The Broken Child// IT (2017)

Chapter 15

Adeline's POV:

It's been a month and a half since I've properly seen the losers. I would have been allowed to see Eddie, but my father has grounded me. My mother was actually worried about me for once when Mrs Kaspbrik brought Eddie and myself into the hospital where she works. I was shocked beyond belief to actually see worry in her eyes. Eddie was given a white cast on his arm, and I was given one on my wrist and also it went up to my two little fingers because apparently I fractured those. But even with the fractured fingers, mine wasn't as bad as his, meaning I don't have to wear it for as long. Today, however, my family is going to Stanley's Bar Mitzvah. As we get there, I'm surprised to see Richie sitting in the audience. We lock eyes and I give him a small wave, he returns it with a smile. He was the one to tell me that the losers had had a massive falling out, and that no one was really talking to each other.

"Kimberly, Hart, Adeline. I'm happy you could make it." Stanley's father says to us as we enter.

"Thank you for inviting us, Sir." I answer, he smiles at me.

"Please, call me Donald." He replies, shaking our hands. My parents talk with Mr Uris for a moment, and I take that moment to walk over to Stan.

"Hey, Stan." I greet, he turns and smiles at me.

"Hey, Adeline." He replies.

"Are you alright?" I ask him. He shrugs.

"I'm nervous." He tells me, I nod.

"Well, if you need a friendly face to focus on when you do your reading, I'll be in the crowd. And Richie's there too. Just keep calm and you'll be able to focus." I advise. He nods.

"Thank you, Adeline." He replies. "How's your arm?" I look down to the cast.

"It's alright. I'm getting the cast off in a few days, and then it'll be replaced with a more practical one- although I need one that'll cover my fingers because apparently I fractured my ring-finger and pinkie-finger." I explain, he nods. "Have you seen the others?"

"No. You're the first contact with the group I've had." He replies. I nod.

"Same, if you don't include the ride and stay at the hospital with Eddie." I reply.

"I thought you would have been allowed to see him." He says.

"My father grounded me, so I wasn't allowed. Otherwise I could have." I tell him. He nods, and then Mr Uris comes behind me and places a hand on my shoulder.

"It's time." He says.

"Good luck, Stan." I tell him, then going and finding my family. I sit in the audience, behind Richie and his mother. Stan then does his reading, correctly, and then he says a speech to everyone.

"Indifference is a part of growing up. Becoming an adult isn't about being able to vote, or being able to drink, or being able to drive. Becoming an adult, according to the holy scripture of Derry, is learning not to give a shit!" Stan says, then he walks out the hall. Richie stands up and claps, but his mother pulls him down. Mr Uris then comes up to me.

"Go and see what's wrong with him, please." He tells me. I nod and follow Stan out the hall and see him leaning against a tree.

"Say what you what about the Torah reading, but your speech was great." I say, coming up behind him. He turns to face me, but stays leaning against the tree.

"I went too far, didn't I?" He asks. I shake my head.

"'Telling the truth is a beautiful act, even if the truth itself is ugly'- Glen Duncan." I quote to him. He smiles.

"How do you remember so much information?" He asks me. I shrug.

"My teacher in England thought I might have either a photographic memory or an eidetic memory. But she never tested it because we moved away." I explain. He nods. I bring the box out and hand it to him. "I know it's not much, but I treasure the simple things in life." He takes the box and opens it.

"Thank you, Adeline." He says, I smile. I look to the door of the Synagogue and see Mr Uris and my parents coming outside. He looks over at Stan and then makes his way over, my parents follow. Stan stiffens. I smile to him and then walk up to Mr Uris.

"Excuse me, I would like to speak with my son." He tells me as I stand in his way.

"I understand that, Mr Uris. But I want you to remember something." I say, he looks to me and I can tell Stan is listening.

"And what's that?" He asks. My parents stand there and listen too.

"'Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen'-Winston Churchill. You have a son right there that is hurting. His friendship group has been torn apart, and he's had to deal with some shit that you couldn't possibly imagine. I'm asking you not to judge but to understand. Do not push away the one person in your life that will forever love you unconditionally. A bond between father and son is unbreakable no matter what is thrown at it, so do not turn him away from you. Be there for him and listen to what he has to say." I tell him. He nods and I then wave goodbye to Stan. I then walk up to my parents.

"Um, the hospital rang. They looked at the x-rays and you can get a new cast today." Mother tells me. I nod. She then puts a hand on my shoulder and together we walk to the car. As I take a final look back, I see Mr Uris sitting beside Stan listening.

Together we go to the hospital and get my cast changed, then we go back home.

"Um, Adeline? Before you go upstairs, I just needed to tell you something." Mother says, I turn to see her and father sitting there. I go and sit on the sofa. "Tonight Sonia and her son are coming around for dinner, I know that since you've been grounded you haven't been able to see him. So, I asked her to bring him for dinner too." Father says to me, I look to him and smile.

"Thank you." I tell them.

"We heard what you said to Donald. It was nice for you to stand up for your friend like that." Mother comments.

"He's one of my best friends. He doesn't deserve his father to hate him." I reply with a shrug. They nod.

"They'll be coming around in an hour, that should give you time to change or read or something." Father tells me, I nod and make my way to my room.