Lost and Found (12 page)

Noelle nodded, putting her toy down and picking up the bouquet. She sniffed the flowers as she arranged them one by one in a pretty crystal vase. They were too pretty to die, she thought, touching their petals. She yelped as a thorn caught her finger. She glared at the rose.

Except you. You can die for all I care
, her thoughts raged.
Stupid flower
.

Lance walked in the door just as she stuck her finger in her mouth. He handed her the bunny as tears threatened to spill, then pulled her finger out of her mouth. He looked at it, then kissed the tip. “There you go, all better. Why are you out of your room?”

“I came down to tell Aunt Kathy I was sorry and to fix her tummy.”

“Fix her tummy?”

“So she could have babies. She let me help in the kitchen, too. Uncle Todd brought her flowers, but that one bit me,” she pointed to the rose.

“As much as we would all love Aunt Kathy to have babies, I’m afraid it’s impossible.

You were sweet for thinking of it, though. How’s your bottom?”

“I didn’t make the hurt go away.”

What did she mean by that?
Lance chose to go with it, “Good, because when you’re punished you need to feel it for a while to remember your lesson. Hey, Todd, how was your day?” he asked, sitting down and holding Noelle snugly between his knees as he wrapped his long arms around her.

“Better than yours. Did Alan call you?”

“I haven’t checked my voice mail. What’s up?”

“We got the hearing moved up to Thursday, thanks to your friend, Lou. He called to tell me about the, uh, individual seeking information.”

“Noelle, would you please help Aunt Kathy? Uncle Todd and I need to talk about some things in my office.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

Lance took Todd into the room and closed the door behind them. Sitting down, he shared the events of the day and Noelle’s response. “I told you she was an alien and this guy must be part of the MIB,” Todd said solemnly.

“Cut it out and be serious. I get the feeling that her memory was wiped clean and given the chance to be refilled. Do you think she’s some sort of guinea pig for the government?”

“Anything’s possible. But why would they let her escape?”

“Maybe she didn’t escape. Maybe someone was trying to get her out of there. The girl said she didn’t know how to walk! Has she been carried her entire life? Or maybe she was in a wheelchair?”

“Why, though? She’s physically capable of walking now. And what about her only being able to drink from a bottle? Did these people keep her in an infant-like state so that they could control her?” Todd questioned. He looked up as Alan walked in, unannounced.

“Good, you two are here. I talked to Judge Marquez. Here, Lance. You are the proud father of a 22 year old baby girl by the name of Noelle Simone Callahan.”

“What the hell are you taking about?” Lance asked, snatching the paper from him.

“I told Judge Marquez about the situation and your concerns about abuse. He’s got four girls of his own and really put himself out. He assigned you full conservatorship and issued an ID file for her. We had to assume her age. I hope you don’t mind me giving her a middle name.

It’s Mom’s, you know.”

“You’re… unbelievable. Thank you, brother. Thank you so much,” Lance said, hugging Alan tightly, “I guess that makes you her godfather, huh?”

“Guess so. Todd’s also a legal guardian. I have some papers for you to sign to make it official. I wanted to do that as well, but I knew that Maggie wouldn’t go for it. Sorry. I’m her executor, though, so she’s got legal protection.”

“You are too much. After today, I needed some good news.” Lance proceeded to update his brother about everything, with Todd throwing in his ideas at the same time. Alan listened carefully. Suddenly, they heard a scream from the kitchen. Running in, they skidded to a stop.

Kathy was staring at the floor with blood dripping down her leg.

“Oh my God! What happened?” Todd rushed to her.

“I don’t know. I was cooking and got a cramp. I just started bleeding,” Kathy started to cry.

Lance checked her pulse, looking into her eyes. “Let’s get you to the hospital. Noelle?

Come on, honey, we need to get Aunt Kathy looked at.”

“Don’t worry, Daddy. I fixed her.” Noelle said quietly, taking his hand. Lance looked at her oddly. As they left, his eye caught sight of the rose that had pricked her. It was dead.

Alan sat quietly next to Noelle as they waited in the emergency room. Lance and Todd were in with Kathy, leaving the two to fend for themselves while waiting for news.

“Are you hungry, honey?”

“No, Uncle Alan. How is your back?”

“Much better, I must say. I’m going to let you rub it anytime it starts to hurt.”

“It won’t hurt you anymore,” she said bluntly.

“That would be nice. Come sit down next to me.”

“I can’t. It hurts.”

“What hurts?”

“My bottom. Daddy spanked me today for having a fit and hurting Aunt Kathy’s feelings,” the girl confessed quietly.

“I see. Guess you won’t be doing that again anytime soon, will you?”

“No, Sir. I don’t like making Daddy upset.”

“That’s a good idea. Do you want to take a walk?”

“No. Uncle Alan? What’s wrong with that man?”

“I don’t know. It looks like he has a tummy ache.”

“No, he’s broken. I need to fix him,” Noelle announced, quickly walking over to the stranger. Her violet eyes met his. She reached to touch him.

