Tuesday, 30 October
Dr. Remfeld's office within the UCSF Pediatric Autism and Neurology Clinic was painted in calming tones of pale greens and blues. The furniture was casual and well upholstered, similar to what one would find in an upscale resort. Colorful learning toys were scattered about in order to entice the children whose parents waited anxiously for assurance that their children were all right.
Had her mind not been so shocked at the results of Dante's tests, had her heart not been breaking from the doctor's assessment—that Dante would never feel joy or love like other children—Lorna might have certainly been more appreciative of the setting.
Well, now she knew why Dante was oblivious to it as well.
As the doctor explained that Dante's tests had indicated autism, she realized all her hopes and dreams for him would never come true.
"He's too young for us to determine the severity of his disorder." Dr. Remfeld's voice was soft and soothing for the life sentence he'd just delivered. "We'll test him every three months. And there are simple exercises you can do with him that may strengthen his cognitive responses. These only improve his rote skills, but still—"
Lorna nodded, as if to show she understood what he was saying.
Did it matter? The bottom line was Dante didn't belong.
He'd never belong. Anywhere.
She didn't know how she was going to break that news to Matt.
Of course once she did, he'd tell Eleanor, his rock, his place for solace.
When that happened, Dante would no longer be her favorite.
And Bettina would use Dante's affliction to kick them out of the club; to have him ostracized in the eyes of the other mothers and children.
Lorna couldn't let that happen.
Now she had the most important reason in the world to stay on Bettina's good side: for Dante's sake.
She'd keep the news to herself. Even Matt couldn't know. For now, anyway.
She'd wait for just the right time to tell him.
The thought that one could ever presume there might be a "right time" to hear your child had a neurological disorder that would keep him from living a normal life had her convulsing with laughter. By the time her hysteria gave way to tears and curses, a nurse was knocking on the door asking if there was anything she could do to help.
Lorna already knew the answer to that.
(c) 2013 Josie Brown. Publish by Signal Press. All Rights Reserved.
Love it? Vote for it! And guess what? I publish a new chapter every Friday. This is the first of EIGHT books in the Totlandia Series.
You can also download Totlandia Book 1 for free in iBooks, Amazon, and Kobo. 99 cents in BN. Books 2-8 are only $2.99 each.
And if you go to my website and sign up for my eLetter, you get a free book: HOLLYWOOD WHORE. https://www.josiebrown.com
CITEȘTI
Totlandia - Book 1 / The Onesies
Dragoste#Watty2016 A NEW CHAPTER EVERY FRIDAY The salacious secrets of Desperate Housewives meet the aspirational lifestyles of Sex and the City in San Francisco's most elite mommies group. In this sometimes bittersweet (and always humorous) novel, the frie...
