question the other children who were playing on the playground. Specifically, Chloe Barbash. If their assumptions were correct or at least verifiable. They would request a meeting with Chloe's parents. In hopes of getting them to at least assist with Louise's bills. Hopefully without the hassle of going to court. Bob would begin calling lawyers in the morning. Though the hospital had given him the number of a lawyer who would assist them Pro Bono. Bob still wanted to call around. He would take a job or sell anything of value he had if he had to. He just wanted to ensure that Louise got justice. Even if Chloe was innocent. It was clear that the school had done something wrong. The Belchers had handled the official business. At least as much as they could. They could put it off no further. It was time to visit Louise. Of course, they wanted nothing more than to see her, but they were so scared. Louise had not yet been told about the paralysis being permanent. Though the hospital had offered to have Dr. James of the pediatric psychologist break the news to her. They agreed it was best that Louise find out in the presence of her family. Taking one last collective deep breath. The Belcher family stepped into Louise's hospital room.
"It's permanent, isn't it?" Louise questioned before the door was even closed.
"Yes Louise. I am sorry." Bob apologized.
"Great! What the hell am I supposed to do now?! How am I supposed to get in the car? How am I supposed to get into the apartment? How am I supposed to get into my loft bed?" Louise demanded.
"Well, we can fit a wheelchair in the car. If the big, old, ancient one I used when I was on bedrest can fit in the back of the car. The modern kid sized one we will get you will fit no problem." Linda assured, voice catching on the words "kid sized" referring to a wheelchair.
"When were you on bedrest and using a wheelchair?" Louise questioned.
"When I was pregnant with you. I had a ton of complications and had to be on bedrest for months." Linda explained.
"Oh" Louise sighed.
"Yeah, but I got through and you can get through this." Linda assured.
"Yes, but your disability was temporary! Mine is permanent!" Louise cried.
"That's true" Linda sighed.
"Yeah, it is now how the hell am I supposed to get around our apartment?" Louise demanded.
"We are going to modify the apartment. We are going to put a lift on the stairs and change the shower for a one you can wheel into." Linda explained.
"But what about my loft bed?" Louise asked.
"I am sorry. We talked to Teddy but there is no way for him to safely modify it. You are going to have to give it up." Bob apologized, his voice cracking.
"Well great just great! That dumb bitch Chloe Barbash makes me fall off the monkey bars and now my whole life is ruined! I guess she wins. I am a baby who can't walk and can't take off her hat. Hell, I bet Rudy hates wheelchairs! So, he won't be my friend anymore! He will glom onto the perfect Chloe. God it's so unfair!" Louise sobbed.