by Barbara Lynn Terry

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Part I - Kira Goes Home
 
 
Sometime during Katie's reading, I fell asleep. I didn't know how long I had slept, but it was morning. Katie said she ordered us another western omelet with bacon and with potatos and onions. I really didn't like eating onions but I knew they were good for you. After we were through with breakfast, Katie said she would be right back, because she had to use the restroom. The restrooms in the rooms are for the patients only, so she respected that and used the one in the hallway. When she came back, she turned on the tv and said there wasn't anything good on, just cartoons. We both giggled and we sat there and watched cartoons. Well, she sat and I laid in my bed. The thing about cartoons is they take all the anxiety out of you, and make you laugh until your tummy hurts. But it is all good, though, especially if it makes you laugh. After cartoons were over, and we had our lunch of salad, milk, coffee for Katie, and turkey with gravy entrá¨e, we setttled into playing a game of monopoly. She took the car and I had the thimble. As we played, we both got a lot of properties, houses, hotels, and money.

"If only we could use this money to buy real things," I said, jokingly.

"That would be too simple, sis. There would people printing their own money, and the economy would drop so far that we would have to go back to trading things for the necessities we need, not to mention hunt for our meat, and plant our vegetables on our own land. That is what they did back in the days when there were still indians roaming the land. Today, we have so many ways to get what we want from supermarkets. It makes things easier. The money we have is backed up by gold reserves, and in some countries even silver. We are borrowing money now from other countries, just so we can stay afloat, and for that, we agree to let them assemble our cars, make the clothes they sell at Walmart, K-Mart, and other stores. Most of the smaller stores actually have American made clothes and products, but the bigger stores have items we send over to be either assmebled or made from patterns. Maybe because of this, there will acutally be world peace on earth.

"Now little sister, I see that you only have fifty dollars left, and you just landed on Park Place, which I own. May I have my rent, please?" I gave her the last fifty dollars I had, making her the winner, no wonder she's a teacher's aide. "Sis, it is time to call down for dinner. What do you think we should have. There is roast beef, with or without gravy, there is roast turkey, with or without gravy, rice, mashed potatos, there is corn, peas, green beans, mixed vegetables, there is quite a bit of dessert. Let me see, yes, angel food cake, orange and strawberry sherbet, peaches, and...oh yes, they even have dinner rolls, too. So, what should we have?"

"Do they have chicken?"

"Oh, yes, sorry. Would you like a skinless, chicken breast dinner, with a vegetable, yogurt for dessert, a fruit, a slice of wheat bread, and either potato or rice?"

"Is there a grill here?"

"Yes, there is, and you have no restrictions. What are you thinking dear sister?"

"I was thinking a fried chicken dinner, with french fries, and a soda. What do they have for sodas?"

"They have a soda machine just down the hallway. We can get our sodas from there. So, we can order a four piece fried chicken dinner, with french fries, and get our sodas from the machine. Sounds good to me, but I need to ask you. You don't eat like this all the time, do you?"

"No, I just like to have something like this now and then. I mean, as much energy as I have I can actually get the bad things out of my system. I am doing aerobics in my room, and when I help make the dinners, I am constantly bending over. Katie, every teenager needs a little fried food once in a while." We both giggled, and she ordered from the grill. Room service said it would be up in about forty five minutes. Then she went to get the sodas, and we waited for our dinner.

A dinner like this, Katie and I usually shared. Since it was a four piece dinner, we could each have two pieces of chiken, and split the fries. I also ordered a yogurt. I could always have the nurse put it in the fridge for later.

When our dinner came up, it was brought in by this really handsome guy, who was, I judged, just about twenty one or twenty two. His hair was immaculate and looked like he had it done at Supercuts. His face was really chiseled, and clean shaven, if he shaved at all. He smiled at us, and told us to have a good dinner, ladies, then he left. Katie was quick to pick on the smile I had on my face.

"What is that smile for, dear sister?"

"What smile? He smiled at me, and I smiled back."

"Listen little sister, that was a I wish he would ask me out smile. I have used it quite often, so I know. He is older than you are, but not by much. Anyway, I am happy to see my little sister is finally back in the land of girlhood. So anyway, let's eat."

We turned on the tv CSI was on. Law and Order, Special Victims Unit was on the channel we watch NCIS on, so we watched CSI. Law and Order shows just how police violate the rights of the accused. In real life when the defendant's attorney says the interview or questioning is over, it is over, or it is appealable error. Even on NCIS and CSI too, confessions from the accused are not that easy to come by. Like I said I do a lot of reading. There are unsolved cases in every police organization in the world. So, if you realize that these programs are not real anyway, then it can be very entertaining. The reason I liked NCIS better is because it could be considered a dark comedy. The people of NCIS are so funny, especially Abby and how she drives Gibbs crazy. Besides Mark Harmon is still handsome. I giggled out loud.

"What are you giggling about, sis?" I told her about Mark Harmon. "You imp! But you know what all that means, don't you? It means that you are a nomal girl with normal feelings. A crush on Mark Harmon, eh. Well, I have a crush Tom Cruise."

