The doctor walks into the little room I'm in, where I currently sit on a bed. He starts explaining what they've found and I'm sure that it may score me a few more days off school! More days to hang out with Tom!
"So the pain you are feeling is because you dislocated your rib when you fell. Nothing to major but we will need to pop that back into place for you" the doctor tells us.
"Now the pain in your jaw is from a fracture which is why you can't speak properly. I really don't think you need surgery, it's only a hairline fracture which will heal all by itself over time" he informs me.
"So I'm good to go?",I ask.
"Well we would like to keep you in just for observation" he replies.
My mum and the doctor go outside and talk in hushed voices so I can't hear. Then the nurse comes in to talk to me.
"Hi my names Cindy, how are you feeling?", she asks.
"Never been better" I say sarcastically my mouth hurting with every word.
"Ah humor, your my favorite patient already, but seriously just tell me if you need anything" she says kindly.
"Thanks".
"So it must've been a pretty big fall" she comments.
"Yeah".
"We are puzzled though"she says looking at me.
"Why?", I ask.
"Some of your injuries are definitely not from falling" Cindy replies seriously.
"I fell" I tell her. I don't yell but it still sounds harsh.
"Yes that's obvious too, but we found other injuries too".
I sigh and look away.
"Well I'm telling you the truth, I fell".
"Look I'm not supposed to tell you this but you do know we've had a few different doctors look at this case and they all agree...these injuries wasn't just all from a fall, someone had to have given you these injuries" she goes on and on.
"Well believe what you want" I say dryly.
"I'll be back later to check on you" she says clearly feeling defeated. And with that she leaves the room.
Mum comes back a little while later and sits down in the seat beside my bed. She sits in the silence, thinking. I can't tell this because she is staring at the bed with a serious, concerned look on her face. A few minutes later she pulls the chair over so it's facing me. She takes my hand and I look over at her.
"So I've been talking to the doctor" she begins but doesn't finish.
"And?" I prompt not knowing how much longer I can take the pain that comes with talking.
"Sweety what happened before the fall?", she asks getting start to the point.
Great now she too knows that my injuries weren't just all from falling. But I won't tell her. After all she doesn't know for sure.
"I was coming down from my room" I reply in a innocent voice.
"And before that?", She asks.
"I was talking to Clara" I roll my eyes.
"What happened?" She asks another question.
"We talked because you know what?! That's what people do!!" I almost yell now, so annoyed. My jaw aching so bad now.
My mum looks hurt by my attitude, hurt she can't figure this out. But most of all sad because she knows I'm hiding something and it hurts her to know I won't tell her or trust her. My mums like that. It hurts her when she knows I don't trust her. Especially when she has done nothing wrong to make me not trust her. She gets up silently and moves to the door.
"I'm going to get a coffee" she says, her voice cracking.
Great now I've really done it!
-------------------------
Two hours pass. They finally decide to give me some medication for the pain. And as for mum, she didn't come back, she just texted me to say she was going home to get some clothes and supplies for me. I slept some of the time and the rest I spent thinking of how badly I've stuffed everything up. Especially with my mum. The one person who I could trust, who would help me, I've now upset. But I couldn't tell her because of Clara. I couldn't get her in trouble. She would just harass me again and the fact I'm in here because of Clara, I know that would upset Mrs Roberts. I sit thinking some more while looking around the room and then someone enters the room. A lady with blonde hair tied back in a loose ponytail enters the room. A clipboard in hand and approaches the bed.
"Hi I'm your counsellor" she extends her hand warmly towards me. She looks so young, she doesn't even look like she has finished school yet!
"Um well you must have the wrong room, no offence but I don't do consoling" I say as politely as I can manage. I also notice it doesn't hurt to talk as much and my voice is at least half understandable now.
"Sophie is it?", she asks confused but not offended.
"Yeah".
"Look I'm going to be honest with you. I'm pretty new to this so here's how I work. I'm here as a friend not someone who is being nosey. You tell me what you want and it stays between us, unless for any reason I need to inform someone that I think you are a danger to others or yourself" she says politely and honestly.
"Ok" is all I can say.
"Most conselouers ask a lot of questions but as someone who has been in your position, I know that can be uncomfortable" she says understandingly.
And with that something in me began to like her. She wasn't just your average consuller. She actually understood.
"How old are you?", I randomly ask her not knowing what to say.
"Twenty, my names is Aliyah by the way" she informs me.
There is a bit of silence.
"How about you?" She finally asks a question, fair enough since I asked her one.
"I'm sixteen".
"So your in year ten, Uggh I hated year ten!", she rolls her eyes.
