Chapter 49
Milow
“How does that feel?” the doctor asked as she gently placed my right hand back onto my lap. She had just removed the cast, and the air against my skin felt better than I had anticipated.
I nodded, smiling down at my hand. It was finally free.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Mom said from the chair beside the bed, smiling at me. “Does it hurt?”
I looked up at her and shook my head, lifting both hands to sign without thinking. To my surprise, my fingers didn’t hurt when I moved them.
[It just feels a little strange.]
The doctor looked amazed as I signed. She didn’t understand me, but Mom was quick to translate.
“She says it feels a little strange.”
“Hm, yes, that’s normal. But it’s a great sign that you can move them,” she said, taking my hand carefully and studying it. “I’ve seen plenty of rough breaks, but fingers have always fascinated me.”
I watched her, waiting for her to explain.
“You had stable fractures,” she went on.
“That means the bones cracked, but they stayed in place. I had a patient not long ago who slammed his hand in a car door. He said he barely felt any pain. That was probably the shock. He waited two days before coming in because his mother made him. All four knuckles were broken, yet he could still move his fingers without pain.”
I smiled, intrigued, thinking it might have been similar for me. They had still put my hand in a cast, just to be safe. And it had worked. My fingers had healed quickly.
“So,” she continued, placing my hand back on my lap, “you might feel some stiffness, and they may feel weak for a while. A few simple exercises will help with that.”
I nodded and gave her a thumbs-up.
“And your nose has healed nicely, too,” she added.
I smiled.
She rested her hand on my arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You’ve been very strong through all of this, Milow. I hope you know that you handled it with courage, and that you should be proud of how far you’ve come.”
Those were words I had heard many times before, but I always accepted them. I never pushed anyone away for trying to encourage me.
[Thank you,] I signed.
She turned and walked to the shelves on the other side of the room, picking up a small rectangular box. “Take this home and apply it to your fingers two to three times a day. It will help with the dryness the cast caused.”
She handed the cream to Mom, then looked back at me. “Other than that… I’d say you’re good to go.”
I smiled at her. I could finally use both hands again, and that alone made me feel lighter. I couldn’t wait to show Ashby when we got home. He would be relieved, happy to see me without the cast. He had been waiting for this day even more than I had.
Before going back home, Mom had to stop at the grocery store.
Before we headed inside, she made me apply the cream the doctor had given me, and after spreading it carefully all over my right hand, we got out of the car and went in.
While Mom checked off her grocery list, I pushed the cart absentmindedly, thinking about all the things I could finally do again without struggling.
Signing was the first thing. Fingerspelling for a whole month had been exhausting, but at least I had still been able to communicate.
Holding a book would be easier, too. I had held them with my left hand and then had to set them down just to flip the page. That would no longer be a problem.
And running both hands through Ashby’s hair was another thing I was excited about. Every time he kissed me, my right hand had rested uselessly on his shoulder. I knew it had not bothered him, but it had bothered me.
I was lost in my thoughts, smiling to myself when I turned my head to see where Mom was. But in the cereal aisle, it was only Hailie and me. I jumped slightly at the sight of her, immediately snapping out of my head when her eyes locked onto mine.
It was not her presence that made me react.
It was her bruised face and empty expression that shocked me.
Her eyes were bloodshot, and beneath one of them was a dark purple bruise.
Makeup tried to cover it, but it didn’t fully hide it.
Her nostrils were red, and they looked exactly like mine had looked when she—
My jaw tightened. I refused to let my mind go back there.
I didn’t know what to do. She just stood there, staring at me with a pained look in her eyes. And underneath that pain was fear. I could see it clearly. But I didn’t understand what she was scared of.
Frowning, I kept studying her. It felt unreal. Like I was stuck in some strange dream, unable to wake up. But I had to be awake. I had just gotten my cast off. I was going home later to show everyone.
My heart pounded in my chest, and I still couldn’t move.
“Hailie.”
Her mother appeared behind her and grabbed her by the shoulder. “I told you to stay close to me. I don’t want you to wander—” She stopped when she saw me, her expression shifting into regret and shame all at once.
