Girl Next Door

by Erik Schubach

  I quickly got ready. I felt bad abandoning Daisy, but she wasn't trained enough to go with us, and she would need to get certified first anyway. I made sure she had plenty of food and water. She came bolting back in when she heard me put her kibble dish down. She was munching away when I walked out the front door.

  Robin was already walking over, before I could, she put her hand in the crook of my arm and we made our way to the garage and into the car. I paused when I heard Daisy whimpering through the door into the house. It was heartbreaking. Robin chuckled, “You're a softie Bran.”

  I tried to sound indignant, “I have no clue what you are talking about.”

  She gave a self-satisfied smile, “Well since I can hear Daisy and you haven't started the car... I think it is sweet.”

  I blushed and started the car and pulled out. As the garage door closed behind us, I reached over and grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “And you, my dear Goldilocks are mean.”

  She scrunched her nose cutely. “It's all part of my charm.” Damn, she was right.

  When we arrived at the hospital, I parked beside Mom's car, she was waiting for us. I was surprised when Lessa got out of the car with her instead of mother. It was rare for Lessa to accompany us in our rounds at the hospitals or the homeless shelters anymore. Mom always grins when it is pointed out and says, “She is living HER life.” But Less still made an effort a couple times a month because she truly believed it was important.

  We all hugged, and mom started unloading puppies and bibbing and leashing them. I looked around. “Where are the volunteers? Mom grinned, “I told them we had this. There are four of us after all.” Lessa just nodded once staunchly.

  Then I asked, “Where's mother?”

  Mom replied quickly, “She's down in Vancouver till later, Mandy Harris is pitching an idea to her.”

  To Robin's credit, she didn't raise an eyebrow at the mention of Mandy Harris. Oh, of course, she was friends with her daughter, June.

  Mom just kept handing out leashes until we all had four except her. She had three then she cleared her throat as she continued to hold the door open. She cleared her throat again and finally old Fang hopped out. Mom gave him such a loving look as she clipped a leash on him. I couldn't stop an excited smile. It was rare for him to “come to work” anymore, but it was an extreme treat to watch the old pro in action and he was a favorite of the wards.

  I grinned at Mom's troop, trusty ol' Fang, handsome Monster Junior, Lilac, and Begonia. It still amazed me she has time for these personal appearances. She said, “Let's go make some smiles.” We all nodded and Robin flicked out her cane and put the hand with the four leashes in the crook of my arm.

  Once we got in the corridor, Mom, Less and I all automatically stopped and got our disinfectant wipes out of our hip packs and started cleaning fuzzy feet. I explained to Robin what we were doing. Once that was done we went to the terminal children's cancer ward.

  I took the leashes from Robin for a moment and placed Robin's hand on the wall placard for her to feel the braille. Then returned the leashes to her. She had a sad look on her face and I whispered, “Don't let them see that, always smile no matter what. It is important.” She nodded once in understanding and forced a smile as we entered the ward.

  It always amazes me. I swear to all that is holy that these dogs are smarter than we give them credit for. It's like they put on a professional demeanor here, they know they are here to work. They all sat down right after Fang did. Then Lessa was about to give the command for the dogs to howl a greeting. But then her eyes landed on Fang and her look softened and she got her signature smirk on her face and said instead, “Fang announce!”

  Ever the consummate pro, Fang regally lifted his chin and let out the cutest howl, like a tiny wolf. Robin was startled by the answering howl and laughter of almost a dozen children. Then mom said quietly, “Announce.” And sixteen howls hit a counterpoint to the howling of the children.

  Curtains were being pulled aside and adults and children were poking their heads out. A nurse with strong Hispanic features, Angel, came out of one of the curtains and smiled at us. “Oh Sandra, and Fang! It is always a pleasure.” She walked the circuit with us and we explained everything to Robin as we went, telling her the important commands were 'cuddle' after which the dog would curl in an be still with a child while they petted it... and 'go get' him or her.

  She smiled. “Like we are doing with Daisy.”

