bedwetting Afternoon in the Chokey (Updated 5-10-24)

[Mazamune]

Hey there.

An other good addition to your story. You really know how to keep us on our toes. 

I think Carole will definitely have a field day with Jenny when she learn the news. 😁

With a more global approach they will maybe find a way to help Horthensia. Diabetes can explain a few symptoms of her.

Thanks again.

Cheers!

[SashaButters]

19 hours ago, Mazamune said:

 

I think Carole will definitely have a field day with Jenny when she learn the news. 😁

“I *slap* told you *slap* to get *slap* a second opinion!” *slap*

[SashaButters]

 Jennifer began to stammer. Pregnant? She couldn’t be pregnant? That was impossible! 

 

“Th-there’s no way!” Jennifer managed to spit out. “I can’t be! I-I mean, I just had my period five days ago!” It was lighter than normal, but it was there! 

 

“Some women still experience spotting. It’s normal.” The doctor said. She swiped a hand over her face and glanced around the room, mind reeling. She had been exhausted lately, and irritable, nauseated, and bloated, but she had chalked it up to stress. Even the binge eating. She never thought in her wildest dreams it was because she was eating for two. 

 

“I-I’m pregnant.” she repeated to herself as if to test the words out. 

 

“Congratulations.” Meaghan said, coming in with a clipboard in hand. So that’s why she seemed so amused. “By the way, I know it’s called ‘morning sickness’ but it will get you any time of the day, just a heads up.” Jennifer nodded numbly as her hand automatically cradled her belly. A baby…she was going to have a baby. 

 

“I can’t believe you had sex with him!” Matilda nearly shouted. 

 

“Of course she had sex with him, what do you think they're doing upstairs when we’re playing video games? Playing chess?” Hortensia said. Both Meaghan and the doctor began to laugh. 

 

“She’s got you pegged.” Meaghan said. Jennifer began to blush. So one of the kids had noticed. She thought they were being rather subtle, but apparently not. 

 

“What? Don’t believe in the stork?” The doctor asked amused, nodding his head in Matilda’s direction. 

 

“I read.” Matilda said before Jennifer could formulate a response. 

 

“Much too inquisitive, this one.” Jennifer explained. “Too smart for her own good sometimes.”

 

“Apparently not smart enough.” Hortensia said sarcastically. 

 

“Hey!” Matilda complained.

 

“Knock it off.” Jennifer admonished half- heartedly. Pregnant. She was pregnant. A baby of her own. Oh gosh. A nursery. She would need to make a nursery. And clothes! And a crib! A baby! Small enough to cradle in her arms. She pictured rocking them in a chair, giving them a bottle. First steps. First words. She’d get to be there for it all. 

 

Jennifer grinned and let out a laugh. She was ecstatic. No. Euphoric! No, Exhilarated! She was…uh-oh. 

“Bag! In the bag!” 

 

…

 

It wasn’t until Jenny had left without her that Hortensia’s situation finally began to hit home. She had really done it. She had really just got up and left her here. What if she didn’t come back? What came after three days? Would Jenny send her away? Her eyes began to blur with tears. Hortensia had refused to acknowledge her presence once she had learned of her fate. Her chest hurt. She regretted not saying good-bye and accepting her hug. 

 

“We’ll get you out of here once they’re ready for you.” The nurse said before seeing the look on her face and gave her a pitying smile. “It’ll be fine. There’s nothing to be scared of. You’ll be with other patients. You’ll go to both group and one-on-one therapy, you’ll color, get to watch lots of movies, and they’ll take a closer look at your medications. It’s not a scary place. It’s not like the movies. You’re not locked up with the criminally insane.”

 

Hortensia let out a weak chuckle. 

 

“Sometimes, life can get the best of us, and sometimes we just need to take a step back and unplug. This is the place to do that. No school. No work. No chores. Think of it like a vacation.” Hortensia liked the sound of that. Jenny could be a real slave driver sometimes. Just when she thought the torture of school was over, she was being told to mop the kitchen and do the dishes. So annoying. 

 

“Will I get a shot?” 

 

“I don’t know, that’s up to your doctor.” Hortensia bit her lip. “Not a fan of needles. I remember. If you let them do what needs to be done, it won’t be such a big deal. If you need a shot, you’re getting a shot, no matter how much you flail and kick. You cannot out-flail us.” Hortensia watched as she began shadow boxing the air. 

 

“You box?” Hortensia asked, mildly interested. 

 

“Yep, kick boxing and mixed martial arts as well.” she counted off on her fingers. “Gymnastics when I was little.” she let out a chuckle. “My parents wanted me to try out for cheerleading in highschool, only I joined the wrestling team instead. I said the uniforms were cuter.”

 

“Were they?” Hortensia asked, puzzled. Meaghan began to laugh. 

 

“Bloody hells, no, they were hideous. Imagine a single piece leotard that stops mid thigh and gives you the worst wedgie of your life as you try not to pick it in front of a crowd of people.”

 

“I have a punching bag at home.” 

 

“Ah, maybe I should tell them to watch out for you.” Meaghan laughed. “Got a fighter headed their way.” 

 

One hour became two, and two became four. She was bored and hungry. Her Gameboy sat beside her, the batteries already drained. If she knew she was going to stay here she would have brought spares. And more than one game. She had tried to ask for some, but they said they didn’t have any. 

 

 Finally, after around four in the evening, a man came into view pushing a wheelchair into the gap in the curtain separating her bed from the others. “Looks like your ride’s here.” Meaghan said, poking her head in. 

 

He introduced himself as Stephen and went over a list of rules that went in one ear and out the other. Hortensia never liked when the adults started with rules. 

 

“No knives, guns, explosives, shoelaces, drugs, alcohol, metal, belts…” he went on and on. “The crown this” and “the crown that” with a bunch more legal jargon thrown into the mix.“Any questions?” She shook her head. She had tons, but her mouth didn’t seem to want to work. “Are you bringing any personal belongings?” She held up her dead Gameboy. 

 

“Got something for you on my lunch break.” Meaghan said before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a four pack of AA’s. Hortensia’s heart leapt. She was saved! 

