SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER:

---Merida’s POV---

I thought my first room was huge, but no, my new room is twice as big. It even came with guests’ rooms, which Ericson and Mi automatically fought over. Though Mama Lola killed that, after reminding Mi he had to go home at night. Lucy tried to ask if she could stay but Mama Ang just looked to her. It was really funny to watch my friends grumble about how unfair it was. My other friends were in awe of my new room and goofed around.

Crispin didn’t like Chad and Steve rough housing but with Peter around today, they only had to be called out twice before he distracted them. I don’t know how he knew but he brought his gaming system. So, they were fighting in Mortal Kombat now, using the other tv in the room.

Yep, my room had two tvs, which meant more fun if there was another system. I was itching to join but I had guests, so I held back. Until a controller was dropped in my lap that’s when I noticed the new Nintendo 64 system hooked to the tv near me. I just smiled and challenged everyone.

That’s how my week went. Everyone would visit me after school, and I mean everyone. Even Cathy visited and brought me some of my classwork. Mrs. Fitch, I knew was going to check on me, came and brought me more of my classwork but she ended up speaking with Ericson before leaving. That means she knows who they are and probably who I am now. But that was just my opinion as I wasn’t able to confirm anything

My sis Maeva stopped by when she could, which was usually around lunch time, and sometimes she even brought lunch. Though yesterday night, Friday, she stopped by for dinner and brought my favorite; stuffed flounder with crab, mashed potatoes with the works, and steamed broccoli. I was over the moon to get some real food but to also challenge her to her a game. Except she refused Mortal Kombat so we raced on Super Mario Kart. That night we had a marathon of who can and can’t drive in the Mario world.

I didn’t get to speak much with Ericson because I had a lot of unexpected guests. Like Mr. Walker and his supervisor, they wanted to confirm what I had confessed to on Wednesday and plus check what other falsehoods my parents had passed as needed resources. I didn’t know my family was receiving help from the government or that my dad I had lied to the government about our household needs. I couldn’t say much about the income for I still didn’t know what my dad did for a living. To me he just hangs out at the gym all day.

Then there were the visits from Tribal Chief attorney Anderson, who wasn’t happy about my condition or being lied to by my parents. Yeah, turns out he has been calling to arrange another meeting, but my parents had given lies about where I was, they even lied on Tuesday. I was here in the hospital and my parents lied to him about it.

Plus, I started physical therapy when I got to my new room on Wednesday. I mean I didn’t walk but the therapist tested my range of motion on my legs and left arm. Turns out my legs didn’t need casts; they were placed on to provide support as they watched for any fractures or breaks in my bones. Not sure what exactly happened but one nurse mentioned how my first scans showed signs of fractures in my femurs and tiny cracks in my ankles. Though it was my knees everyone was worried about, for the doctor feared my tendons in my knees had detached or hanging on by a thread. The theories changed day by day, only by the weekend did they finally say I can walk.

The casts were taken off, but the splints remained to ensure I didn’t tax my muscles or sprain the tendons in my knees. I was given exercises, but I mostly stayed in bed and played Mortal Kombat or practiced my driving in Super Mario Kart. Sarah remained by my side, while Ericson and Crispin took turns running errands or just leaving to deal with whatever they were planning. I knew without them saying or me asking them. Plus, Nadia came up once but only to tell me to beat their butts, then she was silent, except now I could feel her. I don’t know if my family ever came to visit for no one mentioned it or asked me about them visiting.

But the most surprising visitors came late on Saturday night. “Hey Meri, are you up for some last-minute guests?” Ms. Theresa asked me as she stuck her head in the room.

“Yeah, it’s kewl!” I said as a paused the game story and set the controller aside. Sarah was reading a book Ericson brought for her, she didn’t get up from the crouch, just set the book aside.

Seeing us ready, she opened the door and two people walked in with her. One of them being the nurse James and a woman.

“Hey, I don’t know if you remember me, but I am James and we met in the elevator on Wednesday.” He said as he approached me. “This is my friend Theo. She wanted to come by and speak with you.”

“James told me what you said, and I wanted to talk to you!” Theo asked me as she sat down next to me. I was very surprised to see she was light-skinned and how young looking she is. Tom most likely attacked her since I had escaped. “I just really wanted to know how you decided to testify. Cause they want me too as well.”

“I decided to speak because someone dear to me said that keeping silent is like not existing. I don’t want to be nonexistent anymore. Though I am still learning about speaking up on all the wrongs around me but testifying was the first…” I pause as I think of what Nadia said, “testifying is the first step in finding your voice. Because you have a lot of people who will listen to you and help you express yourself to the fullest.”

“Wait do you mean help you with the words or what you say?” James asks as he steps closer to us.

“James don’t be stupid!” Theo gasps as she elbows him. “She means in speaking clearly or loud enough for others to understand. Right?”

Nodding as I looked to my hands, “Your right. At first when my big sister Maeva…”

“She means Detective Drew.” Sarah pipped in as she joined me on the bed.

“Oh yeah Detective Drew had to really work with me for months to get me to speak up so she could even get my name, not that she didn’t know it, but she wanted me to say it.” Thinking about that time I smiled, then hearing the door open I looked at it to see Crispin returning with our snacks. “Sis Maeva told me I had a beautiful voice and should share it with others. She also is the one to get me into Mortal Kombat and taught me how to play. Though now a days she refuses to battle me, instead she races me on Super Mario Kart!”

“That’s because you wipe the floors with everyone with Mortal Kombat. But don’t know your left from your right in Super Mario!” Crispin adds as he puts the snacks on the table.

“You can’t speak blockhead, since you don’t even know the buttons on the controllers for either game.” Sara pipes out, making everyone laugh.

“Thanks…” Theo starts but I interrupt, “Meri. My name is Merida, but we are friends so call me Meri.” Theo smiled and thanked me again and then she and James’s left. I hope I get to see her again. Especially when I have to be at the courthouse.