  I nodded with a smile. “Exactly.”

  The bedridden children would get a dog with a 'cuddle' and the children that could stand on their own got a dog with a 'go get' command. We visited with each child and each parent or set of parents. Then we had to rush to the next with mom apologizing for rushing but we came late so we didn't even have a couple hours to make rounds.

  One little seven year old girl, Carolyn, was unconscious, whether from exhaustion or the drugs. The almost haunted look Angel gave us told us Carolyn most likely would not last the night. I started breathing faster and faster while keeping my practiced smile on my face, the anxiety and anger and sadness were hitting me like a wall. How can life possibly be so unfair? But then there were two hands on me, calming me. One from Robin and one from Less, who was looking over at Robin with a tinge of amazement as I relaxed and pulled myself together.

  Then Robin collapsed her cane and put it in her waistband then bent down and unclipped her last dog, Buttercup. She hoisted her and put a hand out. I guided it to the bed and released her. She put Buttercup on the bed with Carolyn and said, “Buttercup cuddle.” Buttercup cuddled in and Robin put one of Carolyn's little arms around the dog. The girl's parents smiled then the mother buried her head into her husband's shoulder, silently crying.

  We visited with them for a minute then excused ourselves with the last six dogs. Robin gave Carolyn's mother a reassuring squeeze of the hand as we left.

  As soon as we got out in the hall, Robin put her back to the wall and exhaled and seemed to get much smaller. Her smoky voice was rough suddenly, “How can you women do this? You have more strength than me. My heart feels like it is breaking.” She seemed so strong and calm in the ward... but she felt... she felt like I did every time?

  I took her hand and pulled her into a hug and I could feel her ragged breathing as I said softly, “Because we can bring a smile to their faces, give them a moment of happiness when everything seems so dark. That one moment makes it all worth it if we can make them forget and be happy if only for an instant. We remind them that they are not their disease, nor are they defined by it.”

  Mom was nodding and Lessa had her studying and calculating look on her face as she looked at Robin and me. What, woman? She just nodded and looked away.

  We started down the corridor and I told Robin, “The next stop will make you smile, I promise.” She took a deep cleansing breath and my pillar of strength stood up tall and nodded once in resolve. She took out her cane and extended it with a flick of her wrist and said almost musically, “Lead the way.”

  I placed her hand on the next placard for the recovery ward. The atmosphere was always one hundred percent different in here. There was a positive energy, the vibe of hope, happiness, and love of life.

  We waved at the nurses at the nurses station and Mom strode in like a superstar and was already saying, “Announce!” before the doors were closed behind us. The howling of the dogs was echoed by the children and a couple of them excitedly ran out from behind their curtains. None of the volunteers or employees of the Callahan Foundation had the flair or sheer presence that Sandra Callahan possessed when she was with 'her children.' It made me proud each time I saw it. She was seriously like a rock star here. Everyone loved her!

  She passed out hugs and cheek kisses like cookies to anyone who wanted one. Then she had the dogs 'go get' various children who's turn it was for a dog. She was down to Fang, who every child wanted, but Mom was adamant that he went to Dezzie. This ward was always in motion, recovering children or kids coming
in for follow-up treatment or checkups. They were the warriors who fought and beat cancer.

  We made our way to the end to Dezzie's curtain. She would be going home today. This is the person I wanted so badly to meet Robin. Dezzie had been in and out of hospitals the past three years of her life, that is a big chunk of a nine year old's memory. She fought lung cancer and beat it into remission. Then she had a relapse, it caused her to lose her vision. But she beat it again. Now she is so angry all the time.

  I stopped Robin before we were half way to the back and explained it to her, then added, “I understand if you don't want to come in with us.” She simply rolled her eyes and started dragging me after mom.

  We all went in and greeted Dezzie and her parents, Anna-Lynn and Robert. Dezzie ignored us as the nurse finished up taking her vitals.

  I said to Dezzie, “Don't you want to say hello to Robin?”