 

…

 

“Last stop, I promise.” Jennifer said once her and Matilda had gotten back into the car. They had just gotten back from the grocery store, where she had bought a home pregnancy test and, unable to wait until she got home, had run into the bathroom to take it. Positive. She was really really pregnant. 

 

“Where to now?” Matilda huffed. 

 

“The police station.” Jennifer said, ignoring the girl's attitude. She wasn’t happy about the news. She didn’t do well with change, but Jennifer knew she would come to accept it with time, like she had with all the other changes in her life. She was going to be a great big sister. 

 

When they got to the police station, they were told the detective that had been so eager to speak to her wasn’t in. 

 

“That’s odd.” Jennifer mused, sliding back into the car. He had made it sound so urgent. She let out a sigh. “Looks like it’s just going to be us for a few days.” Us…and the baby. She cradled her stomach and wondered what it would be like to feel him or her kick for the first time. 

 

“Isn’t that him?” Matilda asked. Jennifer looked up and saw an asian man dressed in a gray suit with a bowler hat. 

 

“Oh, good eye. Let’s go.” Out of the car and across the parking lot, they followed him to his car.

 

“Didn’t she say he wasn’t here? He just came out of the building.” 

 

“Maybe he was on his way out? Hello, sir.” she called out. He looked up and frowned at them both. 

 

“Can I help you with something?” 

 

“I’m Jennifer Honey, you wanted to speak to me. You said it was urgent.” Recognition flashed across his face.

 

“Right, sorry, didn’t recognize you. How are you?” But before Jennifer could answer he started talking again. “Unfortunately, as of this afternoon, your case has been reassigned to another detective.” He sounded annoyed. She wondered what happened.

 

“Oh?” Jennifer said. “Who should I talk to then?” 

 

“If you go to the front desk they can put you in touch with the right person.”

 

“Oh, alright. Do you know why?”

 

“I’m sorry, I can’t say. Please excuse me.” He hurried into his car and began to back up. Jennifer grabbed Matilda’s hand and backed away from the moving car.

 

“Someone’s impatient.” Matilda said. 

 

“Well, let’s go back inside and get this sorted out.” But when they went inside and explained the situation, they were told the person they were looking for wasn’t available. 

 

“I think she says that to everyone.” Matilda whispered. “She didn’t even check.” 

 

Jennifer shrugged, left her contact information, and the two of them left. 

 

“Hey, mom?” Matilda asked on the ride back to the house. “Why is Hortensia in the Insane Asylum?” Jennifer rolled her eyes.

 

“She is not in an insane asylum; she’s in the Behavioral Health Unit. Hortensia… she isn’t well right now. She’s having a hard time adjusting and the stress is…well…affecting her in odd ways.” Matilda was silently mulling this over. “Have you noticed anything odd? Besides refusing to eat.”

“Hmm, not really. She seems as annoying and bossy as usual. But, seriously, how thick do you have to be to think you’re poisoning anyone?” 

 

“Matilda, now’s not the time for name calling.” The girl let out a half-hearted grunt of acknowledgement. 

 

“The same level of stupid to think people are watching her with video cameras in her toys.” Matilda said under her breath. 

 

“Matilda! What did I just say?” But the words slowly began to sink in. “What are you talking about? What video cameras? What people?” 

 

“There was one night she was acting like a loon. I forgot about that.”

 

“Matilda! You don’t just forget.”

 

“Fine, I didn’t think it was important!” Matilda said, throwing her hands up in frustration. “I thought it was annoying, not concerning. She woke me up in the middle of the night and started ranting about cameras in the dolls. She was sleepwalking.” 

 

“Sleepwalking?” Jennifer asked. She hadn’t known Hortensia sleepwalked. Although… She thought of the pacing outside her door multiple times a week. “Why wouldn’t you say something sooner? Why would you think paranoid behavior like that isn’t important?”

 

She remembered what Hortensia had said when she had confronted her with Spot's remains. “I needed to see what was inside.”

 

“Because she was asleep!” Matilda exclaimed. “You say crazy lunatic stuff in your sleep all the time!” She had a point. 

 

“Okay Miss-Cranky-Pants, sounds like someone needs a nap when they get home.” Jennifer teased. Matilda crossed her arms, pouting, and remained silent the rest of the drive.  A hint of a smile curled up the corner of Jennifer’s mouth. She was still her little girl. 

 

She felt like nothing could upset her now. Not having to temporarily commit her rental child and knowing she’d catch hell for it afterwards, or the inconvenient police run around, or childish tantrums. Today was a day of miracles. She rubbed her tummy. Her little miracle. 

 

 “Is Mr. Fern having a party?” Matilda asked suddenly as they turned down the street. Jennifer stared uneasily at the dozen or so people congregating on Mr. Ferns lawn. Their eyes seemed to follow her as she pulled into the driveway. Your imagination. She put the car into park and turned her attention to Matilda.

 

“Bed.” Jennifer said. 

“What? No! Why?” Matilda whined. 

 

“Because you get grumpy when you’re tired. It’s been a long day full of surprises, and I am certainly exhausted.”

 

“That’s because you vomited eight times in the petrol station parking lot on the drive home.” 

 

“Who’s counting?” She said with an uneasy laugh. She had only been acquainted with the term “morning sickness” for less than a day and she was already over it. 

 

“I was. You threw up fourteen times today.” 

 

“Okay okay,” Jennifer said, ushering her inside. She cast one more anxious glance across the street at the congregation of people across the way. Jennifer got the distinct feeling they were staring at her as if she had just interrupted something. She grabbed the post out her mailbox before heading inside and tossed the mail on the table. She leaned against the kitchen counter to think. 

 

Pregnant. 

 

Her hands wrapped around her belly protectively. How far along was she? It couldn’t be that far. She had only been sexually active for the last couple months. She frowned. She had taken some solid hits from Hortensia. She thought of the elbow she had taken to the abdomen last night. 

 

What if they couldn’t get to the bottom of Hortensia’s aggression? Now that she was pregnant, she couldn’t be taking heavy blows like that. It was one thing to sacrifice her own body, but it wasn’t just about her anymore. 

