✅ Over Protected

14. Detectives Discuss Theories

"She what?" I asked, not quite able to believe what I was hearing.

"Sarah wet herself," Madison repeated. "First period yesterday. You didn't know?"

"She didn't say anything, but Mum seemed really mad with her in the evening. I guess... But how did that happen?"

"That's not been her problem?" This time, Madison seemed almost as confused as I was. "I assumed she was like me, she tried to go without protection because she didn't want people to see them in her bag, or something."

"No, it's... Okay, I can probably tell you she's had this virus that's been on the news. We think I did too, but I was lucky enough to escape the worst symptoms. But that's only when you're asleep isn't it? I didn't know it had happened in the day. That's like, is there anything that causes that?"

"Damage to some ligaments. The muscles too, I guess. But there'd have to be an injury there. I hadn't thought about this virus. But hell... I don't want her to suffer like I did. That's why after it happened, I've been looking up all different things that can cause it. Looking for an excuse she can use to say it was a one off. The bullies won't let it go, but then she could get some sympathy. I don't want her to be treated like... well, like I was."

I nodded when I heard that, but wondered if she'd thought so much about her own thoughts. She said that she wanted to help Sarah, and maybe she did. But at the same time, I had to wonder if in some way this was her attempt to cure herself. From everything she'd told me, Madison had regained control of her bladder a long time ago, but it still weighed on her mind that it had taken her so long. Maybe being able to find the answers for somebody else in the same position was a kind of substitute for the answers she hadn't found for herself a couple of years ago.

"Well, she's already got this book," I mumbled. "If she remembers to follow the instructions, it might help her get back to normal sooner. It's really hard to read, though."

"I think I know the one," she laughed. "It's amazing they can make so much money publishing a book where you have to go back and read every page a dozen times just to get what it's saying. But at the support group, I think everybody was on the same book. I mean, I guess there aren't that many girls our age who have that problem, so not many people want to write about it. But still..."

"Yeah," I said. "But there's another one too, you know? I saw it in Mum's room when she was talking to me this morning. Maybe... I think it's something like the one that Sarah's trying to read through is all optimistic, so reading it is like filled with affirmations. And the other one is for parents, and that one's more realistic. Like maybe it tells you how to work out how long this will take, and Mum doesn't want Sarah to look at it because she knows it will depress her if the book says it'll take her months to get better." I thought about Mum, sliding the book out of sight behind some stuff on her dresser when she saw me looking at it. There had to be some reason for the secrecy, right? If Sarah wasn't ready to face the truth about her own problem, maybe she thought the same would apply to me.

"Well, maybe that'll help. I mean, if we can take a look at that, it might give us a starting point. Some advice we can give her. I mean... I think your mum thinks Sarah's still a little kid, but she's pretty... You know, pretty mature. She might do better if she knew the whole truth."

"I'll take a look," I said. But I knew that Mum wouldn't want to talk to Sarah. This whole situation had given her an excuse to treat Sarah like a baby again, and I could see that she wouldn't want to give that up. Even silly little things like all those different wipes, and not telling Sarah which ones she was using. It was just a token gesture so Mum would feel like she was in charge, making all the choices for her baby. Like she hadn't been able to do when we were little because she was working a couple of jobs to make ends meet.