"Katie, do all girls have crushes on famous people?"

"Yes sis, we do. Grandma used to tell me about a crush she had on Gregory Peck."

"Who is Gregory Peck?"

"He was a very famous, and very good actor back in grandma's day. She said she had watched every movie he had made. I have seen a few movies with him in it on TCM and he was a very good actor. He played the suave, debonair type of man, easy spoken, and he was very handsome. Some day when you get back home, we will rent a few movies with him in. Kira, when you get home, I will talk to you about the whole love, hate, love thing. Remember, there are a lot more dangers for us, than there are for men. So we have to be very careful who we get involved with, and why. Is it love, is this the man for me, does he like hard rock or country? It is something we have to think about. Just because a man has a smooth line, and can make you smile, laugh, or giggle, does not mean he is always right for you.

"There are many women who just go out to have a good time, without going home with them. Remember, even if you didn't plan for it happen, it only takes once to get pregnant. So when you get involved with a boy, ask me about the things he said, and then invite him and his parents over for dinner. Kira, you are my one and only sister, and I love you to death, but so does daddy and Danny too. Just promise me that you will be careful. If a boy at school asks you to go steady, just tell him that my father needs to meet with you and your parents, while we have dinner. It is easy to fall for a man's smooth lines and handsome face, but all too often all high school boys are after is sex, and as I said it only takes once to get pregnant."

"Okay sis, I promise. There are a lot of boys at school that keep staring at me, and I swear they look like they want me to be their girlfriend. But just right now though, all they do is stare."

"Okay, but if one asks you to go steady, remember what I said."

"I will," I said smiling as I laid down a little further and went to sleep.

When I woke up, my brerakfast tray was on the bedside table, and Katie wasn't in the room. I turned on the tv and watched the mass services for shut ins. I guess I am a shut in now, because of being in the hospital. Today's service talked abouot being thy brother's keeper, and accepting those that are different from what we expect a person to be. The priest said that Jesus accepted all people and never turned anyone away from seeking His help or counsel. Then as he was finishing his sermon, the priest said we too should not turn anyone away from being helped, or seeking our counsel. That made sense to me. When the mass program was over, Katie came in.

"Well little sister, I see you finished your breakfast. I'm sorry I wasn't here but Dr. Fitzgibbons came by to see how you were doing, and you were still sleeping. She didn't want to wake you up, so we went out by the nurses station to talk. She said she will be back tomorrow, and give you an examination. If there is no concussion, she said she will let you go home. But she ordered another CT scan while she was here, just to make sure. So, you have one more day here. What would you like to do?"

"Go home?"

She giggled. "Not until tomorrow sweetie. So for the rest of today, right here, what would you like to do?"

"I don't know, sis. I mean, it is definitely boring here. I mean we can play all the board games and card games, and we can watch tv, and you can read to me, but that is about it. I mean there is nothing else to do."

"Good morning, Kira, I'm Rose, your PCA. Would you like to get cleaned up?"

"Oh yes I would."

"Well the doctor didn't say you couldn't take a shower, so you can go in there, and your sister can help you if you need her to. I'll bring you a clean gown. Here are you towels and wash cloths. I actually forgot the gown." She giggled when she said that.

Katie helped me with my shower, and by the time I was finished, Rose had brougt me a clean gown. Katie helped me with the lotion and the powder, and then she tied my gown at the neck. I went back and sat in the big recliner and Katie sat in the smaller one. What I liked about these hospital rooms was, that except for all the hookups and monitors, this could be a hotel suite. Now came the question Katie asked me before my shower. What do I want to do?

"Katie, did you bring the Phase 10 deck?"

She opened her purse, and produced the Phase 10 deck. "Right here, little sister."

We played Phase 10 until lunch came. I was beginning to get bored with the food here, because there wasn't that much they had on the menu without repeating ordering the same things. So we just ordered a chef's salad, and Katie and I split that. I had milk, she had coffee, and later she would get us a couple of sodas.

Phase 10 is a very interesting game. You have to make all your phases before your opponent. Sometimes you get stuck trying to make one phase several times, before you go on to the next phase. The first person to make all ten phases wins. Katie and I had a lot of fun playing the game, but not as much fun as we would have had at home. After lunch, we were still playing, because neither one of us made all of our phases yet. Another hour went by before Katie declared she had all ten phases, and the game was over.

She put the cards away, and turned on AMC and Shirley Temple in The Little Colonel was on. I loved Shirley Temple movies. We watched The Little Colonel and then we watched another movie neither of us was interested in, so I laid down and went to sleep. Katie kissed me on the forehead, and made sure I was covered up.

When I woke up, Katie had dinner waitng, except this wasn't hospital food. It was Burger King. There were two junior whoppers, two small fries, two large sodas, and she even got a Dutch apple pie too. So we had our dinner, and then I laid back down. Katie said there was a good movie coming on at eight, and asked if I wanted her to wake me up.

"Katie, I feel really tired. Like the Phashe 10 game tired me out. I never got tired like thish from playing just one game of cardsh, and the movie jusht added to me being tired."

"Honey, are you dizzy, or like seeing double?"