 

“Hey, mom, what’s this?” Matilda called. Jennifer looked up to find Matilda holding up a piece of paper with a handwritten note on it. 

 

She stared at it for a moment trying to decipher the code. It was a list of Bible verses, she knew that much, but it meant nothing to her. Exodus 20:16. Proverbs 6:12-13. Proverbs 12:22. Proverbs 6:16-19. Colossians 3:6. Psalm 7:11. Ezekiel 7:8. 

 

“It’s just junk mail.” Jennifer said. “Everyone probably got one.” She crumpled it up.

 

“That’s weirdly threatening junk mail.” Matilda said with a scowl. 

 

“Threatening? What do you mean?” She uncrumpled the note. “Do you know what these are?” What was she asking, of course she did. 

 

“They're all about how God hates liars and will punish them.” Jennifer’s stomach soured. “The last one is ‘I will soon pour out my wrath upon you and spend my anger against you.’” 

 

Lovely.

 

She peeked out the window. They were all just standing there…watching her. She closed the blinds. If she called the police could they even do anything? Or would it just give them the satisfaction of knowing they had unnerved her. She didn’t want to scare Matilda and she was much too worn out to deal with their drama. 

 

“Nap time.” Jennifer announced. Matilda’s face soured. 

 

“I don’t need a nap.” she insisted. e

 

“I do.” Jennifer said. “And I need someone to snuggle with.” She made her best pouty face. “Please?” Matilda’s shoulders slumped in defeat. 

 

“If it’ll make you feel better.” She grumbled while looking away, arms crossed across her chest.

 

“It would.” 

 

They went upstairs where Jennifer stripped and collapsed into bed exhausted, her body aching in places she didn’t know she could. 

 

“Don’t you dare throw up on me.” Matilda said, crawling her way over onto Jennifer's chest.

 

“Don’t make me laugh, it hurts.” Jennifer said, letting out a weak chuckle and wrapping her arms around Matilda.

 

“I’m serious! If you puke on me I’m never cuddling with you again. Why are you laughing!?” 

 

“I’ve gone delirious.” Jennifer said. She squeezed the protesting girl in her arms and rocked her. “I’m just so happy.” Matilda gave an unenthusiastic grunt. “You know, no matter how many people we add to our family, it’s never going to change how much I love you. You’ll always be my girl.” She kissed her cheek as Matilda complained about puke breath, which only made Jennifer laugh harder and plant more kisses on her face. “You’re going to be such a good big sister.” 

 

“Does this mean you and Brian are going to get married?” 

 

“I don’t know.” 

 

A smile worked its way to her lips as she thought about it. Was she finally at a place in her life where she could look to the future and see happiness? She had a career, one and a half daughters, a baby on the way and… dare she think, a possible husband? It was everything she had ever dreamed of. Freedom. Love. Security. She fell asleep dreaming of wedding dresses and baby outfits.

[BabySofia]

4 hours ago, SashaButters said:

where she could look to the future and see happiness?

It would be nice if she ends with happier ever after hope. Hopefully her physical scars don't cause issues with the pregnancy! 

Hortensia probably did need checked in, but I hope things don't go too badly for her. Definitely something happening for her... 😥

[CDfm]

Loved the chapter but at the same time my heart feels broken.  I feel horrible for Hortensia.  Being sent off to a BH facility I would think would make her feel even a greater sense of abandonment. 
I am a little concerned about what the police department is doing.  There’s a reason the first detective was pulled off that case.  There has to a pretty strong reason for doing so as that definitely isn’t a common occurrence. 
The neighbors are just angering me at this point even though they do have some justification to be angry.  The way they have chosen to handle it is completely wrong. 
I am very happy to see that Jennifer is so excited about having a baby.  I am sure Matilda will be a great big sister.  I am looking forward to finding out how Brian and his kids feel about the news. 
I am definitely looking forward to seeing more of this awesome story. 

[SashaButters]

 

It was in the middle of one of her group therapy sessions when Hortensia began to feel the tell-tale signs of an episode coming on. She was beginning to sweat. She kept it to herself, the last time she had spoken up they came and pricked her finger. 

 

There was a much bigger problem at play and that was her need for the lou. She had convinced them she didn’t need nappies during the day. And she didn’t, even if there had been a few close calls. But she was feeling woozy now and her stomach was upset. Another side effect. She had had to go for a while now, but she had been holding it for as long as possible. Now she wasn’t sure if she’d make it even if she spoke up. They’d have to walkie-talkie her an escort and she’d have to wait. 

 

“Hortensia, is there anything you’d like to share?” The group leader asked. She shook her head. She didn’t share much of anything. “You know, you’ll only get out of this what you put into it.” 

 

“Pass.” she mumbled. 

 

“Isn’t there anything you want to talk about?”

 

“Pass.” 

 

“Hortensia, you need to start participating in these sessions.” She shrugged.

 

“What do you want me to say?”

 

“Anything you want. How you're feeling right now, your goals in life, school, home, friends. Anything that comes to mind.”

 

“I’m hungry.” she mumbled. One girl laughed. Another barked. He gave her a tight lipped smile.

 

“Soon.” he promised. “Isn’t there any concerns or questions?” There was one.

 

“Why aren't there doors in the bathrooms?” 

 

“For safety reasons.”

 

“I think I can pee without hurting myself.” Hortensia grumbled. “I’ve made it this long.” A few chuckles from the group. 

 

“Some of the medications we prescribe to our clients can make them a little disoriented and woozy. We’ve also had issues in the past of people trying to smuggle in prohibited items.” 

 

“But you make us undress in front of someone. Where would they hide them?” 

 

“Lily, no! She’s a kid!” 

But Lily whispered the answer into her ear. 

 

“Ah,” Hortensia said. She squirmed a little uncomfortably, but then began to chuckle at a thought.

 

“What is it?”

 

“I don’t miss the Nintendo 64 that badly.” The room began to laugh. Hortensia grinned. It felt good to make people laugh. 

 

“Let’s start with school. What year are you in?” Hortensia sighed. She wasn’t getting out of this. She’d have to fudge some details. Couldn't tell them about Matilda’s powers, Jenny would flip. Not like anyone would believe her if she told the truth. Jasmine said she was a dog and licked herself after meals and no one batted an eye. Might as well have fun with this. 

