The Good Life

Chapter 44

Later in the day the doctor came in the room. He sat down in the empty chair from the other side of the room moving over with his big file in his hands. Marla sat as close to Bruno as she possibly could as Rosie colored like crazy in a coloring book.

”So…here are the results of the test…” he said unrolling a piece of paper with lines moving up and down. Oh god. Marla thought to herself. This is not good. Not good at all. ”And so…right here is where it was the worst…”

”Wait where?” Marla asked coming out of her daze.

”Right after the photosensitive portion. That means she’s not photosensitive – but that the lights do affect her. It’s the moments after that get to her.”

”So if that’s what is the biggest problem why did it happen while we were outside?” Bruno asked.

”It was most likely stress. How many people were around her at that time?” Dr. Reisch asked.

”Um….” Bruno counted in his head.

”There were at like 10 playing with her then….” Marla answered.

”Liam, Zadah, Lilly, Marley…..me..Eric…Phil….Jaimo….Heidi, Makayla….and you…” Bruno said reassuring himself that he could remember.

”It sounds a lot like me…” Marla stated.

”Yeah…the stress…and after the lights…but why so bad now?” Bruno asked.

”Well…there’s really no explanation for that. We’ll just have to treat it and see if there is anything else we can find if she does have the same reaction. She’s been stable since the eeg, which is a good sign.” the doctor answered. ”She’ll need to continue with the current medication. We’ll discharge her after we finish up here and we’ll see you all in my office in two weeks. Okay?”

”That’s good. Thank you so much.” Bruno answered.

**

Marla stood by the fridge writing down her schedule on their calendar. ”Shit.” she said to herself looking at the day she needed to circle for Rosalia’s follow-up doctor’s appointment. ”Brunnnoooo…” she called out waiting for him to come in the room. She took the calendar off the fridge laying it on the big brown island in the middle of the kitchen.

”Yeah” he asked her.

”Why didn’t you tell me you were going to New York next week?” she asked frustrated.

”I did…I put it on the calendar…” he pointed to the note he had written.

”But you know I only check this when I’m writing my own stuff down….Bruno…your second day is the day of Rosie’s appointment. You said you’d be there.”

”Take Lisa or your mom, Marley. I had to reschedule it once already because you had your audit thing and couldn’t be home…”

”Bruno! Recording is more important than your only daughter? Oh my god.” she said leaving the calendar on the island waiting for him to erase it like he always did when she yelled.

”Marla..I can’t…I want to…” he replied sitting down across from her at the kitchen table.

She didn’t say anything to him choosing to walk away from the argument. ”,Mar…baby…please don’t…can we talk about this?” he asked following her toward the cabinets where she was pulling out medicine for Rosie.

”No….Rosalia…come over here…” she yelled. Rosie came running in with her curly brown hair bouncing all over the place. Bruno picked her up placing her on the counter.

”Here, Rosie….” Marla handed her the small yellow pill and a glass of water.

”No.” she said trying to get off the counter. Bruno held on to her making sure she didn’t fall of the counter.

”Look….” Bruno said taking a small vitamin from the counter, ”mmmm. It makes me feel better.” Rosie started laughing at Bruno holding the pill in her hand. ”Are you ready to feel better?” Bruno started singing to her.

”Yessss…” she sang back to him putting the pill on her tongue. Marla handed her a small cup of water watching her swallow the pill.

”Come on, Rosalia. Let’s get you ready for bed…” Bruno said taking her off of the counter. ”Mom’s in a bad mood.”

”Shut up, Bruno.” Marla snapped walking out of the kichten behind him. She stuck her tongue out catching Rosie’s eyes.

”Mama, no!” Rosie exclaimed making Marla laugh.

”Quit being mean, Mar.” Bruno told his wife.

After Rosalia was asleep Marla sat on the couch on her laptop checking her e-mail.

”Babbbbyyyy….” Bruno sang to her sitting next to her. ”Please don’t be mad at me.”

”I’m not mad. I’m sad. I’m sad that you haven’t realized that she doesn’t understand why you’re here one second and gone the next. She cries the first night you’re gone…every single time. And then you come in here and say you’ll never leave her. Do you even remember saying that at the hospital, Bruno? Whatever. Hagas lo que quieres. No me importa.” she closed her laptop placing it on the table in front of her. ”I’m going to bed.”