Status: Rewrite - somewhat active
Sunshine
e i g h t e e n
I could hear people talking. I opened my eyes but the room was dark. The voices were from the hallway outside, where a sliver of light fell through the partly open door.
"I called them but they don't want to fly out. They want us to put her on a plane back when she is discharged from here," my dad said quietly.
"Well, she is your daughter, so I won't interfere. If you want to send her back you can, but she could also stay with us," Lisa reminded him.
"No." My dad's voice was strong, without any sign of hesitation. After a long moment he continued. "Look, Sharon was only eighteen when we met and she had Abigail within a year. My career was just starting to take off and I suspect she may have been in it for money. I will pay my child support but Abigail is less my child than Mark and Chris. I didn't even see her until she was three and I've seen her minimally her whole life. I have no interest in taking her on full time now."
"Well it is your decision. I'll let Bill and Sharon know," Lisa said. I couldn't stand to hear anymore. I felt around and found the remote for the nurse's call button. A moment later Jeremy came in, followed by my dad and Lisa. I ignored my parents, I only had eyes for Jeremy.
"What happened?" I asked, my voice coming out in a high-pitched wheezing noise. Talking hurt a lot but I needed an excuse for why I called him in.
"You were bleeding internally for a full day before you were brought in. It was touch and go for a minute," Jeremy explained. "You've been here for two days."
"Did they arrest him?" I questioned. Jeremy glanced back at my parents. When he turned around I knew they hadn't.
"Arrest who honey? Your brother said you fell down the stairs. We haven't been able to get a straight story about who did this to you," Jeremy told me. "We know that someone hurt you but we had to wait until you were awake to do anything. Police will be by in the morning to ask you questions."
I closed my eyes in pain that was part physical and part emotional. No one had spoken up for me. I wondered if it would be worth the effort to speak for myself when it seemed like no one was listening. Jeremy patted my hand gently. I opened my eyes a minute later to an empty room.
"I called them but they don't want to fly out. They want us to put her on a plane back when she is discharged from here," my dad said quietly.
"Well, she is your daughter, so I won't interfere. If you want to send her back you can, but she could also stay with us," Lisa reminded him.
"No." My dad's voice was strong, without any sign of hesitation. After a long moment he continued. "Look, Sharon was only eighteen when we met and she had Abigail within a year. My career was just starting to take off and I suspect she may have been in it for money. I will pay my child support but Abigail is less my child than Mark and Chris. I didn't even see her until she was three and I've seen her minimally her whole life. I have no interest in taking her on full time now."
"Well it is your decision. I'll let Bill and Sharon know," Lisa said. I couldn't stand to hear anymore. I felt around and found the remote for the nurse's call button. A moment later Jeremy came in, followed by my dad and Lisa. I ignored my parents, I only had eyes for Jeremy.
"What happened?" I asked, my voice coming out in a high-pitched wheezing noise. Talking hurt a lot but I needed an excuse for why I called him in.
"You were bleeding internally for a full day before you were brought in. It was touch and go for a minute," Jeremy explained. "You've been here for two days."
"Did they arrest him?" I questioned. Jeremy glanced back at my parents. When he turned around I knew they hadn't.
"Arrest who honey? Your brother said you fell down the stairs. We haven't been able to get a straight story about who did this to you," Jeremy told me. "We know that someone hurt you but we had to wait until you were awake to do anything. Police will be by in the morning to ask you questions."
I closed my eyes in pain that was part physical and part emotional. No one had spoken up for me. I wondered if it would be worth the effort to speak for myself when it seemed like no one was listening. Jeremy patted my hand gently. I opened my eyes a minute later to an empty room.