 

“Eighth. I skipped a few grades.” He had the clipboard. He knew. Still he said nothing like she knew he would. 

 

“And how is that? Do you like school? You're funny, you must have lots of friends.”

 

“Heh, yeah.” Hortensia said with a grimace. “Tons.”

 

“And your grades?”

 

“Straight A’s.” Although her grades were better out of the classroom, they weren't that good. Still, it was better than class. It was bad enough Jenny made her go to recess and eat with them. The only one she seemed to be on good terms with was Bruce, the only other loner. She had never said much to him in all the years she had known him, until this year. Everyone always made fun of him because of his weight (Hortensia included), but she had found he was actually kind of funny once she had gotten to know him. He was easy to talk to. He had even jokingly volunteered to hide under her kitchen table so Hortensia could scrape her dinner plate off to him like a dog when she didn’t want to eat. And he never interrupted her complaints of Jenny with “I wish I could live with Miss Honey, she’s so nice!” or “you’re so lucky!” 

 

Yeah… so lucky. Her mom was in jail for God only knew how long, and she was forced to live with someone who didn’t want her. She just loved being the third wheel, interrupting their happy little family. Hortensia wasn’t like them. She wasn’t smart. She’d rather watch telly than read a book. Jenny was probably counting down the days until her mom got out of jail and she could pitch her out the door. 

 

She always snickered when Brian came over though and Matilda got a taste of no longer being the center of attention. She knew why Jenny had gotten her that Nintendo and it had nothing to do with celebrating their one year anniversary. Someone couldn’t take a hint to scram.  

 

He nodded his head as if he was impressed. “Lot’s of friends, straight A’s. That’s great. You sound like you do well in school.” She shrugged again. 

 

“I’m not really in the classroom anymore. I was too far ahead of everyone, so I do school work out of the headmistress office with her six-year-old. It’s okay, I guess, but I live with them, so…” 

 

“The headmistress is your mom?” One of the older teens asked. Hortensia scowled.

 

“No, I just live with her. My mom’s in jail.” 

 

“What did your mom do?” the teen asked. 

 

“Killed someone.” Hortensia said. The room went silent. “I’m joking.” 

 

“You shouldn’t joke like that.” someone else said. She would have been annoyed, but her brain was getting more and more foggy. She couldn’t quite piece together what was said in time and she had stopped thinking about what she was saying. 

 

“What about your dad?” 

 

“He died when I was little. He was an astronaut. His shuttle blew up in space.“

 

“You better not be joking.” the teen said. 

 

“Hey, alright, let’s calm down. Everyone deserves our respect. It’s Hortensia’s time to talk.”

 

“Sorry,” someone muttered. 

 

“Now, Hortensia, how did you come to live with your headmistress? Did you know her outside of school? Were you close?”

 

“No, she didn’t like me. I used to babysit her kid, but she stopped letting me near me most of the summer. (And that was the thanks she got for saving her kids life!) She thought I was a bad influence.” 

 

“So what changed?” 

 

“Didn’t have anywhere else to go. I panicked when I called her. She must have felt bad or something because she let me stay. ” Hortensia mumbled. “She took in the other kid. That’s really the only reason I thought to call her. ” 

 

“And she took you in?” Hortensia nodded. “That was nice of her.” 

 

“Since July, but then my old neighbors tried to take me because my mom wanted me to live with them, but that was hell, and they tried to send me to some camp for bad kids” Now the truth was suddenly spilling out of her. 

 

“What was hell about it?” Hortensia looked away. 

 

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

“Not ready, that’s okay. So, you like living with your headmistress? Is she strict?” Hortensia shrugged. 

 

“We fight a lot.”

 

“What do you fight about? School?”

 

“Food, mostly. I thought she was putting drugs in my food because I didn’t feel good after I ate, so I stopped eating at home and she left me here. I don’t think she’s coming back.” She tried to play it off like it didn’t matter to her, but found her throat had begun to constrict with emotion. She swallowed. 

 

“Why do you think that?”

 

“Because she’s pregnant, and I don’t think she wanted me anyway. All we do is fight. I mean, she says she loves me and stuff, but she says it to everyone.”

 

“That doesn’t mean she’s going to abandon you. Just the fact that she brought you here means she cares about you. This is a place to heal, not be dumped off. This is a temporary placement, not long term. And if you do end up in long term care, it only means you need a little more help than we can provide. It doesn’t mean you're being abandoned.” 

 

“I hit her.” Hortensia admitted. “In the stomach.” 

 

“Why did you hit her? Did you know she was pregnant?” 

 

“No, and I didn’t mean to, it just happens. I get angry and can’t think.” 

 

“Alright, so maybe we can work on your anger while you're here. It’s a good start that you recognize it as a problem.” 

 

“I guess.” she mumbled. Her stomach churned again. Oh no. Oh no. She grimaced. She had lost the battle. She tried to focus on not crying.  

 

“So do you still think she’s putting drugs in your food?” 

 

“No.” Hortensia mumbled. “I guess I have some kind of blood disease.” She was looking everywhere but at him. They’d smell her any minutes now. Her eyes began to tear up. 

 

“Diabetes,” he said with a nod. “Things might improve if you get your blood sugar within normal levels. Do you find you get irritable when you're hungry?” Didn’t everybody? 

 

“I guess. I never really thought about it.” 

 

“I had a friend growing up who had it, when his blood sugar was low he’d start throwing punches. Are you alright? You look awfully pale.” 

 

“I’m fine.” Hortensia grunted, her lips in a tight grimace. She wanted to get cleaned up alone in her room and go lie down, but knew they wouldn’t let her. They had really been pushing food on her since she got here and they’d never let her sleep through a meal. 

 

Things here were very routine, even if the people were not. She was by far, the youngest, apart from a small group of teenage girls who followed her around trying to put up her hair in pigtails with rubber bands. Hortensia usually let them. They called her their little sister. It was kind of nice, even if one of them sometimes barked and the other two kept making out with each other when the staff wasn’t looking.   