"Kinda. Katie, what doesh that mean?"

"It means we need to call Dr. Fitzgibbons." She pressed the nurse button, and the nurse came in to see what we wanted. "Kira is feeling really tired. All we did was play Phase 10 and watch a movie. She says she is also kind of dizzy and is seeing double and she is slurring her speech too."

"Kira, I want you to say something with an s sound in it." I looked at her, and I saw one of her to the left and another to the right. "Kira, say the word please."

"Pleash."

"Okay, I'm calling Dr. Fitzgibbons. It sounds like that concussion has finally showed up. It is good that you aren't walking right now. I will be right back. Katie, don't let her out of bed." She was gon only long enough to call Dr. Fitzgibbons, then she came right back in the room. "Kira, Dr. Fitzgibbons is on the way. We are going to observe you, and we will see what Dr. Fitzgibbons says when she gets here. Now Kira, I am going to have Rose come in here and be with you until Dr. Fitzgibbons gets here. Katie, if she needs anything can you get it for her?"

"Yes, Angie, I will."

Rose came in and sat in the chair I was sitting in before I laid down. She opened her book called the Winds of Love. But the double vision was making me see two of everything. Dr. Fitzgibbons came in, and had a very worried look on her face.

"Kira, sweetie, can you see me?"

"I shee two of you."

"Alright, I am cancelling the CT scan and ordering an MRI instead. This will tell us more than the CT scan would. Angie I want you to call Radiology and tell them we have an emergency here that needs to get in the MRI tube stat. I will issue the order so they have it by the time they get here. Kira, we will see exactly what is going on. This MRI is going to take a while to do, because I also want a full body scan as well as the brain. So there will be two tests done and will probably be about ninety minutes or so."

Two ladies came in that looked very young, and they wanted to know what needed to be done.

"I haven't even given the order yet. Tell you what, this girl has had a nasty fall and is suffereing from a concussion. What I need is twofold. I need a scan of the brain, and a full body scan also. Take her and get her ready, and I will issue the order."

"What are we looking for doctor?"

"Anything out of the ordinary. A small bruise, maybe a slight hemorrhage, anything that isn't normal for a teenage brain of a 13 year old girl. You can take her on her bed, I don't want her getting up."

The one with the sun yellow, blonde hair unlocked the brakes on the bed, and then she took the foot while the other one with the nice, not a hair out of place, brown hair, steered from the head. We had to go around this corner, another corner, down a long hallway to a room that said MRI above the door. Just as they were pushing my bed through the door, Dr. Fitzgibbons said over the intercom that order was ready and would be brought by a PCA. When they got me on the exam table, they gave me two small ear plugs. The blonde lady said I would need those because it gets deafening inside the tube, but I would still be able to hear them. Just as the table started to move in to the tube, another person I didn't see said the doctor's orders were there.

They also gave me a black plunger thingy, and said if I felt at any time I couldn't complete the MRI, to press that and they would stop and bring me out. Nobody said how long this would take, but I wasn't going anywhere. I found out that when I tried to move my arms, they would budge. I said that aloud, and I was told over the intercom that the tube was made that way so that they could perform the test without the patient moving. So I laid there with my arms across my chest, and I was wondering just how they were going to do a full body scan. Then I was told they were ready to start and that I could go to sleep if I wanted to. I heard a noise in the tube that sounded like men were tearing up a street with an air hammer. There was also music playing too. I don't remember much about what was said, because I fell asleep. The next thing I knew I was being woke up and told the examination was over. They moved me from the exam table to my bed by pulling on the sheets, then I was being rolled back to my room.

When I got there, Katie was watching a movie on tv, and I saw that she was crying. Wow! This movie must really be good. After the bed was in place, and the brake was locked, I watched the rest of it with her. To say this was a tear jerker would be an understatement. The characters were so true to life, it was like watching somebody's biography. After the movie was over Katie told me that was the third time she had seen that movie, and every time she saw it, she saw it from a different perspective. The whole MRI last two hours, and by the time I got back to the room, it was lunch time. Katie and I had our lunch, and we sat and talked. Somewhere during our talk, I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was disoriented. I knew I was somwhere in a hospital, but I couldn't figure out where. It was like one of those scenes in a movie where the character is running down a dark hospital corridor. Well that is what this seemed like. The room was spinning.

"Katie! I can't focush my eyesh." I was still slurring my speech, which means the concussion hadn't gone away yet. Dr. Fitzgibbons came in a bit later.

"Kira, I want you to rest. I have ordered you to be under observation for the rest of the day. We will see how things are going tomorrow. Your MRI shows a bruise where you hit your head on the hallway floor. So, you won't be going home today. Your full body scan also shows several bruises where you fell on your side. I am going to make sure you are not seeing double or slurring when you leave here. Kira, you have had a hard go of things, but with Katie, your father and brother, you should be okay." She smiled what she that last part. I mean, I heard her, kind of, but it was more a buzzing in my ears, than anything else. I laid there, trying to think of what happened to put me here, but all I could do is remember bits and pieces. Well, if I wasn't going home today, maybe tomorrow.

