Book Two: Chapter Two


    “Okay Alexis, stare straight ahead for me.” Doctor Ericka was gentle as she shined a light and studied


    her young patient’s eyes. “Good. Now without moving your head track the light as I move it.”


    Alexis’s gaze flickered as she watched the light move steadily in and out of her limited range of vision.


    Doctor Ericka nodded and turned to herputer making notes. The steady cking of the keyboard


    was the signal the examination was over. Alexis remained seated on the table while her mother


    anxiously waited for the results.


    “Well?” Lynn prompted when the doctor hesitated.


    “As you know Miss Carter Alexis’s eyesight has been rapidly deteriorating,” the doctor said. “Alexis, be


    honest, how is your eye sight really?”


    “I can tell light from dark,” Alexis shrugged. It was how she was able to track the light despite the gray


    fog that consumed her vision. “Honestly though, it doesn’t really bother me.”


    “Lexi,” Lynn gasped at her daughter’s nonchnt attitude.


    “Alexis, would it be all right if your mom and I talk for a bit?”


    “Sure,” Alexis said getting off the table.


    Taking out a foldable cane that snapped to its full length she used it to sweep the area in front of her to


    the door. Reaching it she let herself out and headed to the nurse’s desk where the waiting room gave


    her a ce to sit.


    Once she was gone the doctor turned to the anxious Lynn. Like everyone else Ericka had drawn her


    own conclusions concerning the children’s birth but having known Lynn for several years now she


    realized the rumors surrounding the other woman couldn’t be true.


    Lynn was a kind and genuine person. Her love for her children could not be denied. The kids hadn’t


    missed a single appointment or booster shot. It was clear she sacrificed everything to ensure the kids


    remained healthy. In fact, aside from Alexis’s chronic failing eyesight, none of the kids had ever


    suffered more than a cold. Such care just didn’t fit the image of a promiscuousdy of the night.


    Undoubtedly there was more to the story of the triplet’s birth but it wasn’t a doctor’s ce to pry into the


    private lives of her patients. Once the door was closed she sighed and said, “Miss Carter, I think we


    have to realistic. You heard Lexi herself.”


    “But…it’s not hopeless, right?”


    “Degenerative conditions are progressive and very difficult to treat,” Ericka exined. “The prognosis


    for them is inevitable. I hoped Alexis’s blindness could be slowed but the process for her has been


    unexpectedly rapid. That says nothing about you. Lexi is very happy and healthy. It’s just the nature of


    the condition.”


    “So…there’s nothing that can be done?” Lynn asked tears blurring her vision.


    “I’ve been reading up on different developments. There is a surgeon who has been doing some


    impressive work and has had some sess with patients simr to Lexi. But the treatment is still


    experimental…and very expensive.”


    “Of course it is,” Lynn finally broke down.


    Try as she might, as hard as she worked, it all came down to money and how much she would never


    have. Her children would always suffer because of her shorings.


    “It will be okay, Miss Carter,” Ericka handed Lynn a tissue. “You raised a strong and intelligent


    daughter…”


    * * *


    Alexis sat with a sigh. She supposed this day was inevitable. Ever since she was six her field of vision


    had rapidly diminished. Her peripheral narrowed giving her tunnel vision but that too eventually failed.


    Her world had faded into a gray mist. Telling light from dark was about all she was capable of doing


    now though she was good at faking it at least for her mother’s sake.


    “Right this way, gentlemen. This is one of our waiting rooms. This floor is mainly for routine


    appointments and initial diagnosis,” the hospital director exined as he led his guests through. “This


    area in particr is for our patients with sensory disabilities.”


    “Oh Director, could you look at this please?”


    “Pardon me,” the Director excused himself to meet the nurse hurrying up to him.


    With grunts his guests remained at the nurses’ station. Though Alexis could not see them she knew


    there were two. Both walked with a confidence born of someone who knew the world was theirs. Even


    more distinctive was their aftershave. One in particr was very expensive. She could tell by the


    choke with one sniff.