 

The biggest shock of all had been the bathrooms. There were no doors! Not for the showers or the toilets. And because of her being admitted as an “E.D.” patient, they watched her to make sure she didn’t make herself throw up. She hated throwing up.  She had tried being civil. She didn’t have an “eating disorder” like Lily and Jasmine who they made her eat with.

 When explaining didn’t work, she yelled, and then she cursed, but no matter what they wouldn’t look away. It was horrifying. 

 

She was afraid to move now, afraid to push the mess around, and now she could feel the strength leaving her body bit by bit. An excuse. She could blame it on the attack. But still…

 

“Tens, do you need to use the restroom?” Someone whispered in her ear. A female voice. Worse. Her doctor. 

 

“N-no.” Hortensia said. It was too late for that.  They often came and “escorted” her before she spoke up. She never could sit still when she had to pee. 

 

“It’s okay if you do. This isn’t school. No one’s going to say no.”  She was the person she had to look sane in front of if she wanted out of here Tuesday. But if she went to the lou now, they’d know.

 

“We’ll get you an escort, hang tight.” Hortensia’s heart dropped. 

 

“I can go by myself.” 

 

“You know the rules.” she said before walking away. Hortensia grumbled to herself. She had been fighting them on the supervision since the moment she got here. She had refused to take a shower last night. It was too embarrassing. Now they’d make her.

She held her stomach and sat back down. She could feel cold beads of sweat dripping down her back. Her stomach rumbled. Now that she no longer had to poo she realized how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten more than a few bites of breakfast on account of needing the restroom.

 

“We’ll break for lunch in about fifteen minutes. Do you think you can wait until then?” She shook her head. She didn’t want to go into the cafeteria like this.  “Female escort to Group Hall A.” He muttered into his walker-talkie. Hortensia clenched her hands into fists on her lap and counted down the minutes in her head as she listened to Lily, an anorexic teen, complain about how fat she was. They always made them sit together at meals to make supervising them easier. 

Lily had told her yesterday if she had been so worried about the food, she should have just made herself throw it up later. While it would have saved her from several fights with Jenny, she couldn’t do it. Not since she had seen Mrs. Rodgers stick her fingers down Matilda’s throat. It had freaked her out so much she hadn’t been able to get herself to throw up the edibles. 

 

She craned her neck around searching for an entering female. Please be the nice one. Please be the nice one. The door swung open.

 

Damn it. It was Mrs. “Are-You-Done-Yet?” 

 

“You can go now.” The group leader said. Hortensia sprang onto her feet, but stumbled. She was weak and wobbly. She only had a few minutes before she felt too weak to move on her own. “Woah, woah, sit back down.”

 

“I’m fine, I just need the bathroom.” Hortensia said. Wave number two had just hit. Her near frantic words sounded a little strange to her. She took a few steps and wobbled again before straightening herself and heading in the direction of her escort. 

 

“You sound out of breath today. Everything all right?” the nurse asked. Hortensia mumbled her response, holding onto the wall railing for support. Almost there. “Hortensia, did you have an accident? Your bottoms wet.”

 

“No.” she lied, pushing the restroom door open.

 

“Wrong door!” Hortensia backed out and went to the other side. “You sure you’re okay?” 

 

“Yes!” she rushed into the furthest stall behind the last partition and yanked her pants down, her escort taking the place of where a door should have been. Hortensia curled herself into a somewhat ball as she went. 

 

“Are you done yet?”

 

“No.”

 

“Are you done yet?”

 

“No.”

 

“Do you need me to turn on a faucet?”

 

“No.”

 

“Are you going number two?” 

 

“Yes.” Hortensia grumbled. Hurry up! Get out! Get out! Get out! 

 

“Why are you sitting like that? Are you feeling ill?” 

 

“I’m fine.” But she didn’t feel fine. She could feel her shirt glued to her torso with sweat. She gave one last push to finish and uncurled herself. She searched for the toilet paper dispenser and frowned. It looked so far away. Her arm felt like lead. Her heart was hammering in her chest. She could barely move. 

 

“You did have an accident. That’s what I thought. You need to speak up if you have an accident. You can’t go around like that. It’s unsanitary for you and everyone else. Try and scrape it out in the toilet before you get in the shower.” The woman lectured, but then stopped and reached for her Walkie- Talkie. “Medical event in the women's bathroom by Hall A.” 

 

“I’m- I’m…” but she couldn’t get the words out. She rested her head against the stall wall and closed her eyes. She was vaguely aware of more voices, but they sounded far away. The figures in front of her blurred. “Don’t weel goo.” 

 

“Check her blood sugar.” Hortensia pulled her fingers away. They were going to prick her. “Give me your hand. This isn’t the time for games.” She let out a whimper of protest, but felt someone grab her arm and pull her hand forward. She grimaced at the sharp prick of the machine biting into her skin. “Go get an orange juice from the kitchen. Her blood sugar is 49.”

 

“Hortensia, can you hear me?”

 

“Yeah.” she mumbled. “Can’t...” 

 

“Sit tight, okay, we’re going to give you something to help get your sugar up.” More hurried footsteps. “Thank you.” More unintelligible noise. She was going to fall asleep here on the toilet with her soiled pants down. Whatever. “Hortensia, do you think you can drink this? Hortensia, you need to wake up. You need to drink this.” With great difficulty, she pried her head off the wall, and with trembling hands took the cup of juice and stared into it. 

 

“Whatz it?” she slurred.

 

“Orange juice. Drink it.”

 

“Whaj ju put n it?”

 

“Drink it!”

 

“I don-” a hand had shot out and taken the cup from her and was forcefully pouring it into her mouth. Hortensia swallowed before choking and gasping for breath as the cup was removed from her mouth. She could feel herself falling forward. Someone caught her.

“Get her on the ground.” She could feel herself getting lowered until her face made contact with the cold tiled floor, pants still around her knees and poop smeared but hanging out. Could this day get any better? She had only gotten this bad a handful of times. Usually, she had enough strength to follow someone around if they led her, but now her body felt like it was filled with jelly instead of bones and muscles. She wanted to lay down and sleep in her bed, but the bathroom floor would have to do. 

