Family

14

"Do I have to go?" I whine to Jay who is forcing me to put on a jacket.

"Yes, don't you want to get better so you can run around with Lee?" He asks. He almost makes me believe it will happen.

"But what about the doctor guy here?" I suggest as he puts my shoes on me.

"You need a specialist and Childern's Hospital is the best." He says and I huff crossing my arms.

"But I heard Avery talking about the big Hospitals and how they strap people to the beds and stick them with needles and don't let anyone in to see people! It's scary." I tell Jay and he sighs.

"Mi ognan ilkl tath oyb." He mumbles before looking me in the eye. "Did we let anyone hurt you last time you were in a hospital?"

"No."

"Then trust me when I say we won't let anything bad happen to you, alright little brother?" He says and I smile giving him a hug.

"Thank you, Jay." I tell him and he picks me up.

"Alright, you don't get to choose your piggyback taxi today. I'm the one taking you downstairs." With that declaration he begins to leave my room so we can go to the doctor.

When they realized how much trouble stairs give me my brothers made it a challenge to see who would give me a piggyback ride up or down them. If I even get a single foot on the steps one of them is there. It's funny to see how they decide who gets to do it each time. Once it was rock paper scissors. Another time they did a big game of mercy which Jay obviously won. Then there was a staring contest and bubble gum buble gum and... well you get the idea. A bunch of games someone my age would play.

It seems like seconds before Jay has me in the car and buckled into my booster seat. We took two cars cause dad said he wasn't willing to stuff the van with all of them... I'm not sure they'd all fit even if they tried but anyway Jay is driving Levi Theo and Avery while Dad drives Mom, Paul, Lee, and me.

I was a little worried about it cause I won't be able to understand everything but Paul is patient and helps me even if he doesn't understand me most the time.

"Rca." Paul says pointing to the car we are in before sounding out the word.

"Car." I say and he nods.

"Good job."

"Tesa." He tries again pointing to what he is sitting on sounding it out the same way.

"Seat." I repeat and he smiles.

"Yes." I learned that word too. Yes and no. Levi said those were most important because then I can choose things even if I don't know a lot of words. "Good job." They always tell me I'm doing good every time I say one right.

I know they have told me the same words many times but I still get big smiles when ever I get one right. Everyone tells me what each object they touch is called whenever they notice me. I feel like the bird in the pirate movie who says what ever the pirate says but it is helping me remember things. I have more problems with actually talking than knowing what they are talking about.

Like I know that dad was complaining about his coffee this morning because I remember the word but what upset him I don't know. I just know he was talking about coffee which is the brown stuff they drink in the morning that dad says I'm to young to have any of... it must be a grown up drink... now that I think about it he was upset with Avery so maybe he was saying Avery wasn't old enough for it either? I don't know.

"Ready?" Dad asks and I nod. Paul unbuckles me and grabs my hand while mom gets Lee. When we walk in I shrink into Paul's side more. This place is so big.

"Nodt eb crsade." Paul says but I don't get it and I'm too freaked out to try.

"Si, come on buddy. You're okay." I hear and turn to see Jay behind me. "No one is going to hurt you." I nod and he pats my head before taking my other hand. "You have family all around you." He says and I look behind me where my other 3 brothers are and ahead of me where mom, dad and Lee are. I am safe.

Soon a nurse began leading us to a room.

"Vhea mih ghcane and the doctor liwl eb in hsrtoyl." She says handing dad one of those dress things doctors make you wear.

Dad walks over to me and points to the dress then to my clothes and I sigh. I change into the really uncomfortable dress then shiver and grab my zipper hoodie and put it back on.

"Only until the doctor comes." Jay tells me and I nod. As long as I can stay warm until then.

"Hello, I'm doctor Lee." A doctor comes in and I actually understood him but frown at what he called himself.

"No, she's Lee." I argue and he smiles.

"My surname is Lee but if you'd prefer you can call me doctor John or just John." He says in my language and my jaw drops.

"You understand me!?" I ask excited and he nods.

"I do. I'm here to check out that heart of yours. Do you mind taking off the sweatshirt so I can have a listen?" He asks tapping the shiny thing around his neck. I nod and unzip my hoodie.

He starts saying things to my parents I don't understand but that's okay because I know he can understand me and that makes him cool. He even held the metal think in his palm to warm it up before he put it on me. I guess doctors aren't so bad.