Once In A Lifetime

Exposed

Melissa's POV

I was home with Jennifer when James walked in and he looked angry. He was going to camp for the hearing impaired. I quickly walked over and asked as I signed, "What's wrong?"

He didn't say anything and Seth walked in behind him. He had picked him up so I looked at him for clarification. "What is going on?" I asked him.

Seth sighed. "Apparently, some of kids were picking on him."

I looked at my son and signed as I asked, "Why?"

"Cause I am different from them. I can hear, just can't talk. It's not fair. I am different at school and camp and I am different at home. I don't fit in anywhere. Why can't I be like everyone else? I want to be like everyone else." He sighed frantically.

I quickly said as I signed, "No, you don't. You are you for a reason. I love who you are, James. You don't need to be like anyone else. You are James MacFarlane, extraordinary boy. You are just like your father in everyway, even look just like him. Only difference, you can't talk. But you made due."

He then signed, "Why am I this way? Why can I hear but can't talk? I don't understand."

We never told him about the accident but now he was asking questions. I knew it was time to tell him but no clue how. I looked at Seth for help and he gently touched James' shoulder. Seth said as he signed, "Let's go sit down and I will explain it all to you."

We moved to the living room and sat down. Seth turned to James and said as he signed, "When you were a baby, you were in the car with your mom and Kj. A big truck hit the car and rolled it. Kj was okay and mommy was hurt quite a bit. But you, you got it worse as it hit on your side and you were so little. Mommy and I got very scared but then you got better. We were happy about that, but mommy quickly realized you didn't make noise. You cooed and made baby noises, then after the accident you stopped. The doctors looked at you and they found a part of your brain not working properly. Doctors told us your brain couldn't process it the same way anymore. He explained you could still hear and understand us, just that you wouldn't be able to talk. So we learned sign language and taught you. The first thing you learned was more. Mommy was so excited about you signing your first word. She was over the moon. You maybe different, but we still get the same treatment as your brothers and sister. Don't forget that. You fit in perfectly with this family. We are all a weird bunch."

He smiled at this. "We are, aren't we." He signed back.

I smiled at him and said as we signed, "That we are but I wouldn't trade it for the world."

"Neither would I." He signed with a smile. Then his smile faded and he signed, "What if the other kids keep making fun of me?"

I looked at Seth as I didn't know what to say. He smiled at James and said as he signed, "Tell them that you are just as weird as the rest of your family. Then tell them you have three big brothers who will beat them up if they don't quit."

He laughed at this. I smiled as I was glad my son felt better. Seth always knew how to make him smile. "Okay, dad." He signed.

"Alright, go find your brothers and tell them the plan." Seth said as he signed.

"Okay." He signed, then ran off.

I turned to Seth and asked as I smiled, "Really great advice, Seth."

"Hell I would have done it if I had big brothers like he did." He said to me.

"Did you get picked on in school?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Not really. I mean, we all had a couple people be mean to us in high school. But it wasn't like I was terrorized."

"Oh." I only said. The truth was, no one was mean to me. I was popular and well, I wasn't a bitch either in high school. But I didn't want Seth to know that. Then I asked, "What should we do about James?"