Adopted

Chapter 53

Brendon's POV

Watching Jess with her friends made my heart swell. They were such great kids. They didn't care about her diagnosis beyond being upset she hadn't told them initially.

The three kids sat on and around her bed, filled her in on what was happening at school, including the fallout from her beating. It sounded like most of the school, who now knew about her diagnosis, didn't care and were eager to see her back at school.

I watched my daughter's eyes light up when her friends told her funny stories. I heard her laugh. Something I was not so sure we were going to hear again so easily.

Jess was so comfortable with these kids. I knew that when she was ready to go back to school, she would be safe with them.

What troubled me was whether she would be able to go back to school. So far she hadn't been able to decipher written words. Sarah had found her squinting at the Get Well card on her wall and she told me that Andy and Joe had brought her some books which she'd squinted and frowned at, but hadn't even tried to open and read.

The doctor thought it could be residual healing and the medications messing up her processing speed but I still worried that there was some damage that would require a lot of work. She was such a voracious reader before, I would hate for that to have been taken from her.

———-
Sarah's POV

I drove back to the hospital after cleaning myself up from Jessica's unsuccessful attempt at eating with her left hand and taking a quick nap. The dogs were still at Zack and Kala's so I didn't have to worry about them.

I grabbed some things from Jess's room that I thought she might like. Her Switch and her computer. I'd spoken to the school and a couple of her teachers were going to come by and try to help her catch up some. For the most part, they wanted her to concentrate on getting better. It's still early in the year, they'd said.

I was walking down the hallway to Jess's room, said hello to the nurses. I could hear laughing coming from her room. What on earth?

I walked in and saw three teenagers sitting on and around Jess's bed. I recognized Paige, but not the other two.

"Hi, Mom!" Jess said as she saw me come in the room. She was smiling. It was so nice to see.

"This is Astrid, and this is Joshua, he's adopted, too. But he was adopted as a baby. And you know Paige," she said brightly.

"Nice to meet you all," I said. They all said hi back. I sat beside Brendon and just watched our daughter with her friends. If it weren't for the bandages on her head, the tube coming out of her side, and her IV, you'd think it was a group of teenagers hanging out in their friend's bedroom. Albeit a fairly depressing bedroom if someone decorated it like a hospital room

"I think she's going to be okay," B said quietly in my ear.

"I'm worried about the reading," I whispered back.

"We'll work on that with her while we're here," he said. "When her friends leave."

I nodded.

"Where's Kevin, anyway?" Jess asked her friends.

"He had to go down to San Diego for the weekend to see his grandparents. He told us to say hi. He texted you but, well, where's your phone?" Astrid said.

"Mom? Do you know where my phone is?" She asked me.

"I'm sorry honey, I don't. Did you have it in your pocket or your school bag?" I asked.

I watched her frown and try to think.

"Pretty sure it was in my bag because I had PE last," she said.

"Then I think it's still at school. I don't remember what happened to your school bag," I admitted.

"Ms. Abigail has it, I think," Paige said. "She picked up a bag after the ambulance left. I think it was yours."

"Mystery solved," I smiled at my daughter. She wanted her phone to check texts, but couldn't even read. I'm not sure she even put two and two together. I wasn't going to push her.

"I need a coffee. Anybody want anything?" Brendon said standing up and stretching. "I'm going to Starbucks downstairs. So place your orders now."

"Can I have a hot chocolate?" Jess asked.

"As long as you don't throw it on anyone," B grinned at her. She rolled her eyes. Typical teenager. I smiled.

"I'll have a camomile tea, please. With honey, honey," I smiled.

"Not sugar, sugar?" He leaned over me and gave me a kiss.

"Oh god you two!" Jessica said. "Not in front of my friends! So gross."

Our Jessica was coming back.

"You kids want anything?" B asked.

"I'll take a grande soy latte, thank you," Astrid said.

"I'm okay, thanks," Joshua said.

"You sure? My treat," B said.

"I'm sure. Thanks though."

"Paige?" He asked.

"Um, a vanilla latte, please? Small. Tall. Whatever Starbucks calls small," she blushed.

"He doesn't bite," Jess said to Paige, who was still getting used to Jessie's famous father.

"Alright. I'll be back as soon as possible."

B left the room and left me with the four teenagers. I just sat back and watched my still bruised daughter just enjoy time with friends who didn't care that she was sick, didn't care that currently, she had a black eye and stitches on her forehead or that she had tubes still coming out of everywhere. They just wanted to help their friend feel better.