"Kira, we will see just how things are tomorrow. Right now you need plenty of rest, and healing. I understand that Katie reads to you. That's good, because she can even read aloud while you are sleeping. You'd be surprised at what we can learn while we are not awake. Anyway, the nurses will be in an out of here every half an hour. They will observe you, and may even ask you standard questions we ask persons suffereing from concussions. Now, get some rest and I will be back tomorrow." She gently squeezed my hand and smiled when she said that. I fell sleep. The next thing I knew, Katie was waking me up for dinner.

(Author's note: If anyone wants to learn more about concussions, here is the link. http://neurology.health-cares.net/concussion-treatment.php)

I don't remember eating my dinner, but I woke up the next morning, and I could focus, and my speech wasn't slurred any more.

"Morning sis," I said to Katie.

"Say that again, sis."

"Morning sis."

"You aren't slurring. How is your vision?"

"I can actually see very clearly. Not like yesterday."

"Does your head hurt anywhere?"

"No, just aches a little. It's more like a headache than anything else."

"Okay, press the nurses button, and let's let them see this too." I pressed the nurses button, and Sadie came in. Now Sadie was young, about Katie's age, and she had light auburn hair, put up in a pony tail. Her smile showed pearly white teeth.

"Well Kira, I can see that you are doing better. I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind." I shook my head, and she continued. "First of all, how many fingers am I holding up?"

"Four," She dropped two, then brought one back up. "Two, now three."

"Okay good. I want you to say the word something."

"Something."

"Okay, good. Now I want you to focus on this light, and only move your eyes, not your whole head." She moved the small flashlight across my eyes and I followed it. "Good. I will call Dr. Fitzgibbons, and tell her that her star patient is back in the land of the aware." We all giggled, and then Katie ordered breakfast for us.

After breakfast, Dr. Fitzgibbons came in, and she held up two, then three then five fingers. I correctly said the right numbers, then Dr. Fitzgibbon asked me how many people I saw in the room. Since Sadie was there too, I said four.

"Well, I am glad to see you back in the land of the aware. It was kind of bumpy there for a while. I'm going to keep you here for the rest of today, and if there are no more episodes with the concussion, I will let you go home tomorrow. So take advantage of the day and get more rest. The nurses will still be observing you. I will be back tomorrow. If anything happens in the meantime, the nurse will call me and I will be right over. Get some rest," she finally said, gently squeezing my hand.

"Katie, you will be at school tomorrow?"

"Yes little sister. But you should be home tomorrow as well. Then you can watch whatever on television. After what happened yesterday, I would feel a lot better if you just stayed home until after court. Once court is over, and you are feeling well enough, you should be able to go back to school. Mrs. Arden called my cell to see how you were doing. I told her you were hanging in there. Now kiddo, we need to figure out what you are wearing home. The clothes you wore here, have been in that plastic bag all weekend. So what I will do is bring you a fresh outfit from home. What would you like to wear?"

"Well, let me see. How about," I dragged out the word 'about', "my cream colored dress, stockings, and I will let you pick out the lingerie, and my black slingbacks with the two inch heel?"

"Sounds good, sis. By the way, I brought us a snack for later tonight. There are a couple of good movies on tonight on TCM, and since the hospital gets that channel, I thought we would watch them."

"Like, what movies, Katie?"

"Poltergeist is on at seven, and Sixth Sense is on at nine. I brought us a bag of chips and mild salsa dip. So we can have fun with a girls night in."

"I will like that," I said, smiling.

I laid back down in my bed, and went to sleep. Katie woke me up for dinner, and we watched NCIS while we ate. Dinners in hospitals, or any meal for that matter, are nothing spectacular. I mean, having roast beef, or roast turkey, or skinless, boneless chicken breast is not exactly mouth watering. The grill is mostly fatty foods and we were having chips tonight. So anyway, after dinner, I laid back down again, and Katie wanted to know if I wanted to watch Poltergeist. I said yes, and went to sleep.

The girls night in was more than just chips, salsa, and watching movies. Katie did my finger nails and toe nails and promised to do my hair when I woke up in the morning. Then we ate chips and salsa until we were full, and even the nurses got in on it too, when they found out what was going on. After Sixth Sense was over, Katie read to me until I fell alseep.

The next morning Katie woke me up, and my breakfast was on my bedside table. Except this breakfast wasn't from the hospital. I asked Katie where it came from, and she said that she had made it at home, and brought it over in our picnic warmer. It is a metal box that keeps things hot for about an hour.

While we were eating breakfast, Dr. Fitzgibbons came in.

"Well, I see you are eating a good breakfast. I heard what you two did last night, and I wish I could have been here. Kira, how are you feeling?"

"I feel really good. Not even a headache."

"Good. I am going to discharge you and let you go home."

"Can you wait until Katie sets my hair. It looks like a rat's nest."

