Choosing My Life - Bear And Rachel

Learning

Bear

The nurses spotted me before I got to Rachel's room. They asked me to wait for a moment and paged someone called Shelby.

Shelby came out and met me at the nurses' station. She was the nurse who had helped Rachel make the call.
"Come for a walk, Mr Corby. There's something you should know before you see Miss Henderson."

That something I should know was Rachel was illiterate. She couldn't read or write. And while she knew her numbers verbally and could count, she didn't know the symbol for each number. But she was excited to learn. Shelby had given her some exercises to do to learn.

Rachel

Shelby was kind and showed me how to operate my bed and make the different parts go up and down so I'd be more comfortable. It was fun playing with the settings. Until I got tired. But I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to wait for Mr Corby to arrive. I wanted to show him what I'd learnt. Shelby was getting me to practice my numbers. I was learning to write!!!

I'd wanted to for a long time. But no one was able to teach me. But Shelby helped me. She also said that I could learn my letters and words one day. But today I was practising my numbers. I had the piece of paper I was using on the over bed desk (that's what Shelby told me it was called) and I was counting the number of things and writing the number down. I was being careful to not make a mess. I was even reviving the numbers on my monitors.

Bear

I watched Rachel sitting in the bed, concentrating on her writing. She was so careful.
"She's picked things up so quickly." Shelby whispered. "I've run out of worksheets to give her. She also wants to learn about writing, but I didn't have time to grab things on that. I hope I haven't overstepped."
I smiled and shook my head.
"No, you haven't overstepped. You're an angel, Shelby. Look at her. She's having fun, and she's not scared. It's the first time I've seen her without fear in her eyes." I whispered back.

Her eyes had a light in them that was beautiful to see. I knocked on the door and stepped in.
"Hello Miss Henderson. May I come in?"
If I thought her eyes were beautiful then nothing could have prepared me for her smile. It was as though a thousand sunbeams burst out of her face. I wanted to rush over and kiss those lips that stretched so wide in happiness. I took half a step before I restrained myself. She's 18, and still new to this world.
"Bear! I mean Mr Corby. It's good to see you again."
I let myself walk forward.
"Please call me Bear. I like it when you do." Whoops I didn't mean to admit that. But her smile just got bigger so maybe it was the right thing to say.
"And I like it when you call me Sweet pea, but maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you should just call me Rachel like everyone else." She replied. My heart sank, and then she cocked her head.
"Or maybe I can call you Bear and you can call me sweet pea in private when no one else is listening, and when there are other people around we can call eachother our names." She thought out aloud, and then yawned.
"Oh, Pardon me!" She exclaimed.
"That sounds like a good compromise, Sweet pea." I replied. She looked up at me and her face took on a haunted look.
"What is it, what's wrong?" I asked.
"Can you," She paused, and bit her lip.
"Rachel, ask your question Sweet pea."
"Can you also kiss me on the forehead? I really like that."
I lent forward straight away and pressed my lips to her hairline. I breathed in deeply, smelling her scent that had been all over me until I showered.

I felt her shiver, and lifted my face to look at her. She tilted her head back and stared up at me with stars in her eyes. It took my breath away.
"Thankyou" She said.
"You're welcome, Sweet pea."
Her eyes drooped, and she blinked.
"Oh, I'm sleepy again." She looked disappointed, "and you just got here."
"It's fine. It looks like you've been busy."
"I've been learning my numbers! I've always wanted to learn but no one would teach me. Pa said I didn't need to know them, and Ma was too busy. But Shelby showed me."
"That's fantastic. Did you want to learn to read and write too?"
Her eyes got even larger.
"Really?! Would you help?"
"Definitely, sweet pea. Whatever you want to do I'll help."
Her eyes got moist,
"Thankyou. I feel like I'm in heaven. I'm not hungry, people are willing to teach me. It's wonderful."
Tears drifted down her face and she lifted a bare arm to wipe them. There were bruise lines and scratches all over. I stiffened. Thankfully she didn't notice. She just reached out and lifted the piece of paper she was writing on
"Look Bear, look at what I've done!"
"That's brilliant, so if I asked you how many toes you have, you can write it down."
She giggled, "yes I have nine toes." And she drew a nine.
"Really?"
She nodded and pulled her feet out of the blankets to show me. I had a glimpse of the vacant spot in the middle of her right foot, before she realised what she was doing and covered it up again.This is a free book available through Wattpad (c) LTM1986. If you are not reading this on Wattpad, it had been stolen.

"I think I might be a bit tired." She admitted, " would you mind watching over me while I fall asleep? I feel safer with you here."
I swallowed and nodded. I'd seen the same cross hatching on her legs as she had on her arms. It was like someone had taken a stick to her whole body. The bruises were a deep black purple.

She closed her eyes and sighed.
"Thankyou Bear, God bless you and your kindness. May your dreams be sweet tonight."
I gritted my teeth.
My dreams would not be sweet. They would be filled with terror and mayhem. I knew it.