  Dezzie spat out, “Who cares? Just another person to gawk at the blind girl.” She was so full of venom. She was forced to grow up way too fast and always sounded older than she really was.

  Robin chuckled and the little redheaded girl hissed out, “You think this is funny?”

  Robin said to nobody in particular a patronizing tone almost like she was prodding her, “So much anger.”

  I tried to diffuse the situation. “Robin is an artist, Dezzie. A painter. A famous one.”

  The little girl spat out, “Who thinks it is fun to tease a blind girl.”

  Robin shrugged and said, “No, not particularly. I understand your anger, but believe me, it isn’t like your life is over. It will get better.”

  The girl said to her incredulously, “What, are you blind? Can't you see that I can't? First cancer steals my childhood, then my eyesight.”

  Robin lost the condescending tone and suddenly her tone was serious. “Yes... I am.”

  Dezzie squinted and asked, “Am what?”

  Robin said plainly, “Blind.”

  At that, Dez paused, then Robin smiled in her general direction. “But unlike you, I don't know what it is that I am missing since I was born blind. Maybe we can talk for a minute and we can share our perspectives with each other?”

  Dezzie seemed to not know what to say, so she just asked, “You can paint?”

  Robin chuckled a sweet laugh. “Of course I can paint. Is that a yes? I think someone else is here to see you.”

  Dezzie looked around with unseeing eyes and mom said, “Fang.”

  The girl couldn't stop a smile. “Fang is here?”

  Mom unclipped Fang and said, “Go get her.”

  Fang trotted up to her and started trying to get into her lap, she bent and scooped him up and buried her face in his fur and came up smiling. She immediately put her scowl back on as she absently ran her fingers through Fang's fur. She turned her head toward Robin. “I... I could talk with you... alone.” Then she turned a glare to the room. We all got the hint and everyone including her parents filed out. I whispered in Robin's ear, “Thank you. We're going to the children's burn ward. You can come find us when you are done or I'll come for you after we finish.”

  She simply nodded at me then moved her cane until she struck another chair and pulled it beside Dezzie and sat down beside her. I had given her one last look before I exited to catch up with Mom and Less.

  My sister gave me a cockeyed look as she said, “Look at you being all sneaky. That was a stunt worthy of me.” Mom was beaming.

  I turned my head away from them and raised my chin. “I have no idea what you two are insinuating.”

  One of the nurses joined us at the burn ward as we all donned hairnets, booties and paper gowns. We scrubbed our hands in the sink then went into the positive pressure ward. When mom chimed out, “Oh my, I wonder if anyone is in here.” I had to smile at the little cheers of welcome.

  We did our rounds of the children then we sang some songs as Lessa played the beat up guitar they kept in the ward. We grinned at all the famous singer's signatures on the instrument, mother's was there, right up front in her loopy writing 'Penny Franklin', with the little kitty head dotting the i. I marveled at my sister's voice. She really sang a lot like mother. I knew that in another year or two she would secure a recording contract of her own, on her own merits. Daughter of a legend or no.

  Just as we were leaving the ward, we saw Robin on the arm of a candy-striper heading our way with Fang on his leash. As soon as Fang started tugging on the leash, Robin's smile bloomed. “Ladies?”

  I took the place of the candy-striper and placed Robin's hand where it belonged... in the crook of my arm and said, “Hiya Goldilocks.”

  She bumped shoulders with me then said with humor in her voice, “Hi Bran. That was a shameless abuse of neighbor power back there.”

  I grinned and said, “As I have already told these two evil woman, I haven't a clue what you are talking about.”

  Then her voice softened, “She has so much anger to work through. Someone that young should never have to go through the things she has. Her parents are getting her a therapist, I think that will be good in the long run. But after talking to me and realizing that maybe her life isn't over just because she can't see... I think she's going to be ok eventually.”

  Then she added, “Oh... and you will most certainly pay for that Bran. When you least expect it.” Then she laid her head cutely on my shoulder as we walked. I nodded to nobody in particular. Yes, evil geniuses usually wind up paying for it. Then I leaned my head on the top of hers as we walked.