 

Hortensia awoke to find herself still on the bathroom floor, her finger throbbing anew. Someone was pushing something past her gums. A tube. She grimaced at the sweet paste that filled her mouth. 

 

“Swallow it.” She did, but only so she could breathe. But after a few minutes of lying on the ground she could feel the trembling in her body stop. She slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position, grimacing until the world righted itself. Someone had removed her soiled clothes and wiped her down. She felt wet and cold. 

 

“Woah, easy, do you know what your name is?” 

 

“Hortensia.” 

 

“Do you know where you are?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Where are we?” She suddenly found herself feeling incredibly irritated. The ground was too hard and wet. Their voices too loud. The lights too bright. There were too many people. Three staff, other patients, her “sisters”.

 

“Leave me alone!” 

 

“Where are we?”

 

“Stop staring at me!” She sprung up to her feet ready to either fight or flee. 

 

“Hortensia, you need to sit back down and wait another ten minutes. Your blood sugar is still too low.” She took a few steps towards the sink and leaned over it. 

 

“Hortensia!” 

 

“SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!”

 

“Hortensia!” 

 

She swung, her fist colliding with…

 

…

 

“She punched an old woman in a wheelchair?” Jennifer asked, exasperated. She could see Matilda trying not to laugh. She gave her a stern glare that wiped the smile off her face. This wasn’t funny. Now they wanted to keep Hortensia longer. She had bitten two orderlies who tried to take her blood sugar, kicked a nurse when they tried to give her insulin, and now she had punched an old woman in the face. And it had only been two days. 

 

“We’re going to be sending her back to the regular hospital to monitor her sugar. The most important thing is getting her diabetes under control. We redrew her blood today and it's come back positive for ketones. ” 

 

“And that is…bad?” 

 

“Very. Her bloods turned acidic. It’s a good thing it was discovered when it was. It means her sugar’s been too high. She’s a ticking time bomb.”

 

“But you said her sugar was low yesterday.”

 

“It’s been violently swinging from low to high. That’s why we’re transferring her. We can’t seem to control it with regular insulin treatments.”

 

“Is that normal for diabetes?” She didn’t know anything about diabetes. 

 

“It means it's very unregulated and hard to control. An unofficial term for it is called Brittle Diabetes. She needs to be seen by an Endocrinologist immediately. They might want to put in an insulin pump.” Oh geez. “Has she been under a great deal of stress or had an infection recently?” 

 

“Yes, she’s had both.” 

 

“That can play a big role in her swings. It might be the cause of why her sugars are so out of whack.” Jennifer thought about it. While she had fits here and there during the summer, it was nothing compared to how she came back. She was unrecognizable, destructive, distrustful and violent. But now they were finding out why. It was treatable. She knew there had to be something, but she hadn’t been able to figure out what.

 

“Should I come be with her while she sees the doctor?”

 

“That would probably be a good idea, they can answer any questions you have. We’re sending her back to the emergency department. You can ask for her there.” 

 

Jennifer hung up the phone and stood.

 

“I have to go back to the hospital, Tens is being transferred to the emergency room. Her blood sugars spiked again.” 

 

“Can I come?” Matilda asked, looking up from her work. 

 

“Let me talk to Mrs. Rodgers first. I’d rather you not.” She sounded unstable.

 

“Aww, why not?” 

 

“Because I don’t know what kind of mood she’s going to be in. I don’t want you getting hurt.” She made it halfway to Carol’s office before the first signs of nausea began to make its presence known, and by the time she walked through the door, she was pushing Carol aside to make a beeline for the bathroom.

 

“Hello to you too!” Carol called behind her as she threw up in the toilet. She let out a groan and flushed.

 

“This doesn’t feel magical.” Jennifer moaned.

 

“Who said anything about pregnancy feeling magical?” Carol said. She came into the bathroom and handed her a paper cup of water. 

 

“Don’t tell anyone.” had been the first words out Carol’s mouth yesterday when she had shared the news. Don’t tell anyone? How could she not tell anyone? And it was already much too late for that. She had been telling everyone she had come into contact with. The lady at the checkout counter. The guy at the bank. The office staff. Everyone had been so happy for her. Everyone except the people closest to her, like Brian.

 

He had not been elated when she had told him the news. Far from it. It had taken her by such surprise. He had been furious. She had never seen him like that. 

 

“You told me you couldn’t get pregnant! I already have three kids, you have two, that’s five kids!” Her insistence that one was only a rental did little to calm him down. “Rentals have return dates! When do you plan on giving her back? Huh?”

 

“As soon as her mom gets out of prison!”

 

“And if she doesn’t? Then what?” Jennifer didn’t have an answer for him. She had pictured him the perfect family man, but when he had opened his mouth and offered to pay for an abortion, Jennifer’s heart had nearly fallen into her stomach.

 

“NO, I AM NOT KILLING OUR BABY!” She had screamed at him. How dare he even suggest it. She didn’t even know if abortions were even legal! “How could you even say something like that?”

 

“Well, what did you expect? That I’d drop to one knee and propose?” he asked sarcastically. She had frozen in place, hurt by his words. And then he laughed at her and said no. 

 

She had told him to leave and had spent all of last night crying alone in her bedroom. He had called her this morning to apologize and said he would take financial responsibility. Jennifer had hung up on him. 

 

She downed the offered cup of water and wiped her mouth with the back of her arm. 

 

“Can Matilda stay with you today? I need to go to the hospital.”

 

“Is something wrong? Should I call an ambulance?”

 

“No, it’s not me, it’s Tens. She’s being transferred out of the psych ward to the regular hospital.”

 

“I…didn’t know you had admitted her.” Carol said. 

 

“They can’t get her diabetes under control.”

 

“I didn’t know she was diabetic either.” 

 

“I found out the same time I found out I was pregnant.” Jennifer admitted. All she had really been able to think and talk about was her pregnancy. “I was admitting her when Matilda made me get seen too. Damn kid had my insurance information memorized.”  Carol laughed. 

 

“Small favors.” 

 

“You threw up eighteen times.” Matilda said, coming into the bathroom. 

 

“Oof, rough day?” 

