Fallen Petals

Chapter four

The next day Rosie saw a ton of doctors who checked her arm and vitals for anything fatal. Everyone she saw did every test known to man and found nothing medically wrong.
"Well, what's wrong with her then she was bit by something?" Lucas asked.
"Well, whatever it was she's healthy as a horse." Every doctor responded. This only made Lucas angry and if the mere thought didn't give him PTSD. Plus Rosie was watching and he had no desire to cause a scene that might make her feel worse. After the last doctor asked if Rosie grew any scales, Lucas pulled his daughter away. She looked at him in concern and tried to offer words of comfort.
"Daddy I told you I feel fine," Rosie said.

"I'm not taking any chances, honey, I need to make this right," Lucas responded.
Lucas felt like he had stepped back a decade when Rosie was sick and he couldn't do anything. All he wanted to do was give Rosie every organ in his body if it meant her pain would go away.
"But I don't feel sick anymore, I slept good last night and my head no longer hurts," Rosie said.
"Well, Rosie..." Lucas began but she cut him off with a tight hug.
"No Daddy I am fine, I only had bad dreams about that mermaid with teeth biting me, so no more doctors please," Rosie said. The look on her face and her plea were heart-wrenching, and Lucas's anger faded.

"Alright honey, okay I'm sorry I just wanna help you." He said.
"But Daddy I only need you, as long as you're with me I'll never be afraid." Rosie responded. He hugged her tightly and took her home while she was her normal cheerful self. He smiled at the sound of her singing voice and turned off the radio to hear better.
"Sing it my little flower." He said.
"Hear my voice beneath the sea, and sleep so peacefully. Listen to my song and let your worries cease. Follow me beneath the waves and see the world through different eyes." She sang. Her voice had always been beautiful yet now it sounded ten times better. Lucas was intrigued and nearly took his eyes off the road while listening.

"Oh my gosh what's wrong with me?" Lucas asked. Every time he heard that song it seemed like something bad happened. Almost like some force had read his mind, the car in front of them drove off the road. Followed by a few other drivers driving into each other or a tree. 
"Daddy what's happening?!" Rosie cried. Tears of fear ran down her face and Lucas acted fast to swerve out of the way.  He had to slam on the break to avoid a head-on collision with any of the cars. It took him back many years ago but he refused to think about the crimson rivers, broken glass, or rain. His heart pounded once he managed to regain control of the car and his body. The accidents ceased and Lucas pulled over to make sure no one was hurt. Rosie hyperventilated at the scene and Lucas looked back then grabbed her hand. Sweat ran down his face as he tried to steady his breathing. 

"Hey Rosie it's okay honey, we are okay." He said.  Rosie looked back at him with tears in her eyes and he held on tighter. Even without communication, he knew her fears were more about others. 

"Oh Daddy that was scary..." She cried. 

"I know it is but it's going to be alright, just stay there okay honey, I have to make sure no one was hurt. " He said.

"But I wanna help." Rosie pleaded.
"And I want you safe so please Rosie." He responded.  Rosie looked at him with tear-stained eyes and he could still see the cut from infancy on her forehead. He breathed heavily at the memory and in father-like fashion he kissed her on the head.
"I can't be safe if you're not with me, but I'll try." She cried. He wiped her tears away and wished he could take all of her pain with his actions. The tears in his eyes were like nails in his heart, even as he briefly turned away.  His mind against his will thought about every horrible thing that could happen to her. Yet his heart was focused on the other people in need of help.

Lucas only managed to get a few feet away from his car when he saw the damage. All of the cars had either been flipped on their side or had a head-on collision.
"Oh my god, hello is everyone okay?!" He exclaimed as he approached the nearest vehicle. The windshield was cracked and there was a strange scent of blood.
"Help me please my daughter is stuck!" A man screamed. Lucas saw that the man was bleeding from his forehead, so he might not make it. Unsure what to do he opened the backdoor of the girl, in hopes of saving them both.
"Here give me your hand," Lucas said.
He held his hand out to the preteen girl in the back seat and she took his hand.

"My dad." She whimpered and cried hysterically when she looked back to see that her dad had died.
"Hey, it's going to be okay I'm going to get you help." He whispered. The blonde girl looked back at her dad and tried to go back in to help him.
"No I gotta get him, he promised he would take me to see my mom!" She exclaimed. Lucas was heartbroken for her but before he could open his mouth, Rosie appeared in the corner of his eye. He never had time to scold her as she hugged the distraught girl who was three inches taller than her.
"Daddy I've come to help."
"What are you doing?" The girl asked.

"It will be okay my daddy and I are good people," Rosie said. The girl gives her a look and then goes off to help the other people trapped in their cars. Most of them are injured, so Lucas calls 911 who arrive in twenty minutes. All of the paramedics rush the victims to the hospital while the police officer lectures Lucas.
"What kind of reckless driving were you up to?" The officer asked sternly.
"What no sir this isn't my fault," Lucas responded. He would have raised his voice to emphasize his innocence if he didn't know, the police hated him already.
"Don't lie to me, your wife told us what kind of man you are!" The officer exclaimed. Rosie gasped from behind him and she ran to his side.

At the mention of Deanna, Lucas shut down internally. Of course, she had to be involved in this somehow, that women would never let him go.
"My Daddy didn't lie please don't yell at him," Rosie begged.
"Rosie..." Lucas began but Rosie kept going and hugged his waist.
"Look kid I don't know what you've been told from this man but he's not one you should defend." The office responded and he grabbed her arm to pull her away. Rosie screamed at him until he let go and stuck her tongue out. This made Lucas worry even more that her good intentions would get them both in trouble.

After all, Deanna had set him to seem like the bad guy just because of his sexuality.
"Whatever that mean lady says is a lie my daddy is a good man." She declared. The officer narrowed his eyes and looked at Lucas.
"This child is yours I didn't know that you had a child with your wife?" He asked.
"Well, a lot has happened in ten years," Lucas responded. 
"Don't let it happen again Lucas you don't want to go back to jail." The officer threatened and turned away with his nose in the air. Rosie hugged him even tighter and cried a little bit when he picked her up. A bold statement for a girl her age and so was her response to the cop behind them. 
"Daddy I won't let her find you, I promise and he is a liar just like the witch."