Blind Trust part 2

Chapter 52-1

Blind Trust

Part 2

 

Dad was released on following Wednesday, but he stayed longer not as a patient, but as a father. Where he could stay close to me if anything were to happen, like if my parents decided to come back for another round. Not likely, but knowing my parents anything was possible. I had learned that another reason was that he wasn't allowed to go back to work until his stitches were removed and were given the green light to do so.

I was blind when it came to the truth when it came to Mom and Dad. Having the monster so close gave me more concern even though he wasn't angry at me, he was angry at himself for letting my parents get away. It had seemed that my parents had disappeared right off the map. No one had seen them or know where they’d gone. Personally, that scared me more, knowing they could be anywhere waiting for me when I am not protected. For now, I had to take a leap of faith that he was here for my best interest.

Dad and Mom became worried when the fever came back, not as high as it had been, but bad enough to prevent me from going home for three weeks, it was like I would take 2 steps forward to only end up taking 3 steps back. With 65 percent of my body injured I couldn't produce enough antibodies to fight off the infection, even though my bandages were changed every 4 hours. It wasn't enough to keep the infection away.

The only family was allowed to see me and my caseworker, wanting updates on my condition and where I stood to going back to school; trying to convince Mom and Dad not to hold me back but by this time. I had missed so much school that it became mute. I would never be able to catch up with my classmates in the 9th grade even with Mr. Pratt’s help.

So it was decided that Mr. Pratt would be placed on hold until I was able to come home. I missed the camping trip that I was so looking forward to. I missed not seeing my friends. Scott wasn't allowed near me without mask nor was the Rothwell’s without a full update of shots and examinations, afraid that I could easily contract a virus from the outside while they build up my immune system.

Dad made the choice that he would stay with me until I was released or he could go back to work full-time. For the moment he couldn't go back to work due to the type of job he did. Prison inmates would smell blood in the water and would use it against him seeing him at his weakest moments. He wasn't much for an office job, doing paperwork and filing forms of new inmates.

Nor could he stand on a wall watching inmates in the yard. Having to rest so often; one bed was as good as another, at least that what he told me. Plus it had three benefits; one he could watch and protect me. Second: they could attend to his wounds better than Mom can, and three: he could make sure I was doing what I was told regarding scripture reading and scheduled prayers and help out where he could when came to taking care of me, considering I was never to be left alone in a room; where an episode could happen at any given time.

Dad soon learned that getting out of bed for both of us that first week wasn't worth the energy, and he had enough problems of his own. That it was easier to just stay in bed or climb in bed with me every time an episode like a thunderstorm or a night terror happened until the nurses could sedate me. Dad would hold me in his arms making sure I didn't hurt myself more than I was already. I was lucky that they only had to strap me down twice when thunderstorm happened. Causing me to rip open my stitches, when I was consumed by the dream, I would claw at my skin to remove the phantom ropes tied around me.

When it came to saying my prayers, we did it together in bed, instead of getting on our knees. It was too painful to lift me and it would cause my skin to stretch and tear, breaking open the wounds. Even having a male nurse carrying me to and from the bathroom to either to bathe me or so I could do my business. My first week was the roughest, having had several sponge baths in bed just to keep the damage down to a minim.

It was nearly a week after the fever was under control and the family and friends were allowed to visit Dad and me without having to wear a mask. It was good to see them and walk around the floor instead of being isolated or having to wear a mask as I walked around the nurse’s station with Dad to get some exercise. The second week was even better. Having the fever completely gone, only too come back three days later with bad flu that was going around. Leaving both me and Dad down in bed and isolated coughing our lungs out, and vomiting everything we ate, bring on freezing chills and high fever. It felt like we were going to die coughing to death or from the pain it caused every time we coughed it racked our bodies cracking open the scabs enough that sometimes it soaked the bandages.

Dad was healing a lot faster than me, had his stitches out a week before I did. Was cleared to go back to work full-time. Leaving me without protection so he could earn money to pay the bills, but I wasn't completely alone. Dad had Scott and Bishop Lanwall taking up their post and sometimes Brother Sakes. To give a break to the other two, while Dad could attend to other things like a job and taking care of the rest of his family. Shane and Kerry would take the weekends and trade off after school. Even Jody took turns every so often. My third week was touch and go. One day I would have a fever and the next day I wouldn't. Plus I was allowed to use the pool once my stitches came out and go outside after two weeks of being cooped up indoors.

The day finally came when I was able to go home that following Saturday. Most of my superficial wounds had healed and were beginning to fade away. It was also the first Sunday that I could wear shoes and socks which only lasted an hour before they rubbed my skin raw causing blisters. Mom and Dad just simply put them in the car allowed me to go barefoot, but I still wasn't allowed to wear a shirt, Mom did try, but soon learned it just made things worst; especially on a hot day.

Mr. Pratt came back and we began my studies outlining a schedule the days he would come and where I would be, so Mom could attend to other things that required her attention. We also made an allowance for me to go to the pool three days week or more as the Doctor suggested. Monday and Friday from 8 to 12; would be my study days with Mr. Pratt leaving me enough homework on the rest of the days to keep me busy.

Which left open Mondays, Wednesday and Friday; I would go to the pool from 1:30 to 3 either with Mom or brother Nile's. I wasn't required a nap as often since the drugs they had given me knocked me out cold nearly every time. I say nearly because sometimes they didn't work and I end up having a night terror. Having Dad and Shane having to tranquilize me or bring me down depending on how bad it was.

Dad and Shane had been busy the last week I was in the hospital laying down cement in one of the rooms down in the basement. Dad figured it was a good time to do it since it left my bed empty because he still didn’t trust Shawn sharing a room with Arthur. Yet Mom was getting closer to her term. Dad didn’t push the issue with me when it came to basements, for now at least. So instead he moved Jared and Jason in the basement having them move in with Shawn. Putting Arthur back into his own room unfinished for now, and bought two new beds; one for Arthur and a new bed for Jason to grow into. Using Jared and Jason's old room put to the new baby in. With new paint and setting up the new crib and filling up with baby items.

Dad set to blaze Arthur’s old bed out in the field as I watched from the window while doing homework. It burned quickly and faster than anything I had ever seen being mostly made out of straw and some cotton, it didn't take long to burn. Personally, it became one less dark secret that I could expose. Like what really happened to my back, and what kind of abusive punishments that all his children had to endure or what kids that he had taken in over the years endured were fading fast like my wounds.

It made mine and Moms day when I could put on a shirt, well a big unbuttoned and un-tucked shirt, but it was better than nothing. I only wore it for meals and church other times like most the boys in the house weren't required, but you know how it goes when summer ends so does the hot temperatures.