Alright, you take a good shower, and Katie can set your hair, and then you can go home. Or you can stay for lunch, or dinner, or until midnight. Or you can go home. Our billing goes from midnight to midnight, so you are already paying for the day. Kira, there is a trick to dealing with stress. Whenever you are stressed about anything, think of something good that has happened to you, or to someone you know, or seen something that was funny or even nice. This way you can avoid falling in high school hallways." We all giggled. "That's the spirit. Now, get your shower, and let Katie do your hair, and you can go, as soon as the nurse takes out the IV. I want to see you in one week at my office." She left to go an write the discharge papers.

Today was Tuesday, and I was supposed to rest at home, but a person can rest other than being in bed all the time. So I figured a little exercise would help. My legs were weak from laying in this bed, and I needed to do a few aerobics to loosen them up and get them back to where they were. Angie came in and took out the IV, and I waited about ten minutes, then took my shower. After lotioning and putting powder on, I got dressed in the clothes Katie brought when she brought our breakfast.

Katie took out the hair dryer and blow dried my hair after she set it in rollers. After a while, we decided it was time to break out of this prison. We both giggled when we both said that. As I passed the nurses station they all wished me good luck and hoped I was feeling much better. When we were in Katie's car and buckled in, we headed for home.
 
 
Part II - At court...again
 
 
When we got home, Katie told me to lie on the couch and stay there. The only time I was allowed to get up was to use the bathroom. Well, when the cat's away and all of that. Katie had to get back to the school, and I was left alone. I really did feel better, but I was bored beyond belief. Let me see what there is to do. I looked around the house. Neat, clean, polished, dusted, everything in its place, and a place for everything. Okay, so there was nothing to do because it had already been done. I can't go outside because it is a school day, and I am supposed to be resting. So, think girl, think. What can a thirteen year old girl do in the house on a school day, all alone with nothing to do?

I went upstairs and looked through my closet, and arranged, re-arranged, and arranged again, all of my dresses, skirt sets, blouses, and shoes. I went to my dresser and did the same thing there with my jeans, lingerie, and then did the same with my jewelry.

"Okay Kira, you have definitely lost it. There is nothing for me to do. Ho hum, guess I'll watch television.

I went back downstairs and turned on the tv. I swtiched through the channels to see what was on. Nothing was on worth watching. So I got a book from my room, and laid on the couch to read it. The next thing I knew, Danny was asking me how I felt.

"Hey Danny, I feel really great. I do."

"That's good baby sister. Dad and Katie should be home shortly. Katie gave me your homework to bring home for today and tomorrow, plus what you missed yesterday. What did Dr. Fitzgibbons say?"

"She said to get some rest for the rest of the day. So I was reading another one of my books. I tried to see what there was to do around the house, but it was all done already. So I messed around in my closet and dresser for about a whole twenty minutes, then came back down here to see what there was on tv. Nothing. So I went back to my room and got this book. Then you came home."

He was smiling when he said, "I knew you couldn't just lay here and do nothing. Laying in that hospital must have been really boring."

"It was wrose than that. It was a living Hades."

"You never could cuss, could you. You know we're all proud of you. You have done something we wish wouldn't have happened, but it did. So now baby sister, you are going to be great from now on. So, uhm, if you don't want to be bored, why don't we go in the kitchen and see what to pull out for dinner."

We always took turns cooking, and usually the first one home got out the things for dinner, and then we asked someone to help us, and we cooked the dinner. Because Danny was the first one home, besides me, and that didn't count, he was doing the cooking. Danny could cook really good. We were rummaging through the fridge when I heard Katie's voice from the kitchen doorway.

"What are you two doing?"

"We're trying to decide what to have for dinner. I'm really in the mood for something really special. That hospital food was so boring. It didn't have any taste to it."

"I have a suggestion, punkin, let's go out and have dinner in a nice restaurant."

"DADDY!" I screamed and ran to him almost choking him in a vise like grip.

"Hey punkin, you aren't glad to be home are you by any chance?"

"Who moi? Yes! I'm ecstatic."

"I thought so," he said kissing me on my forehead, then prying my happy fingers from around his neck. "Tell you what. It's up to you punkin where you want to go and have dinner at."

"Katie, what do you think?"

"This is your day, little sister, you decide."

"This is a toughie though. There are so many places that have nice food, and are really nice inside. I know, we can go to Jen Ars. I like the food there, and Caitlin should be working today."

"Okay, Jen Ars it is. Let's all get cleaned up, and meet in the car. Kira, you can meet us all in the car in about ten minutes." I just sat for five minutes, and then went out to the car. I was going to let Danny ride up front with daddy, while Katie and I sat in the back.

They all came out, and Katie got in next to me, and Danny got in front. Daddy made sure we were all buckled in, and we drove the whole five minutes to Jen Ars. Now, Jen Ars is a family restaurant, and has very good food, in a nice setting. Caitlin Monroe was one of Katie's friends who Katie said they all thought would be the teacher. But she decided to wait tables instead. She was nice though, and her light brown hair had such natural highlights when light hit it. Her smile was infectious I had heard Katie say.

We found a table for four, and we sat down. I think we waited a whole two minutes, and Caitlin came over with our water.

"Hey Kate, how's the teaching coming along?"

"Fine. I like the students I'm teaching. I get my own classroom next semester."

"Cool. Do you want to order now, or look at the menu some more?"