“Gosh, sweetie,” she said, stepping closer. “I’m so incredibly sorry for what Hailie has done to you. It’s inexcusable. I’ve been meaning to come by with cookies and flowers—”
“Step away from my daughter.”
Mom moved up beside me, her hand settling firmly on my shoulder.
Darla pressed a hand to her chest, looking horrified. “I’m so sorry, Iris. I was just trying to apologize.”
“That’s what your daughter still has to do,” Mom said sharply. She was protecting me. I knew that. I just hated seeing her this upset.
I bit the inside of my cheek and looked past Darla at Hailie. She was still staring at me.
Her eyes were empty, and I could tell she wasn’t okay. Someone had hurt her. I could see that clearly, too. But who? Darla? No. Darla might’ve been an obnoxious woman, but she wasn’t violent. Then who—
“I don’t have all day, Darla.”
A large man rounded the corner and stopped behind Hailie. His hand came down on the back of her neck, thick fingers wrapping around it.
Hailie flinched, and tears filled her eyes.
Oh no.
“Yes, darling,” Darla said quickly, her voice tight. “We’re coming.”
The man looked at me. His eyes moved between us, and something shifted in his expression when he understood. His grip on Hailie’s neck tightened.
“This the girl you bullied?” he asked.
I flinched. So did Hailie.
“Tell me, kid,” he ordered, his voice thick and raspy.
“Y-yes, Daddy.”
He grunted and gave a short shake of his head, like he was disappointed in something small and unimportant. “And you’ve still not learned your lesson.”
I didn’t know what that meant, but by the look on Hailie’s face, it couldn’t be good. I was worried about her. No matter how much pain she had inflicted, I was scared for her safety. Her father was scary, and the way his presence made her visibly shake had to mean something was off at home.
“Come on, sweetheart,” Mom whispered. I didn’t have to look at her to know she was worried, too. I could hear it in her voice. She saw Hailie’s pain just as clearly as I did, and when I glanced up at her, I hoped she would say something.
Mom’s jaw was tight. She pulled me behind her before speaking. “Are you okay, Darla?”
It sounded like a simple question, but it carried much more.
Darla swallowed hard. Her body stiffened before she forced a nod and a tight smile. “Everything is perfect,” she said. “Hailie is sorry. We’ve just been… disciplining her.”
My eyes moved back to Hailie. She was still staring at me, her eyes glossy with tears she refused to let fall. She was asking for help without saying a word, and I wanted to help her. I really did. But I didn’t know how. My body felt frozen in place, and the whole moment still felt unreal.
“You have my number,” Mom told Darla, her voice firm.
“I do. Thank you, Iris. We should go now.” Darla gave another nod, then wrapped her hand around Hailie’s arm and pulled her gently toward her, and away from her father.
Before Hailie turned, I lifted my hand in a quick wave and gave her a faint smile. I hoped it would be enough to make her feel a little less alone. To show her I wasn’t mad at her, and that I didn’t hate her. And that whatever was happening at home would somehow turn out okay.
“We’re home!” Mom called as I unlocked the front door. “Come help with the groceries.”
Footsteps sounded from upstairs right away. A second later, Ashby and Wesley rushed down the stairs, bumping into each other as they raced to be first.
When they reached the bottom, they stopped at the same time and looked at me. Their eyes went straight to my right hand.
“It’s gone!” Wesley said with a wide grin.
“Your hand’s free!” Ashby added, just as excited.
They stepped closer, and I lifted my hand to show them properly. Ashby slid one hand under mine and carefully ran his fingertips over the back of it.
“How does it feel? Can you move them?”
I nodded and pulled my hand back to sign. [It doesn’t hurt, but it does feel a bit strange.]
“Damn, Milow. That healed up nicely,” Wesley said, still smiling. “I’m proud of you.”
“Yeah, me too.” Ashby took my hand again and lifted it to his mouth, pressing a soft kiss to my fingers. “You can finally hold a book normally again.”
He was teasing, but he knew how much that had bothered me.
[I’m excited. I’m glad the cast is off.]
“Me too.” Ashby brushed his hand down my arm, then pressed a quick kiss to my forehead before following Wesley outside to grab the groceries.