 

“Better than yesterday.” Jennifer said with a sigh. She had been a zombie all day today, trying to focus on anything else but her fight with Brian. At least now she had something else to focus on. Even if she wouldn’t have a husband, she still had him. She cradled her stomach. She had a feeling it was a boy. She had no way of knowing, but she just felt sure. 

 

“Have you figured out how far along you are?”

 

“I don’t know. I have an appointment in a few days to check.” 

 

“Good. Good.” Carol bit her lip and looked like she wanted to say something else, but held her tongue. Jennifer didn’t want to hear any more of her pessimistic warnings of a miscarriage. She wouldn’t miscarry this time. No one was throwing a pot of hot water on her. “Will Brian be going with you?” She winced at his name. “I’m assuming he didn’t take the news well.” Her eyes filled with tears and she shook her head. 

 

“He wanted me to get an abortion.” 

 

“What’d you say? Did you let him have it?” Jennifer let out a weak chuckle and wiped her eyes. 

 

“Told him to leave.” 

 

“Good for you. You’re finally learning to stick up for yourself. So are you guys done?”

 

“I don’t know. Maybe. It wasn’t the reaction I expected from him. I thought it meant we’d be a family and he just laughed at the thought. He called this morning and told me he’d take financial responsibility, but I hung up on him. I don’t want his money! I want him to be a father!” 

 

“Give him time, he’s in shock. There's still hope. He might just need time to process it. He’s going in the right direction at least.” Carol offered lamely. “Trust me, he is far from the first guy to wig out.” 

 

“I never thought he’d be the type though.” 

 

“If you don’t bring him to the appointment, can I go with you? It’s really not something to do alone.”

A wave of annoyance washed over her. There she was being pessimistic again. She thought she was going to get bad news! No, no, calm down. She was just being a good friend. Good or bad, she would want some with her. Once Carol saw everything was fine, the two of them could talk baby names. 

 

“Yeah, sure, thanks. So, can Matilda stay here with you?” 

 

“If she wants to.” Carol offered.

 

“She doesn’t.” Matilda said, arms folded across her chest. Great, how much did she overhear? 

 

“And if I let you check in the patients?” Jennifer cracked a smile. She could see the girls resolve wavering. “And apply bandages to scrapes and cuts?” Matilda did love to play doctor. 

 

“Okay.” Matilda said, giving in. 

 

“If I’m not back by the time school lets out can I come get her at your place?”

 

“No, take me back home!” Matilda whined. “I have a Nintendo! We can play together!” Jennifer sighed and handed over her house keys. She wasn’t in the mood to argue. 

 

“Wish me luck. This is my first meeting with her since checking her in. Pray I don’t come back with a black eye.” She had refused all her phone calls. She knew Hortensia was pissed with her, but it was time to sit down with her one on one and explain the situation. 

 

….

 

Jennifer felt alarmed when she pulled back the curtain. Hortensia looked terrible. Her skin appeared pale and sunken in, her eyes had lost their shine, and she seemed confused.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

“Hi, Tens.” she said softly, taking a seat by her bed. “How are you feeling?” She tried to take her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze, but the girl pulled it away. Jennifer smirked a little. She was still in there. But her smile quickly faltered. Hortensia held up her hands to show dark, discolored bruises on each of her finger tips. 

 

“They keep poking me.” Hortensia cried. “My hands hurt. I can’t even hold a pencil to draw.” 

 

“Oh, Tens, I’m sorry you’re going through all this.” And she was. When she dropped her off a couple of days ago, Jennifer had been under the impression she would receive intensive therapy, not being treated like a voodoo doll. She grimaced as Hortensia pulled down her blanket to reveal needle marks over her thighs and belly surrounded by more green and purplish bruising. 

 

It didn’t take long for Jennifer to figure out how she had gotten this way. They came and pricked her finger, said her blood sugar was too high, gave her a shot of insulin, waited fifteen minutes and pricked her finger again. When it was too low they gave her a piece of candy. When it was too high she got a shot. 

 

“We think the infection she had a couple months ago caused her blood sugar to become more unstable.” the doctor explained when he had come in to talk to her. Jennifer clenched her fists in her lap. Another thing he had caused. It was like he was still here, hurting her. And those police…those…those bastards had asked her to accept a plea deal. Probation. They wanted to give him probation. They had gone from “we will prosecute to the full extent of the law” to treating Jennifer like she was a nuisance for wanting to go through with the trial.

 

She had told them where they could stick their plea deal. 

 

“I have something for you.” Jennifer said, reaching into her purse. “It’s a get well card from your class.” She set it on Hortensia’s table. “Can I get you anything? Do you want any water or ice?”

 

“I want to go home.” 

 

“Soon.” Jennifer said. She watched Hortensia examine the card, her face creasing in concern at the frown that had formed across the girl's face. “What is it?” 

 

“Nothing.” 

 

Jennifer picked up the card and read the childish scribbles of “get well soon” and well wishes. One person had even left her a gushing paragraph. Bruce, huh? Interesting. But there off to the side in neat handwriting was a bible verse. Proverbs 14:14. She stared at it distrustfully. She was going to ask about it, but a new voice behind her made her put the thought out of her head.

 

“I swear there are other nurses that work here.” Jennifer grinned at the familiar face. “How’s the morning sickness?” 

 

“Awful.” Jennifer admitted. “No, I don’t need a bag. I swear.” 

 

“Uh-huh,” Meaghan said, pulling a very familiar green bag from the dispenser on the wall. “I’m on my last change of clean clothes. It’s been a rough day.” Her eyes drifted to the girl in the bed. “For all of us.” 

 

“You stopped fighting them I noticed.” Jennifer said with a small smile. 

 

“That’s because I hear someone got put in their place upstairs.” Meaghan said before coming to her bedside. “Which finger?” Hortensia flipped her the bird. Jennifer shook her head as Meagan tested her blood. “Hey, good news.” She flipped the screen over to show Jennifer. The number meant nothing to her, but if the nurse seemed happy about it…”Normal range for the first time.”

 

“I’m going to have to learn what all this means.” Jennifer said with a smile. 

 

“No shot?” Hortensia asked.