Caitlin was always one for saying things in a very direct manner. She always chewed some kind of gum, except at work. So we told her just a few more minutes. We really didn't need to look at the menu, because we knew it by heart. It was just the daily specials that changed. When she came back, we all gave her our orders.

"Caitlin, we will all have the beer batter chicken dinner, milk for Kira, and Danny and I will have a Mountian Dew, and coffee for daddy."

"Thank you," she said smiling after writing everything down, and taking our orders to the cook. She came back a few minutes later, with our drinks. "Here you go, and Kate you have to call me so we can catch up."

"I will. Do you still have my number?"

"Yes." There was a ding, and Caitlin went to get our orders. "Here you go, enjoy your meal."

We talked about the things that happened at the house while I was in the hospital, and even though it wasn't much, Katie told me that daddy actually cooked. He blushed a little, but daddy is a good cook too. When Katie and I are home together, we usually do the cooking, but sometimes Danny is home first. After we had finished eating, daddy and Danny said they had a surprise for me, and we had to go and get it. We said our godbyes to Caitlin and the staff, and we left for the mall.

When daddy had parked, we went immediately to the second floor, to Fashions For the Discriminating Teen, and walked right up to the counter.

"Yes, may I help you?" Asked a lady with greying hair and a nice smile.

"Yes, we're here to pick this item up. It is a surprise for my daughter."

"I will be right with you," she said taking the receipt and disappearing in the back. When she came out, she was holding the most beautiful dress covered by a plastic sheath.

"Welcome home, punkin. This is for you," daddy said handing me the dress.

"Oh daddy!" I squealed. "This is beautiful."

"And it is all paid for, too."

The dress had a scoop neckline. The bodice was powder blue, and the skirt was a pearlized light pink. The skirt actually fanned out, and it came to just above my knees. I just had to try it on, and when I stepped out of the booth, daddy smiled, Danny whistled, and Katie had that look of 'my little sister looks so darling'. I went back in and took off the dress and got back in to my clothes, and we headed home. I was in dreamland because I had never expected anything when I got home, let alone a beautiful dress like this. Then it hit me.

"Daddy, we need to go back. I need to have shoes with this dress, and another necklace, and a bracelet, and I need more underthings too. If I had to wear this dress with everything I already have, I would just die." Daddy never made u-turns, instead he went around the block and we headed back to the mall. Katie gave me a hug, and it was then that I knew everybody was right. I was female.

We searched the mall for the right jewelry, the right shoes, and we went to a lingerie shop to find the right lingerie. After another four hours in the mall, we headed home. Daddy wanted to make sure I had everything I needed, and I said maybe.

"Maybe, hey. Don't you girls ever make up your minds?"

"No daddy," Katie and I said together. Daddy just did one of those growls men do under their breath. Katie and I giggled.

When we got home, Katie and I went up to my room and put my shoes and my dress in my closet. I hung the dress in the center because I will wear that tomorrow for court. The shoes I put right under it, and the lingerie and jewelry I left out for tomorrow also. Then we went back downstairs, and I gave daddy and Danny big hugs for getting me my dress and other things to go with it.

"You know, punkin, that it was Danny's idea we get you something special for your homecoming. Of course we searched and searched for the right something, but when we found it, we knew it was made just for you." I gave them more hugs, then I started crying. Darn hormones. We all got together in a group hug, and Katie told me to go right ahead and cry.

I was crying though for several reasons. Yes, on the one side I was crying happy tears, and on the other side I was crying sad tears because mother was never this kind to me, and I still would like to know why. I buried my face in Katie's shoulder, and just cried myself out. I guess I cried myself out, because when I woke up, it was morning and I was in my pink lace teddy. Katie came in to see if I was awake, and she said we needed to get our baths in, because we had to be at court at nine.

I swung my legs out from under my covers, and stepped in to my slippers, and threw my robe on. I went to take my bath, only to find out that Katie had already ran my water. It smelled like a potpourri of different flowers and it would be just right for my dress. I sat in the tub and just let the bubbles take all the stress out of me. Then I washed up, and rinsed the rest of the suds off with the shower head. I patted myself dry and put my teddy and my towel in the hamper. I stepped in to my slippers, and put my robe on, and went to get dressed.

By the time I had gotten to my room, I saw that Katie was already dressed. "Come on little sister, we need to get you ready in a flash. I thought you might want to wear your new dress for court today, and the new shoes. I got them out for you. Okay, let me put some lotion on you, and a little powder, and get you dressed. Your lingerie is on your bed too."

With Katie's help, I was dressed in no time, and she did my makeup, and my hair. After stepping in to my new shoes, and putting my new jewelry on, I was ready for court. Daddy and Danny were already in the car waiting, when Katie and I came out. After making sure we were buckled in, daddy headed for the courthouse. Mrs. Jenkins was waiting outside the courtroom, and saw us coming.

"Well kiddo, this is it. I don't think we are going to have any more interruptions. Are you ready to testify against your mother for what she did?"

"Yes, Mrs. Jenkins."

"Good girl. Well, let's get this over with."

