Forlot: My Little Worry Worm - Book Eighty-Six

Chapter Two

"It was just a nurse, honey," Dad said in a soft tone. He squeezed my hand. "He asked you if you wanted candy from the candy jar. I thought that you would take one."

I kept looking straight ahead - in case that one or more people appeared in front of us and tried robbing us. Or worse. I would escape and hide like the worried person that I am. I did not want anything traumatic to happen to me. I did not want to be troubled by a horrible event for the rest of my life. I was not ready for death.

"You and Mom taught me to never take candies or toys from strangers. I do not want to be kidnapped."

My parents and I were moving down the sidewalk back home and discussing my freakout at the hospital. I had screamed when a nurse came in without knocking. The nerve. I panicked, assuming that it was a thief or serial killer, and pried the stethoscope off Dr. O'Fallon. Then I threw it at the nurse. It hit him directly in the eye. He cried out and staggered back, but managed to not drop the jar filled to the brim with candy.

You cannot begin to imagine how embarrassed I was. I wanted to never show my face in Forlot - to the world - again. But in my defense...he never knocked. Who goes in a room without knocking? People who want to harm you.

My parents were on either side of me while holding my hands. Mom smiled and explained how all doctors and nurses are our friends. They are here to assist folks like me. They want the best for us so we can live a long and healthy life.

"But I am healthy," I insisted. "I am perfectly healthy. I have no viruses or cancer. So why are you and O'Fallon not treating me like it?"

"Health covers more than physical, Daria," Dad stated. "There is also mental. People must be in the right state of mind to be declared healthy."

I stopped walking. They did too and gazed down at me.

My breath suddenly caught in my throat. I stared hard at them for what felt like years before finding the right words. "You...you think that I am crazy? You think that I lost it? I should have known. Y-you are not taking me to the mental asylum, are you? Please, no. Do not send me to that place. I promise to be better. I promise to be on my best behavior. Just do not send me there."

Dad patted my back before they kept walking. I did not want to until they gave me an answer, but because they were holding my hands, I had no other choice. I looked at the houses to our left and saw ours only a few blocks away. I let out a long whoosh of air. We were almost to home sweet home. I could not wait to leave the horrors of the outside world and be in the safety of my room.

But would I leave my bedroom later today or sometime soon to be admitted to the mental asylum?

Mom finally said, "Of course not, Daria. That asylum is for people with mental illnesses. Most of those lead the individual to hurt themselves or others. But you do not have a mental illness. You are only letting your anxiety control you. You have no intention of harming yourself or anyone else."

My lips trembled. "What...what about what I did to the nurse? He has a swollen eye now thanks to me."

Dad let go of my hand before wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "You were protecting yourself. It is not a sin to stay safe. And like you said, he never knocked on the door. At least that he understood the circumstance. I would have socked him right in the mouth if he yelled at you."

"Then your bottom would have been hauled off to jail," Mom argued. "You can get through life without getting in fights."

"Says the girl who knocked out another girl with only a fist to the face."

I felt my body relaxing. Chatting with my parents eases my thinking. I do not know if it applies to friends too. I have none because I am too paranoid to make any. I do not want to be friends with some killer who will end up stealing my life. Being friendless is a small price to pay to stay alive as long as I can.

Mom closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. "How many times must I tell you to not bring that up? I want to leave it in the past."

"You knocked someone out, Mom? I did not know that you had it in you."

She opened her eyes. "It was when I was a kid. I do not remember how old I was. But I was still maturing."

I hesitated. "...who did you knock out?"

Her cheeks turned bright red. "Oh, sweetie. You do not need to know."

I pouted. "If you do not spill...I will...uh...I will..." I was unable to come up with anything. My mind was blank.

"Tell her, honey," Dad said to her. "If you do not, I will. Nothing horrible came of it."

Mom frowned at him. "I nearly broke her nose. If I did, her parents would have sued. Thank goodness that she did not suffer any injuries."

I stopped strolling again and tugged on their sleeves so they would do the same. "I am not taking another step. Not until you tell me who the girl is."

Dad opened his mouth, but Mom said, "I will tell her. I cannot keep it from her forever since that witch lives in Forlot now. But if she goes after you or Daria...I will do what I can to protect you."

That is when I met her.