Becky's Gift

Suma and Rilley

 "What can you do to stop a man who's bigger than you are? But, you're free, now. You can do what you want to do." Suma, that lady who helped Stacy, came near.

Myrillis didn't look up. "H-How do you know?"

"My name is Suma, and I'm the Rainbow Therapist. I know a little about you because I read your file. The man who held you prisoner is in jail without bond, but he can't come here. You were never married, so he's charged with kidnapping, rape and other charges. Since he crossed state lines, he's got federal charges.

"We are worried about you because you got scared. Here, you have choices. Tilla is your healer. If you want a different healer, you can choose. But, you need medical care. You are too thin. There's plenty of food here. Want to sit someplace and eat?"

When she didn't answer, Suma kept talking.

"We brought a dorna because you're shaking, and you need to get off your feet. You can ride a dorna, or we can make a car, or a cart for a dorna to pull, anything you want."

She looked at her feet. "I want too much."

"It's okay to want to eat, or to sit down, or have a safe place to go. Want to sit in these flowers? Your dorna can lie beside you and you can pet her. You like flowers?"

"Yes! I love flowers! Can I have one, just one?" She looked at a rosebush.

Suma went over to it and picked a bouquet. These didn't have thorns. Then she came back and put the armful in Myrillis' arms.

Myrillis cried.

"Come over here and sit down for a little while. You don't have to go anywhere yet. It's overwhelming, isn't it, not to see what you expect?"

She nodded and walked slowly, so her kids could hold onto her dress. We walked a little way and Myrillis sat in the sand. "Oh! It's soft?" She giggled and mushed some.

The kids started doing that and giggled, too.

Suma sat with 'em and waved. Now they had buckets and little play shovels. And an assortment of holos of various toys floated. "Want more toys? You can have anything here."

The older girl reached for the dorna, who knelt and laid down with her front legs tucked under. Very slowly, she put her head down.

Both kids petted her soft fur, and Myrillis did, too. She cried. "It's a dream, isn't it? But, I'll have to wake up."

"It's not a dream. This is real. Your dorna is real, and she loves you. They don't come to you like that if they don't love you. Here, pets choose their owners."

"I don't have a job. I can't afford a horse."

"Here, you can. Healers won't release you to work until you get healing and are able to work. Right now, you just need to rest, eat, and enjoy your dorna, and get medical care. Is that okay with you?"

"But, I'm lazy and need to work."

"I think you worked too hard. You take care of your kids, and that's enough. You can have help to care for them, too. Here's your food menu. Everything here is free and you can have as much as you want." Suma waved up the menu and explained how to use her terminal to change her clothes, and get to her things. "Your parents brought your things. They kept your room just the way it was the day you didn't come home."

"Oh, my Barbies! My books! Oh!" She touched little pictures and they floated to her hands. She set all of her Barbies in a row, posed them, and showed 'em to her little girls. They bent more naturally than real Barbies do.