We went in the courtroom, and the deputy showed us to our seats, in the back of the courtroom, so mother couldn't get to me. Then David the bailiff came out and did a few things at his desk, and then he looked toward us.

"All rise, gentlemen remove your hats, the circuit court, branch 32 is now in session. The honorable Jessica Dawson, presiding." When the judge sat down, David told us all to be seated.

"David, the first case, please."

"Case number F-3265 felony battery to a minor, set for trial, your honor."

"Are both parties read to proceed?" After a yes, your honor, from both attorneys, the judge told Mrs. Jenkins that she could proceed.

"Thank you, your honor, I call Dr. Sara Fitzgibbons to the stand." After Dr. Fitzgibbons was sworn in, and was sitting in the witness box, Mrs. Jenkins started. "Are you a doctor of medicine?"

"Your honor, defense stipulates to the good doctor's credentials."

"Without objection, so ordered."

"Dr. Fitzgibbons, you were ordered by the court to examine one Kira Spelling. Did you perform that examination?"

"Yes, I did."

"And what, if anything, did you find during your examination?"

"I found that Kira Spelling had an overgrowth of flacid skin covering her vaginal opening."

"What did you do, when you found this flacid skin?"

"I removed the skin, and found that the child was menstruating, I applied a sanitary pad to the child's panties, and then I told her that she could only be female, because males as I understand it, don't menstruate."

"Did you do anything else?"

"Yes, I odered blood drawn, and an ultra sound of the child's abdomen."

"What were the results of the blood draw and the ultra sound?"

"The blood shows that the child has an abundance of estrogen in her system, and it shows no abnormalities of any kind. The ultra sound shows the child has the natural female parts of a uterus, fallopian tubes, and is able to bear and deliver children vaginally."

"Is this your diagnosis based on your examination of Kira Spelling, and not your personal opinion?"

"Yes."

"Nothing further, your honor."

"Any cross, Mr. Weeks?"

"Not at this time, your honor."

"You may step down, doctor."

"Call your next witness, Mrs. Jenkins."

"I call Amanda Dowling to the stand." After Amanda was sworn in, she sat down.

"Mrs. Dowling, are you licensed by the state to practice medicine and psychology?"

"Your honor, again the defense stipulates to Mrs. Dowling's credentials."

"Without objection, so ordered."

"Mrs. Dowling, can you answer why you never call yourself doctor?"

"Because, even though I am a psychiatrist, I want my clients to feel they can trust me. So instead of calling myself Dr. Amanda Dowling, I just use Mrs. It makes the client feel a little more at ease."

"Thank you. Now did you have an occasion to interview a child by the name of Kira Spelling?"

"Yes, I did."

"Would you tell this court, in your own words, what the result of that interview was?"

"Well, I received a court order to interview Miss Spelling at my office, but it didn't get that far. I actually interviewed the child at the hospital where she was a patient."

"Why was the child in the hospital?"

"Dr. Fitzgibbons can say it better than I can, but I was told by Dr. Fitzgibbons that..."

"Objection, hearsay."

"Your honor, I intend to clarify this by further testimony from Dr. Fitzgibbons."

"Very well, objection is over ruled. You may continue."

"What were you going to say Mrs. Dowling?"

"I was going to say, that Dr. Fitzgibbons had told me in the hallway that the child Kira Spelling was indeed one hundred per cent female."

"I renew my objection, your honor. This is all hearsay."

"Over ruled. Mrs. Jenkins, you may continue."

"Now, Mrs. Dowling, in your interview, did you notice any psychosis on the part of the child, Kira Spelling?"

"No, I did not. In fact..."

"Objection, asked and answered."

"Over ruled. Continue what you were going to say."

"I was just going to say that Kira and I had a wonderful talk, and during that talk I found that she was as feminine as any other girl. My recommendation was sent to this court that there was nothing even remotely mentally wrong with this child."

"Thank you, Mrs. Dowling. No further questions, your honor."

"Any cross, Mr. Weeks?"

"Not at this time, your honor."

"You may step down. Call your next witness."

"Your honor, I would like to re-call Dr. Sara Fitzgibbons." Dr. Fitzgibbons took the stand and sat down.

"You are still under oath, doctor."

"Dr. Fitzgibbons, did you place Kira Spelling in the hospital?"

"Yes, I did."

"Why?"

"Because the flacid skin had to come off, and we could only do that at the hospital."

"Oh, because when you testified before, I was under the impression you had done this at your office. While at the hospital, did you have a conversation with anybody other than the nurses, the child, and the child's family?"

"Yes."

"Who did you talk to?"

"I briefly talked to Amanda Dowling, and told her of my findings that Kira was indeed female."

"Thank you, doctor. Nothing further, your honor."

"Any cross, Mr. Weeks?"

"No, your honor."

"Call your next witness."

"I call Kira Spelling to the stand."

I got up and went to the witness stand. The judge told me I was still under oath.

"Good morning, Kira. Now, will you please tell the court in your own words, how it is that you came to live with your father, brother and sister?"

I told them about how that evening I went to Jessica's and I was wearing Jessica's outfit. When mother got there there wasn't time to change, so I went home dressed in Jessica's outfit. I told them about the talk mother and I had and how she had hit me in a fit of anger.