 

“Nope, not this time, or candy, don’t even ask.” She said as she pointed at her playfully. “Don’t jinx it, we’re walking a tightrope with you.” She reached into her pocket and dangled something that made Hortensia’s eyes wide with longing. Batteries. Jennifer winced. She hadn’t even thought of that. Or her games. “Behave yourself and they’re yours.” She tossed Jennifer the pack with a wink. THANK YOU, Jennifer mouthed as she walked out. 

 

She handed Hortensia the batteries, who eagerly tore into the packaging with her teeth. 

 

“So,” Jennifer said, pulling her chair closer. “Bruce left you quite the note.” 

 

“We’re friends.” Hortensia said with a shrug. She didn’t know that. She picked up the card again and scanned the names. She frowned. Out of a class of nearly 20, there were only a handful of signatures. 

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize not everyone had had a chance to sign. I should have made sure your friends had a turn.” 

 

“They signed it.” Hortensia said, an audible bitterness in her voice. Her eyes fell on the scripture.

 

“Tens, what’s Proverbs 14:14?” Hortensia shrugged.

 

“Something about Jesus will heal you, probably.” Jennifer didn’t believe her. The look on her face. She was hiding something. Jennifer stood and began opening drawers. It was a hospital. There might be a bible. 

 

“You looking for something?” Meaghan asked, stopped mid step in front of their curtain. Jennifer gave a guilty grimace. Busted. 

 

“Can you look something up for me?” Jennifer whispered. She pointed to the verse in the card.

 

“I think my coworker might have one on her desk. Let me check.” Jennifer nodded before eying Hortensia wearily. She had made sure it had gotten to every desk. Had the others purposefully not signed it? 

 

“I’m sorry I hit you.” Hortensia said softly. Jennifer blinked in surprise.

 

“Thank you,” she said, rubbing her stomach before taking a seat. “How is it there?”

“Weird.” Hortensia said. “There’s a lady who thinks she’s a dog sometimes.” 

 

“Oh,” Jennifer said. “That’s, umm…” 

 

“Did my mom call yesterday?” 

 

Jennifer frowned. No, she didn’t. Eve never missed her scheduled days to call. But maybe she should ask Matilda just in case. She wasn’t in a good place. 

 

“I must have missed her.” Jennifer said. 

 

“Please don’t tell her I hit you! I’m really sorry. I didn’t know you were pregnant!” 

 

“You shouldn’t hit people regardless if they're pregnant or not.” 

 

“I know.” She whined, deflating into the bed. “They said it’s because my sugar levels dropped. They said that’s what makes me get all angry and psycho.” 

 

“You’re not psy-”

 

“Found one, sorry for the delay,” Meaghan said, bible in hand. “Just set it on the counter when you’re done.”

 

“Thank you so much.” Jennifer said. She opened the card one more time to read the scripture. Proverbs… Proverbs…here it was. She scanned down the numbers until she got to 14:14 Her fists clenched tightly around the bible. 

 

She had told a group of children that one of their classmates was sick and someone had written “Bad people get what they deserve?” 

 

“Tens, who wrote this?” She demanded. They hadn’t signed their name, but she had a feeling Hortensia knew. 

 

“There’s a couple kids it could have been.” she quietly mumbled. A couple? 

 

“Tens, have you been getting bullied?” she asked in shock. Hortensia shrugged and looked away.

 

“Names. I want names.” 

 

“It doesn’t matter.” 

 

“Yes, it does matter.” 

 

“There the kids that went to my old church. Erica, Sarah, and them.” Erica, Sarah and them?

 

“Tens, I thought those kids were your friends.” 

 

“Not for a while.” 

 

“Since when? How long is a while?” But Hortensia would say no more. 

 

Overall, the visit had gone much better than Jennifer had expected. Hortensia didn’t seem to emanate loathing towards her.  They talked some more about day to day life until she looked up to find someone unexpected standing by the curtain. Jennifer smiled.

 

“Bruce! Please, join us.” He smiled shyly at them and waved. “Thank you for coming!”

 

“I heard you were sick.” 

 

“Mate, look what they bloody did to my hands!” Hortensia held up her fingers and shook them in agony. Jennifer smiled and got up from her chair. 

 

“Tens, i’ll come back and see you tomorrow, alright? Is there anything you want me to bring?” 

 

“My drawing stuff! Oh, and more games!”

 

“Alright, I’ll let you two visit. Be good Tens, don’t give them too hard a time. They're only trying to help.” She took the card with her as she left, a pang of disappointment in her students. But she felt hopeful again. Hortensia was getting the treatment she needed. They were finally finding answers. 

 

She headed towards her car breathing in the cold November air.  What an emotional roller coaster this week has been. Something caught her eye. There was a folder tucked under her windshield wipers. An advertisement for a car wash perhaps? Chinese take out menu? But it was neither of those things. She opened it to reveal a printed page with a handwritten sticky note on top. 

 

Keep Fighting. Pressure to drop coming from the top. 

[CDfm]

Such a roller coaster ride again.  I about bust a gut in the beginning.  “I don’t miss the Nintendo 64 that much”. You do come up with some great one liners. 
I am very thankful that someone was able to figure out what was going on with Hortensia.  I would have thought with all the bloodwork they had been doing on her something would have shown up before this.  At least they know what’s happening and can now work on resolving it. 
I would never condone violence especially against a church, but accidents happen and I really believe maybe Matilda could cause an electrical fire or two or three! To have that kind of influence even into the upper echelons of the Police Department definitely needs to be knocked down a peg or two. 
I was also pretty disappointed in Brian.  If you are going to be a man enough to do the deed then you need to be a man and face the consequences of your actions. That’s more than taking financial responsibility.  You created a life and now it’s your responsibility to raise that child correctly.  It doesn’t have to be actually with the mother but he needs to be completely involved and a part of that child’s life. 
Amazing chapter and story overall. I would give it at least two likes per chapter but they limit me to one. I am looking forward to seeing more. 

[BabySofia]

I don't envy the road they're going to have trying to control her diabetes. She's just starting puberty and that's only making it all worse.

Rather surprised her boyfriend took things so badly... hope someone gives him a swift kick in the ass and he gets his act together!

Cryptic note at the end... Somehow I don't think she even needed to be told that though!