    Her brothers often made fun of her obsession with smells iming she was part bloodhound. But it


    wasn’t as if her sense of smell was any better or worse than theirs, she just paid more attention to it


    because she couldn’t rely on her sight. It was the same with her hearing.


    Their footsteps were distinctive. They were probably wearing loafers rather than sneakers. Even their


    clothing had a particr sound as it rubbed against itself while they waited. Most likely silk or satin


    which meant they were probably wearing suits and expensive ones at that.


    Even without her sight she could gleam a lot of information about the two men waiting nearby. They


    were alone, unapanied by children so it was unlikely either were a parent of a patient. They were


    rich or came from money so even if they had children she doubted they would use this hospital’s


    services. The way the director was acting indicated they were probably investors here to make a


    donation.


    “You know it’s rude to stare,” a gruff male voice interrupted her internal debate.


    “Oh? I wouldn’t know,” Alexis easily answered.


    “Excuse me? Who are you?” the man asked.


    His demand alone was enough to tell her he was someone used to getting what he wanted. It only


    made Alexis more determined to frustrate him. She didn’t owe him answers and she hated people who


    thought so highly of themselves they dismissed others. Those were the kinds of people where it was


    fun to take down a notch.


    “Who am I? Well, let’s break this down shall we? One, I’m almost ten years old which makes me a child


    ording to modern convention. Two, this is a children’s hospital so it stands to reason I am a patient.


    Three, this waiting room is for appointments concerning vision and hearing impairment. Which would


    mean your earlierment about me staring was incredibly rude, don’t you think?”


    “…You’re…blind…” he said slowly putting the pieces together as sheid them out.


    “There, you see, that wasn’t so hard to figure out,” Alexis said with a smile that caused her sightless


    green eyes to sparkle.


    The man’spanion chuckled saying, “She’s got spunk. You have to give her that, Si.”


    “Where are your parents?” the first asked more gently this time though Alexis had no need for his


    sympathy.


    “Parent,” she corrected though she didn’t exin her absentee father. “Mom’s talking to the doctor


    about whether or not I could get my sight back.”


    “Can you?”


    “If there is a way I’m sure it’s too expensive,” Alexis shrugged. “I’m fine the way I am.”


    The entire conversation was spoken in a matter-of-fact tone. Alexis came to grips with her vision loss


    long ago. That wasn’t to say there weren’t things she missed, like her mother’s face or her brothers.


    She could still picture them clearly when she wasst able to see them but that vision was like a time


    capsule. Alexis would never see them mature or age except in her imagination.


    “I’m sorry about the wait, gentlemen. Oh Lexi, are you here for an appointment?”


    “Yep, I’m here for my three thousand mile checkup,” she answered and smiled in the direction of the


    hospital director.


    “How’s your mother?”


    “She’s fine. She’s talking to Doctor Ericka.”


    “Good. Good.” His voice took a dismissive tone. “If you need anything let the nurses know.”


    “Roger that.” Alexis saluted feigning interest.


    The Director was like most people assuming her mother was some promiscuous slut and that was as


    far as his interest in her went. Alexis overheard him solicit her mother once despite the fact he was a


    married man. Her mother quickly ended the conversation and ushered Alexis away. Since then she


    always had her guard up around him and saw no reason to be overly friendly with him. As long as he


    was civil she would treat him in kind. If he stepped over the line his wife would soon learn about his


    extramarital affairs.


    “Shall we gentlemen?”


    “Good bye, youngdy,” the man who had been talking to her said.


    “Later, old man,” Alexis shot back.


    * * *


    “Mister Prescott?” Director Weston asked as the other hesitated.


    Shaking his head Ss let his retort go and followed after his host. Beside him Thomas, his right hand


    man and best friend, chuckled.


    “What?” Ss red at him but Thomas wasn’t intimidated.


    “Never thought I’d see the day Mister Big Bad Executive was intimidated by a child.”