"Now Kira, did you mother ever say she was sorry for striking you?"

"No,ma'am."

"What happened after she hit you?"

"She went to the bathroom, and I called my father and told him what mother had done. He told me not to say anything, and that he would be right over. When he got there, he was with two police officers. The officers arrested mother, and then the female officer asked me questions."

"I see. Is the person that hit you, in this courtroom today?"

"Yes ma'am. She is sitting right there wearing a grey dress."

"Let the record reflect that the witness has identified the defendant, Lillian Spelling."

"So ordered."

"No further questions, your honor."

"Mr. Weeks, any cross?"

"Not at this time your honor."

"You may step down." I went back by daddy, Danny and Katie. "You may continue, Mrs. Jenkins.

"Your honor, I have nothing further, except to offer these exhibits into evidence. They are the blood draw reports, and the ultra sound pictures of Kira Spelling." Mr. Weeks got up to look at them, and then said no objection. "The state rests, your honor."

"Mr. Weeks, are you ready to proceed?"

"Yes, your honor."

"Very well, call your first witness."

"I call Lillian Spelling to the stand." After mother was sworn in, she sat down.

"Mrs. Spelling, you have heard the testimony of court appointed experts. Will you please tell this court why you were raising your daughter as a boy?"

"Well, I thought he was a boy, just small and underdeveloped for his age."

"Did you ever take Kira to a doctor to have her examined?"

"I didn't have to. I was told I had a son, and that is how I raised him."

"Mrs. Spelling, you keep saying him. Why is that?"

"Because I don't care what lies these idiots have dreamed up, I know a boy when I see one. I mean, I changed his diapers, didn't I."

"What about all these reports by court appointed experts that have no reason to lie or make things up?"

"I don't know what they are trying to prove, but Kiran is a boy. I should know, I am his mother."

"Your honor...."

"It's alright Mrs. Jenkins, I am going to put a stop to this. Mr. Weeks, you are an officer of the court, and I want you to tell me right now. Did you coax this witness into testifying like she is doing?"

"No, your honor."

"Then I am going to take a short recess, during which time I want you to confer with your client, and let her know that I know all about this evidence, and if I have to recuse myself to be a witness, I will. Now, your client has a choice. Either tell this court the truth, or be punished more severely than I would a rapist." Judge Dawson just glowered at mother as she went back in her chambers.

Mr. Weeks was talking to mother in hushed tones, and we could barely make out anything. When the recess was over, and judge Dawson was sitting down again, mother took the witness stand and sat down.

"Now, Mr. Weeks, did you confer with your client?"

"Yes, your honor. I am sorry to say this, but she is adamant that Kira is a physical male.

"Very well, Mr. Weeks, you may continue."

"Mrs. Spelling, if Kira were to be returned to you, how would you raise her?"

"Like the boy he is, that's how."

"No further questions, your honor."

"Any cross, Mrs. Jenkins?"

"Yes, your honor, thank you. Mrs. Spelling, why do you continue to talk about your youngest daughter like she is a male?"

"Because he is."

"Even with all of these expert reports and examinations being testified to here by the experts who wrote those reports and did the examinations?"

"They're lying."

"Why would a doctor that doesn't know you, lie about something like this?"

"I don't know, but they are."

"I see. No further questions, your honor."

"You may step down. Now, I am going to charge this jury. Anybody that wants to leave now, do so, because the courtroom door will be locked until I have finished." Nobody left. "Very well. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it is now your duty to sift through the evidence, and come to a just verdict. If you feel that the state has met its burden of proof, and the evidence supports that burden of proof, you must find the defendant guilty. If you find the state has not met its burden of proof, then you must find the defendant not guilty. Your first duty upon retiring to the the jury room is to select a jury foreperson, and then discuss and sift through the evidence and testimony of the witnesses. You may now retire to the jury room." The jury got up and left. "This court is in recess, until the jury comes back." Fifteen minutes and the jury was back.

"Be seated, everybody. Has the jury reached its verdict?"

"Yes, we have, your honor."

"Will the defendant please rise. David hand me the verdict, please." Judge Dawson looked at it and David gave it back to the jury foreperson. "Madam foreperson, what is your verdict as to count one of the indictment?"

"We the jury find the defendant, Lillian Spelling guilty of felony battery to a minor."

"Do you wish to poll the jury, Mr. Weeks?"

"Yes, thank you, your honor. With a nod of your heads, was this and is this now the verdict of the entire jury?" They all nodded their heads.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this concludes your participation in this matter. Please report to the jury room for further assignment. Now, Mr. Weeks, is there any reason why I should not pronounce sentence today?"

"Your honor, I would move the court for a presentence examination at the state hospital for not more than thirty days."

"Your motion is granted, Mr. Weeks. The defendant has been found guilty of felony battery to a minor, and as such is now the ward of the state. Sentence will be in thirty days from today. The defendant is further ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation at the state hospital for a period of thirty days. Mrs. Spelling, I strongly suggest you take part in any therapy they may have for you. Court is adjourned."