  Mom and Lessa had smug looks on their faces. I'll have to ask Less about it tonight. Then my blondie asked, “Is that it? I'm emotionally drained. Can we go home now?” I nodded on top of her head as we walked and she gave a squeeze of my arm in thanks as we went to collect the rest of Mom's fuzzy minions.

  Chapter 8 – Mia Jacobs

  The rest of the week flew by. My cute blonde companion always harping on me to take time for myself. We seemed connected, with her hand in my arm, every second we were alone together. I actually had a chance to meet the mysterious Annette. She was a dark haired, middle aged woman who was snarky and full of delightful sarcasm.

  I had been shopping my revised senior project idea around at a few technical colleges for my senior project. I only had three years to work on it, and for what I had in mind, that might not be enough time. Tech college after tech college told me what I wanted to accomplish was impossible. The resolution required just wasn't there with traditional products. Possibly in another fifty years or so.

  I wasn't deterred. When I shared my idea with June when she was over at Conrnfed Potatoes, she comically said, “I got this shit.”

  Which just put Kylee Nelson into a laughing fit, sputtering out, “You sound just like your mother June!” This only encouraged the force of nature that was June Harris-West, causing her smile to double.

  She got me into contact with the man responsible for creating the advanced prosthetic foot that Skylar from Satin Thunder wears. His name is Tim Phearson, from Pherson Prosthetics and Robotics.

  I laid out my ideas and how everyone said that it was impossible. His voice seemed to tremble with excitement at that. When he asked why they said it was impossible, I told him because they couldn't get the resolution needed at that scale. He chuckled and said, “Then why do it at that scale and limit themselves?” He shared something with me at that point that I still use as my motto to this day, “It is only impossible until someone does it.”

  We found that the time constraint was limiting, he couldn't devote his company resources to it no matter how exciting it was. Plus, it was a multi-million dollar project. But he did admit that the return on it if it was made commercially available was potentially huge. I perked up, remembering my trust account. “What if we become partners on the project? I can invest fifty thousand per month into development for the next three years.” That would still leave money to dedicate to the Callahan Foundation each month.

  We sealed the deal and then Tim and I were partner
s on the endeavor. He hired another engineer for his company to pick up the slack for him then devoted his time personally to my project because he found it so challenging and exciting. I really like that man! While he worked out the details on the project, we hired a three man crew to develop the portable high resolution 3D scanners we would need for the other part of the project.

  Once we had the scanners, then my part of the project, and probably the most difficult part of it, would begin. I was up for it though, it was such an exciting concept and I'm sure most of the museums would be thrilled to participate. I started cataloging the masterpieces I wanted included in my “book”.

  Whenever Robin would ask about what I was working on I would just say, “Just my book on the masters you encouraged me to do for my senior thesis.”

  I was at her place Friday night, we were on the couch. I was sitting there with my iPad, reading up on some of the works of art I wanted to be cataloged while Robin lay draped across the couch with her head in my lap while she listened to another one of her paranormal fantasy books. I absently ran my fingers through her hair while she cutely smiled and cuddled in. Daisy was curled up on her stomach asleep.

  When her cuckoo clock tweeted once, she stretched one hand out to the coffee and patted until she found her iPad and hit the home button until it chimed, “Pause.”

  Then she was reaching back with both hands and gently tickling my ribs. I was grinning and squirming as she said in her low smokey voice, “Eleven-thirty Bran. Time for bed. I'm actually starting to keep regular hours with you around. Besides I know you like taking Lessa's midnight call in private.”

  I gave her an, “Awwww... but mooooom,” that made her grin and scrunch up her nose, which only made me smile. I shut off my iPad then sighed and giggled out, “You'll have to move if you want to get rid of me Goldilocks.”

  She snuggled in again. “I'm so comfy here, but fine...” She carefully lifted Daisy and sat up, placing her in her lap.