A Neat Mess

12.The Bird and the Bruise

Sam's stress and lack of sleep made her thoughts foggy, but she knew she needed a step-by-step plan. Based on what she had learned, her first priority was to ensure that Jenna wasn't being abused. She needed to eliminate people around Jenna one by one and observe how it affected her.

Sam couldn't imagine Ben being abusive, but she had read enough to know that a significant portion of abusers are people closest to the child, simply because of trust and access. Sam also knew all too well that one can be abused without leaving a single bruise.

Lucille, Jenna's almost lifelong babysitter, agreed to stay with Jenna every second she was at home. Jenna's room had already been set up to include a "joint-nanny room," which had previously been an oversized toy closet; being tinkerers, this wasn't too much trouble for Sam and Ben.

Lucille, a twenty-two-year-old mythology student, had been looking after Jenna since she was ten months old. They had practically grown up together and, just like sisters, had their games and their fights.

Two weeks after the incident, Jenna was no longer grounded. She was clearly convinced that she would face very serious consequences if she ever tried to hurt or manipulate any of the students at school again. Although explaining what manipulation was to an eight-year-old might have seemed challenging, in Jenna's case, even the simple concepts of right and wrong could be difficult—especially when she tried so hard to find a loophole.

For example, Jenna knew why she shouldn't push other kids, but she couldn't understand why she would be in trouble if she convinced someone else to do it.

"But what if it was an accident?" Jenna asked.

"Well, you have to be careful not to cause an accident."

"But don't accidents just happen?"

"Then it's not your fault, but you shouldn't do something and make it look like an accident." Sam immediately realized the mistake she'd made.

For a split second, Jenna's eyes, like at the moment of epiphany, went wide, but Sam was having none of it. She leaned in close, as if to tell Jenna a secret, then whispered, "Honey, we will know it if you do it."

Recently, Jenna hadn't caused any dramas at school, but her sleep deprivation was getting worse. She normally needed only six hours of sleep a night, which was shorter than average for a child, but she had been sleeping even less lately, and in a very scattered pattern.

Her tireless need to run around and make noise, increased irritability, and mood swings were driving Sam and Ben insane. Since Sam's surveillance plan was rejected, she decided to make unannounced visits at home.

It was a random Wednesday afternoon when Sam left the office about an hour earlier than usual. At home, Sam tried to be as quiet as possible. The house was completely silent, but she could hear mumbles coming from the second floor. She took her shoes off and tiptoed up the stairs. Voices were coming from the bathroom. The sound of swishing and gentle splashing of water soon made Sam realised that someone was in the tub, at this of the day?

"I know it hurts, but you've learned your lesson now, right?" Lucille suggested.

 Sam could no longer wait behind the door and pushed it open. Inside, scattered on the floor were bloody cotton balls and Jenna's discarded clothes. Amidst the scene, Lucille sat on the floor beside the tub, her jeans muddy at the knees.

"What's happened?" Sam asked, her brow crinkled with confusion.

 Sam's eyes were drawn to the angry scratch marks streaking across Jenna's face and arms, visible where the waterline had receded. Jenna's calm demeanour seemed at odds with the disarray around her. The chaos in the room and the marks on Jenna's skin tugged at Sam's gut, the gnawing sense that something unsettling had happened.

"There was a bird sitting on the rose bush minding its own business, but someone couldn't bear it," Lucille said, turning to Jenna and scrunching up her face. "No one in this household should be resting when this young lady is awake."

Jenna giggled.

"So funny... you're all scratched up..." Lucille continued. "I told her she couldn't and shouldn't catch it, but I guess she took it as a challenge. Before I could finish my sentence, she took a few steps back, ran, and dived over the rose bushes. I wasn't quick enough to catch her."

Jenna giggled again, this time splashing water at Lucille.

"I went swoosh, flying in the sky, and I also got some feathers on her tail. Now she has no tail." Jenna found the last part incredibly funny.

That explained the feathers on the floor. Jenna would have kept them as a trophy.

Sam nodded and rubbed Lucille's shoulder. "Thanks for doing this, Lucille. Why don't you go have a shower and change into some clean clothes? I'll dress Jenna." Sam's smile faded as she turned to see Jenna, still splashing about merrily in the bath.

"Come out now, Jenna. Time to get dressed."

"No!" Jenna snapped. "I can dress myself!"

Lucille picked up the stack of rubbish and clothes of the floor and and walked out.

"By the way, Lucille, which rose bush did Jenna fall on?"

"The one out front," Lucille said.

Sam walked over to the window and looked out at the rose bush but couldn't see any signs of damage. I will check it later, she thought, dismissing her doubts.

Downstairs, Sam found Lucille walking out of the laundry, wearing a towel around her hair.

"Come and have a cup of tea with me," Sam offered.

"Lucille, I just want to say that Ben and I cannot thank you enough for doing this for us."

"Well, you know how much I love Jenna, and you know I've been saving for my Middle East trip. This way I can go sooner! Also, one of my friend's girlfriends kicked him out, so he needed to crash somewhere, so he's subletting my place."

"Why was he kicked out?" Sam asked, pouring tea for herself and Lucille.

"She was sleeping with another guy, and it turned out she liked the new guy better."

"Oh. Poor guy," Sam said, unsure how to react.

"He hasn't been an angel either. That's something about my group of friends... they're all having 'relations' with each other, always cheating and breaking up, then returning to cheat all over again. It's so messed up."

"It sounds like you find that immature?"

Lucille smiled, and Sam thought she had turned into an exceptionally beautiful young woman. "Yup, and a little pathetic," Lucille nodded. 

For a brief second, Lucille slid her hand over her right arm, pulling her sleeve up and revealing scratches deeper than the ones Jenna had on her forearm. 

"So what's new with you? We haven't really had the chance to catch up for a while since Jenna stopped sleeping. Is there a special guy in your life?" A smile danced on Sam's lips.

"Well, no... I mean, yes. Oh, I don't know." Lucille laughed sheepishly as she sipped her tea.

Sam gave a fake smile and asked, "So, which one?"

"Well, there's this guy I like – I think... but I'm not sure yet, and it's nothing serious. I think he is interested too. You know, I don't even have a name for it. For now, I am just focusing on Jenna and my school, and we'll see what happens."

"Smart, adventurous, and at the same time very mature. I can see why you are single! There are not many people who deserve you." Lucille waved her hand coyly as if to say 'stop it.'

"Except you guys!" Lucille quipped, laughing again. Sam squinted her eyes, thinking deeply as she sipped her tea. When Lucille laughed, she would jerk her neck forward in a way that caused her soft blond hair to flow across her shoulder like a beautiful golden waterfall.

The front door creaked open, and Ben stepped inside, several hours ahead of his usual time. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Lucille and Sam seated together, enjoying tea. "Heyyyyy! You're home early, too?" he exclaimed.

He was carrying a bottle of wine instead of his usual six-pack of beer.