    Ss grunted though there was no denying it. The girl’s attitude caught him off guard not that he had


    much experience with children. Even so he didn’t think it was normal for one to be so brazen.


    “I hope Lexi didn’t bother you,” Director Weston said. “She’s a good kid. They all are?”


    “They?”


    “Her and her brothers,” Weston answered. “Triplets. They were born here as a matter of fact, in our


    maturity ward.”


    “Interesting.” Thomas said.


    “It can’t be easy to raise three children on your own but their mother seems to handle it even with Lexi’s


    medical needs.”


    “What about their father?”


    “He’s never been in the picture,” Weston shook his head.


    “You think he abandoned his family?” Thomas asked as they reached the elevator. He was an avid


    mystery reader and all puzzles intrigued him.


    “I can’t say and it’s not my ce to specte on the lives of our patients,” Weston said.


    The elevator arrived and the trio stepped on. Ss remained silent as Thomas conversed with their


    host. Something still bothered him about the young child who was the center of their conversation. Her


    attitude was not that of someone ashamed of their lot in life despite the fact she came from a poor


    home. He did sense some resignation to her blindness but it was not depressing in the least.


    All of this was to her credit as far as Ss was concerned. He couldn’t stand people who thought the


    world owed them something because they had been given a bad hand. Yet there was something off.


    There was something almost familiar about the girl he couldn’t quite ce. Her green eyes practically


    begged him to remember something important.


    While he debated this he had watched the Director interact with the girl. She treated him with equal


    sarcasm whichforted Ss. For some reason he didn’t like the idea of the girl being friendly with


    someone else which was ridiculous. But something about the Director’s attitude toward the girl irritated


    him. There was something almost licentious in his voice which rubbed him the wrong way. Could the


    Director be interest in her mother?


    Ss was certain the Director was married and the thought he might have carried on a rtionship with


    a patient’s parent disturbed him. Could the Director be the girl’s father? No. Ss dismissed the idea as


    soon as it formted. He didn’t know why he cared but for some reason he hated the very idea that the


    Director was in any way connected with the girl.


    For that reason he remained silent as Thomas and their host spoke. Stepping onto the elevator his


    mind still desperately tried to grasp a memory lost to him. As his gaze drifted outward he saw the child


    stand as another figure arrived.


    The new figure was a petite woman wearing an oversized jacket over her waitress uniform. While the


    girl had straight hair her mother had natural wavy hair that was secured in a half-up style. Reaching her


    daughter the woman wrapped her in a hug bowing her head. Why did he suddenly have the urge to


    rush to their side?


    The pair stood like that as the elevators closed. Only when they were out of sight did Ss shove away


    the strange yearning in his chest. Why was he reacting like this? They didn’t have anything to do with


    him.


    * * *


    “Are you okay mom?” Alexis asked still wrapped in her mother’s arms.


    Lynn didn’t answer immediately trying to control her tears. She hadn’t realized how tightly she held onto


    the hope her daughter’s sight would be saved until now. The doctor made Alexis’s prognosis quite


    clear.


    “It’s okay mom. I’m fine.” Alexis said squeezing her tight. “Look on the bright side.”


    “What is that?”


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    “Now I don’t have to see my brothers’ stupid faces anymore.”


    Lynn chuckled. Her children never ceased to amaze her. The tears that threatened to fall dried up and


    she managed a haggard breath before releasing Alexis from her embrace. Kissing the top of her head


    Lynn said, “Come on, let’s go. Let’s celebrate.”


    “Yeah? Celebrate what?”


    “Celebrate the fact you won’t have to watch your brothers stuff their faces when we bring them


    McDonalds.”


    Alexis giggled, “That sounds good, mom.”


    With an arm around her shoulder Lynn directed her daughter toward the exit. They were far from being


    okay. Alexis knew her mother would put on a brave face in front of them saving her tears for a private


    moment but eventually her mother would ept the truth. Alexis and her brothers would watch their


    mother for awhile and be careful not to upset her until then…which meant it was a good thing their


    mother didn’t know their weekend ns.