hard ‘cuz I didn’t know how to walk. I woke up and saw the yellow sign.”
She didn’t know how to eat either. Curiouser and curiouser , Todd’s words echoed in his head. Further, most of her motor skills and communication she seemed to learn by watching and listening. It was as though she arrived at the hospital a blank slate, with the ability to acquire and integrate information at an inconceivable rate. Maybe Todd was right. Maybe she was an alien .
Oh God, what was he thinking? Way too many movies. This was too much to take in right now.
“Ok, I need to get this to the lab. You are to stay in your room until I get home and then you’ll go down to say you’re sorry to Kathy. I want you to think about why you were punished while I’m gone.”
“Yes, Sir,” Noelle said sadly, looking down and fidgeting uncomfortably in her place on the bed.
“I’ll be back soon. Behave yourself,” he said with a kiss on the head.
Noelle watched the door close behind him. How could she make him believe that, until she saw him, her life did not exist? She turned on the bed to her tummy, holding Bunny close.
She wanted to try to make the pain go away but knew, instinctively, that Daddy would not be happy with her. She cried quietly, wishing she had the words to tell him what her mind showed her, but they were not there.
Lance met his sister in the foyer as he slipped on his jacket.
“Going somewhere?” she asked with concern.
“To the lab to drop this off. I’ll be right back. Are you ok? You’ve been crying.”
“I just felt bad for her. I know how that hand feels when you’re upset. Is she ok?”
“We had a little breakthrough. I’ll tell you about it when I get back. Need anything?” Lance asked, kissing her cheek.
“No. Be careful. I love you, big brother,” Kathy said, watching him leave. She sat on the couch and buried her face in her hands. She didn’t know why she felt so miserable, but she couldn’t stop. Her heart hurt for the woman-child, for her brother, for Todd, and for herself. She felt like she had failed all of them.
“Aunt Kathy? Why are you crying?”
“Noelle, honey, Daddy told you to stay in your room until he gets home,” Kathy said quickly, wiping her face.
“I know, but I wanted to tell you I’m sorry for hurting you.”
“I forgive you, baby. Come hug me, I need one right now,” Kathy requested, wrapping her long arms around the girls shoulders.
“You really want a baby, don’t you?” Noelle asked quietly, putting Bunny down on the coffee table, freeing both her arms to embrace the sad woman.
“More than anything. Todd did too, and I can’t give him one. It’s all because I was stupid and didn’t listen to Alan about staying off that damn motorcycle.”
“What happened?”
“It was a week after I got married. Uncle Alan and I were arguing about something stupid, probably my overspending, and I got mad at him and took off for a ride. I wasn't paying attention when a car ran a red light. By the time I saw it, it was too late. Alan has never forgiven himself for it. He blames himself for making me mad. That’s why he spoils me so badly.”
“But, it wasn't his fault. You got mad and ran away.”
“Yes, I did. And now look at what happened.”
“But the car hit you. If you were watching, could you have stopped it?”
“No… probably not. But it’s still my fault. Sometimes we make stupid choices that end up hurting us and others. Todd wanted children as badly as I did. He would have been a wonderful father.”
“Aunt Kathy? If you could be fixed to have a baby, would you?”
“Sweetheart, I’d give anything to have that, but it won’t even happen. My uterus is too scarred up. What are you doing?” Kathy asked as the girl placed her hand on the woman’s stomach. Very old, very violet eyes looked into hers.
“I’m fixing you.”
Kathy stared back at the girl, and then slowly lifted her little hand to kiss it gently.
“Thank you. I know
She didn’t know how to eat either. Curiouser and curiouser , Todd’s words echoed in his head. Further, most of her motor skills and communication she seemed to learn by watching and listening. It was as though she arrived at the hospital a blank slate, with the ability to acquire and integrate information at an inconceivable rate. Maybe Todd was right. Maybe she was an alien .
Oh God, what was he thinking? Way too many movies. This was too much to take in right now.
“Ok, I need to get this to the lab. You are to stay in your room until I get home and then you’ll go down to say you’re sorry to Kathy. I want you to think about why you were punished while I’m gone.”
“Yes, Sir,” Noelle said sadly, looking down and fidgeting uncomfortably in her place on the bed.
“I’ll be back soon. Behave yourself,” he said with a kiss on the head.
Noelle watched the door close behind him. How could she make him believe that, until she saw him, her life did not exist? She turned on the bed to her tummy, holding Bunny close.
She wanted to try to make the pain go away but knew, instinctively, that Daddy would not be happy with her. She cried quietly, wishing she had the words to tell him what her mind showed her, but they were not there.
Lance met his sister in the foyer as he slipped on his jacket.
“Going somewhere?” she asked with concern.
“To the lab to drop this off. I’ll be right back. Are you ok? You’ve been crying.”
“I just felt bad for her. I know how that hand feels when you’re upset. Is she ok?”
“We had a little breakthrough. I’ll tell you about it when I get back. Need anything?” Lance asked, kissing her cheek.
“No. Be careful. I love you, big brother,” Kathy said, watching him leave. She sat on the couch and buried her face in her hands. She didn’t know why she felt so miserable, but she couldn’t stop. Her heart hurt for the woman-child, for her brother, for Todd, and for herself. She felt like she had failed all of them.
“Aunt Kathy? Why are you crying?”
“Noelle, honey, Daddy told you to stay in your room until he gets home,” Kathy said quickly, wiping her face.
“I know, but I wanted to tell you I’m sorry for hurting you.”
“I forgive you, baby. Come hug me, I need one right now,” Kathy requested, wrapping her long arms around the girls shoulders.
“You really want a baby, don’t you?” Noelle asked quietly, putting Bunny down on the coffee table, freeing both her arms to embrace the sad woman.
“More than anything. Todd did too, and I can’t give him one. It’s all because I was stupid and didn’t listen to Alan about staying off that damn motorcycle.”
“What happened?”
“It was a week after I got married. Uncle Alan and I were arguing about something stupid, probably my overspending, and I got mad at him and took off for a ride. I wasn't paying attention when a car ran a red light. By the time I saw it, it was too late. Alan has never forgiven himself for it. He blames himself for making me mad. That’s why he spoils me so badly.”
“But, it wasn't his fault. You got mad and ran away.”
“Yes, I did. And now look at what happened.”
“But the car hit you. If you were watching, could you have stopped it?”
“No… probably not. But it’s still my fault. Sometimes we make stupid choices that end up hurting us and others. Todd wanted children as badly as I did. He would have been a wonderful father.”
“Aunt Kathy? If you could be fixed to have a baby, would you?”
“Sweetheart, I’d give anything to have that, but it won’t even happen. My uterus is too scarred up. What are you doing?” Kathy asked as the girl placed her hand on the woman’s stomach. Very old, very violet eyes looked into hers.
“I’m fixing you.”
Kathy stared back at the girl, and then slowly lifted her little hand to kiss it gently.
“Thank you. I know
Similar Books