"Why?", I ask.
"To much homework and there was this one teacher that always said one thing then did another. Her name was Mrs Dormet but everyone called her...oh I can't think of it.." Aliyah says thoughtfully.
"Mrs Dimwit!" I say smiling, suddenly realizing we may know the same teacher.
"Yeah that was one name but there was another one, which I just can't think of" she shakes her head annoyed because she can't remember.
"Dazey Dory?", I help her brainstorm.
"Yeah that's the one!" She says smiling.
"I had her for year 9 and still have her for some of my classes this year" I say.
"I had her for my fours years at Seabay High School!", she says like it's torture, which it is. Mrs Dormet was as Dopey as anything. That's why she got names such as a Dopey Dory.
"So you go to Seabay?", she ask.
"Everyday unfornately" I roll my eyes.
"But I'm on suspension right now so I don't have to go".
"Aha you too?! I got suspended once for throwing a ball out of a window".
"What happened?!".
"It landed on Mr Oconallys head" she giggles. I giggle too but not to much because my jaw is starting to ache again form all the talking.
"He would've of been so mad".
"Yeah he tried to get me expelled, but it didn't work because my grades were good. I had to much potential for them to kick me out. Besides it was only him wanting to expel me" she tells me.
"I once feel a sleep in his class and he said "Sophie any dictionary will tell you the meaning of school means an institution where you learn and I'm sorry to inform you but sleeping does not help you learn, something scientist figured out long ago. Perhaps if you didn't sleep in science you would know that so you don't sleep in my history class" I say mimicking his voice and laughing at the memory.
"Yeah that sounds like him!", she laughs.
The laughter eventually dies and we sit in silence again.
"Can I tell you something?", I ask.
"Anything" she says.
"I can't tell you what happened but I can tell you that I'm not in danger to myself or anyone else" I say with certainty.
"I believe you that you are not a danger to other or yourself. Here is my card if you want to talk about what happened or anything else though" she says as she reaches into her pocket. Pulls out a card and hands it over to me.
"I'm available pretty much anytime even at two in the morning" she says with a smile.
"Two am?! Yeah I think I'll definitely be a sleep by then".
"I'll see you tomorrow if your still here" she say getting up.
"Thanks" is all I say.
"Anytime" she says before turning and leaving the room.
After that I'm in a much better mood. The rest of the day goes by and by eight pm my mother hasn't returned. I lay in the bed worried for her. I ask for her but the nurses say she will be back soon. I sure hope so.
--------------
I awake the next morning to sun filtering through my hospital room. Clearly someone's been in here. But who? My hopes are that it was my mum and that she is getting a coffee and will be back soon. I look around and spot a bag on the floor the hospital chair. She's definitely been back! I couldn't wait to see her and tell her how much I loved her. I feel really bad about yesterday and wanted to make up for my bad attitude. But as the day goes on there is no sign of my mum. And when my cousin turns up to sign me out and take me back to her place, I start to worry. I'm confused, but most of all this situation felt wired. Was my mum ok? Did something happen? But I push them thoughts away with certainty that I would of been told if she was seriously injured or ill. My second reason for what was happening wasn't that much better though. Maybe mum had decided she didn't want me? Maybe she was kicking me out because she couldn't deal with all my drama and attitude?
"Erin?", I ask. She was my cousin, we were really close. We were currently in her room just hanging out and talking.
"Yeah" she looks up from her magazine.
"Why am I here?", I ask with a sigh. I dreaded the anwser.
"Your mum and dad wanted something special in their lives!", she replies cheerfully. I can tell she is trying to cheer me up. It works a little because I know she really does believe I'm special even if I don't.
"No why am I in your house? I love it here but why am I here?", I ask again.
"Soph your mum loves you but...she just needs space at the moment" she replies in a soft tone.
"Oh gosh I've ruined her!", I throw my head in my hands.
"No you haven't. It's just hard for her watching you go through this" she say coming over to the window seat I was on and sitting opposite me.
"I didn't mean to upset her or bring her grief!", I start to cry.
"Awh Soph! I know that, others know that, but most important she knows that!", she wraps her arms around me in a hug.
"Don't even think it's your fault" she says softly as she pulls away from me.
There is mostly silence, except for my crying.
"Thanks"I say crying in a whisper.
"Thanks for being here for me".
"We are practically married!", she smiles referring to us playing weddings when we were young.
"What's yours is mine, even your problems!", she adds.
I laugh and smile a little at her kindness. I couldn't have had a better cousin and I start to settle with the fact that my mum just needs space. Despite some part of me feeling like it's still all my fault.