Hidden Burdens (working title)

Chapter Fourteen

Later that night, at bedtime, Kayla came in and sat on Kimmy's bed, asking for permission to do so first. Kayla then showed Kimmy the ear plugs she had ordered, demonstrating how they fit gently inside the ear with no pain.

"Would you like to try them?" She asked after she finished.

Kimmy shrugged with hesitation. Fears raced through her mind. What if the ear plugs got stuck? Then she would never be able to hear again. Then that thought led to what if there was a fire during the night and she never heard the smoke alarm. By the time they realized Kimmy hadn't gotten out, it would be too late, and she burned to death.

Kimmy eventually snapped out of her thoughts, realizing she had been staring at the ear plug in Kayla's hand.

Kayla might have sensed her fear because she admitted to looking at noise canceling headphones. Not the ones that someone listens to music with. These would only block out sound. "I figured those would be uncomfortable to sleep with." She asked if Kimmy would prefer the over the ear headphones instead. 

But Kimmy could only shrug. She slept with headphones on before, to listen to music without her mom turning it off when she thought Kimmy was asleep. If only she could have the tablet at night.

Kayla asked, "What do you think we could do?"

She just continued to shrug because ideas never really came to mind easily.

Since Kimmy didn't have any ideas, Kayla offered to let her sleep downstairs on the couch for the night and she would order a pair of headphones.

She was afraid at first to sleep down there alone, but felt better when Samson laid down on the floor between the couch and ottoman. The dog had his own access to the backyard, so he pretty much always had free access of the house, twenty-four/seven.

Kayla made sure Kimmy had a pillow and blanket, and showed her the downstairs bathroom across from the stairs she thought was a closet since no one went in there. To Kimmy's knowledge, anyway.

Kimmy fell asleep holding her rabbit in one arm and dangling her other arm over the edge of the couch, petting Samson. She was surprised how long he stayed. Their dog, Archie, changed spots several times throughout the night. If Samson moved, it was long after Kimmy was asleep.

Kimmy still was awakened by everyone the next morning, but at least they did not cause her another heart attack. She briefly felt Ben checking on her, then woke up later to everyone else.

She pushed herself up to sit on her legs and peered around the room. Once Kimmy rubbed the sleep away, she tossed back the blanket and headed for the downstairs bathroom.

Ben was calling up to the older girls when Kimmy shut off the bathroom light. "Morning, kiddo," he greeted and asked if she slept okay down there.

She nodded.

He offered her a breakfast burrito to eat first before Kimmy went upstairs to get dressed for the day.

-- & --

Ben had to get Kimmy enrolled in school to start on Monday, so Mary was the last to get dropped off that morning. They parted ways with her as she headed for her homeroom, while Ben and Kimmy headed to the front office.

The receptionist sitting at the front desk already knew him, greeting him as such. He introduced her to Kimmy.

"Hello, Kimmy. Nice to meet you." The lady wore purple framed glasses with the outer, top corners pointed out. The lighting from the ceiling reflected off the lens, blocking most of her eyes.