Broken (Edited edition)

Father

I sat outside of Mark's room for the rest of the day, and watch as people come out to leave for the night.  Mark's stepmom comes out, and she stands in front of me."  I apologize for my behavior in there."  She says, and I look up at her."  I don't want to speak to anyone right now if that's okay."  I tell her, and Thomas stands behind her."  Come on, I'll take you to your car."  He whispers to her, and she looks down at me."  I didn't mean to say that, you aren't a monster."  She says, and tries to touch me.  I flinch away from her hand, and look up at her."  You aren't helping."  I tell her, and Thomas walks toward the elevator with her.  Nona comes out of the room next, and sits down next to me."  What she say should not bother you.  She don't know you as well as I or Mark.  She just sees your outside, and thinks terrible things of you.  I know I not know as much, but I care 'bout you."  She says, and rubs my cheek."  Go talk with Mark."  She says, and I stand up."  Please, be careful."  She says, and I nod."  Of course."  I tell her, and I walk into his room.  The others are gone, so it's just Mark and I.

He's reading a chapter book I got from the gift shop downstairs, and has a cup of water next to his bed.  He's suppose to leave today, sometime during the afternoon."  Hey."  I tell him, and he looks up.  He seems a little bit sad about seeing me now, I know he heard what I said to Uncle Thomas, and I know he doesn't approve of my language.  He smiles softly at me, and pats the edge of the bed beside him.  I move slowly toward his bed, and just stand there.  I'm a little nervous, he's too quiet right now.  He should be shouting, screaming at me for thinking like that.  But he just looks at me until I sit down on the bed.  He smiles at me, and I sit onto the bed next to him.  He gestures for me to move closer, and he pulls me down so I'm laying my head on his chest.  He starts playing with my hair that's in a pony tail, and lets out a deep sigh."  I'm not mad at you, and I'm not going to yell.  Because my Step-mom has the wrong idea of you.  Just because you have scars and burns on your skin doesn't make you a bad person.  I apologize for her behavior, and I want to tell you something.  You are not a monster, you're not even close to being a monster.  A monster is something who is evil and likes to torment other people.  You are someone who lived with two monsters, but you never became one yourself."

"Do you truly believe that?  That I'm not a monster?"  I ask him, looking up at him.  He nods, and gives me a big grin."  If I may say, you're closer to an Angel."  He says, and I start smiling.  He kisses the top of my head, and I snuggle close to him."  Wait, I want to show you something."  He says, and I sit up.  He start to pull the buttons apart of his gown, and shows me his stomach.  There's a thin freshly stitched scar from his belly button up to his chest."  Wow, your doctor has nice form for the stitching."  I tell him, and he grins."  You can touch them, they just sting if you touch it."  He says, and takes my hand into his.  He slowly takes my finger, and moves it across his stitches.  I smile at him, and slowly touch his stitch closest to his belly button."  Can you feel them?"  I ask, and he shrugs."  If you're asking if I can feel them stitched into my skin, no I cannot.  They hurt like hell though, I can tell you that."  He says, and I button the gown back up so I can't see his boxer briefs."  What?  You don't like seeing me naked?"

"Well, you aren't naked technically.  And no, I don't wish to see you naked.  I don't think anyone would."  I tell him, and he starts smiling."  That's rude."  He says, and I grin.  I kiss his cheek, and he wraps his arm around me.  A little bit later Nona comes back in, and smiles at me."  You two good?"  She asks, and Mark nods."  Yeah Mom, we're good."  She says, and sits down in the chair next to Mark's bed.  The doctor comes in, and tells us we can leave."  I would like you to stay here for at least two to three weeks, and stay on medications while still here.  Then I think you'll be okay after that to go on your flight back home."  The doctor says, and Mark thanks him with a smile.