While they carried the bags in, I went into the kitchen. Dad was sitting at the table, his phone in his hands, and his expression focused and distant. When I placed a hand on his shoulder, he looked up and smiled.
“Milow, sweetheart. How was it at the doctor’s?”
[Great. I got my cast off!] I signed, holding up my right hand.
His smile widened into a grin as he gently took my hand into his. “That’s wonderful, Milow. I’m glad it’s all better now.”
I nodded. He pulled me into his side for a quick hug before I turned toward the hallway, just as Mom and the boys came back into the kitchen.
“Thank you for helping,” Mom said, rubbing their backs before starting to unpack the bags. “Why don’t you all head upstairs? I need to have a word with your father.”
“What did you do, Dad?” Wesley teased.
“Yeah, Dad, what did you do?” Ashby added.
“Nothing, I swear,” Dad said quickly, lifting his hands in defense. “Iris, honey, I swear I’ve been good.”
I scrunched my nose at him. We all knew he had not done anything. He was just being dramatic. Mom rolled her eyes and laughed softly before giving his chest a playful shove.
“I know you’ve been good. You’re always good. And maybe that’s exactly what I need to talk to you about.”
“What, you want me to be naughtier?” Dad asked with a grin, pulling Mom closer. “Just say the word, darling.”
“Okay,” Wesley said, patting Ashby’s shoulder and gently tugging my arm. “We don’t need to witness this.”
I pressed my lips together as Ashby laughed, and we headed upstairs. Once we were out of earshot, Wesley muttered, “Not even Evie and I are that awkward.”
“Meh.” Ashby shrugged. “You two can be pretty weird sometimes.”
Wesley raised a brow and punched Ashby’s shoulder. “Watch it, buddy.”
I looked up at them as they playfully shoved each other. When they stopped, I noticed the thoughtful look settling on Wesley’s face. “I wonder what she needs to talk to him about.”
[I know.]
They both turned to me.
“Yeah?” Wesley raised a brow. “What is it?”
[I think she’s going to tell him about what happened at the grocery store.]
Ashby frowned. “What happened?”
I looked between them. [We saw Hailie and her parents. And Hailie didn’t look good at all.]
“What do you mean, Milow?” Wesley asked. His posture stiffened. So did Ashby’s. Hearing her name did that to them.
I chewed on my lip as my stomach twisted. I didn’t want to say it out loud, but I couldn’t keep it to myself. I could still see the pain and fear in her eyes.
[She had bruises on her face. And her father was rough with her. She was scared of him. I could tell. And so was her mother.]
They didn’t say anything at first. I knew it was hard for them to feel sorry for Hailie. She had been the one hurting me for years. But I also knew that if they had seen her in that aisle, if they had seen her face the way I had, they would be worried too.
[I think her father hurt her,] I finally signed.
Ashby’s gaze dropped to the floor. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets, thinking through whatever reaction was rising in him.
Wesley stayed quiet as well, his eyes drifting away from mine.
I gave them time. I didn’t expect them to come up with a plan or suddenly know how to help her.
I just needed them to understand what I had seen.
“I’m sure Mom and Dad will handle it,” Wesley said after a moment, looking back at me.
Ashby glanced at him, then nodded slowly. “Yeah. If they think it’s necessary to step in, they will.”
I nodded too. That had to be enough for now.
Ashby stepped closer first. His hand reached for mine without hesitation, turning it gently as he checked my fingers again. “You sure you’re okay?” he asked quietly.
[I’m okay,] I signed.
Wesley moved in next, his hand landing on my shoulder. “Milow… you don’t have to feel obligated to help anyone. No matter how difficult it might be.”
I looked up at him, knowing exactly what he meant. They had always been too worried about me worrying about others more than I ever worried about myself, but I just didn’t know how to change that about me. It was rooted deep inside of me.
I looked between them, my chest tightening, but in a good way this time.
[I know.]
Ashby pulled me into his chest without another word. Wesley wrapped his arms around both of us from the side, and I let myself sink into them.
For a second, everything else faded. The grocery store. Hailie’s bruises. The fear in her eyes.
All that mattered was this.
They were here. I was okay. My hand was healed. I was home.
And they were not letting go. Ever.