“Shit! Nurse!” Alan yelled as the old man collapsed on the floor, holding his left shoulder. Noelle knelt beside him, rubbing her small hand over his in comfort, as Alan brought a nurse back with a gurney. He gently pulled Noelle away as the team loaded him onto it and took him into the back. She stood there watching, clutching his hand and in tears.

“Why are you crying, Noelle? Did that scare you?”

“No. I couldn’t fix him. There was too much wrong and I was too late,” she whispered.

Alan hugged her tightly, wiping her face gently with his palm, “There are some things none of us can fix, my girl. Even Lance, who’s a doctor, has limits. It hurts him too when he can’t make things right for people. Oh, you poor thing. Where’s Bunny?” he asked, noticing she didn’t have her toy.

“There. I put him down to watch,” she sniffed, hugging her toy close as Alan handed it back to her. He rubbed the top of her head and sighed.

“Mr. Callahan? Your sister wants to see you,” a nurse called out. Alan led Noelle with him into the small room. Todd was sitting next to Kathy on the bed while Lance reread her chart.

“Why so serious, biggest brother? I’m ok.”

“What happened?” Alan asked, sitting on her other side and watching Noelle lean against Lance lovingly.

“The doctor thinks I just had a blockage that came undone. He said it’s nothing to worry about. We’re waiting for the ultrasound results.”

“Are you sure? Lance?”

“That’s what he said. Suggested we keep her off her feet for a couple of days and let her rest.”

“I’ll take off work. Honey, prepare to be spoiled,” Todd announced.

Noelle reached for Kathy’s hand. “Don’t worry, Aunt Kathy, you’re all better now. I fixed you.”

“Sweetheart, I know you want to believe…”

“No, it’s true. You’re better. Just like Uncle Alan’s back and Daddy’s face.”

“I was tired. That’s what made my face look that way. And Alan’s back pain comes and goes. I know you want to help, but….”

“Why don’t you believe me?” Noelle broke into tears. “I couldn’t fix that man, but I fixed all of you. Bunny saw me!”

“Honey, I….”

“Excuse me, Mrs. Makin?” a nurse interrupted, entering the room, “Dr. Stover wants you to do a follow-up with OB/Gyn next week. He wants you to get a pelvic ultrasound.”

“She just had one tonight. What did he find?”

“Um, that’s the problem, Dr. Callahan. He didn’t find anything. He’s convinced that the equipment is faulty.”

“What do you mean, he didn’t find anything?”

“What I mean, Dr. Callahan,” Dr. Stover entered the room, looking around, “is that the ultrasound displayed no evidence of scar tissue or damage from the crush injury. It appears to show a perfectly normal uterus.”

Everyone turned to stare at Noelle. She just gave them her secret smile as she snuggled her purple rabbit and giggled, wiping her eyes with Bunny’s purple paw.

*

*

*

Sitting in his car in the dark hospital parking lot, Dr. Hoffner watched the family as they loaded into the red SUV. One of the men was carrying the long-legged woman. Noelle followed, clutching the hands of two of the tallest men he had ever seen. He watched as the blond one kissed her on the top of the head and then lifted her into the vehicle.

So that must be Dr. Callahan. He had done some research on the man after getting his name from Dr. Hart. Interviews with the hospital staff led him to the discovery that the man was well-loved, caring and had a reputation of being even-tempered, decisive, and good-natured. Dr.

Hoffner hoped that those characteristics would be enough to keep Noelle from losing her temper or trying to protect herself before he could be convinced to either release or neutralize her. If not, there was bound to be some problems for the good Doctor, and it had nothing to do with keeping his medical license.

*

*

*

“Ok, maybe she really
is
an alien,” Lance said before Todd made a comment, glancing at the dead rose whose thorn had pricked the little girl. Kathy was asleep in her bed with Noelle curled up next to her, singing quietly and stroking Kathy’s hair with Bunny’s purple paw.

“Don’t be ridiculous. This is completely coincidental,” Alan scolded, flipping open a coke.

“Just keep an eye on her. I’m in surgery all day tomorrow so I won’t be able to come home. Will you be able to handle her?”

“No problem. Don’t worry,” Todd reassured him. “You don’t really think Kathy was healed, do you? Like she’ll be able to have kids?”

“Todd, as much as I want to believe this to be true, we do have to be reasonable. For Kathy’s sake. Please don’t get your hopes up. I’m suspecting the equipment is malfunctioning and pulling up a prior screening,” Lance said sadly.

Alan grunted, “Sorry, but I don’t believe in magic either. I’m going to bring the twins over to keep Noelle company. There’s an admin day at their school so they’ll be home. If Maggie doesn’t like it, too bad. I need to worry about my baby sister right now.”

“I’d love for the girls to be here. They never give me the same problems they give Lance. They LIKE me,” Todd informed him.

“I don’t let them jump on my bed, that’s all. Or fight.”

“Oh yes, I forgot! Alan? Take a look see.”

“Todd! Don’t you dare! Damnit,” Lance growled as Alan stared at the video before releasing a loud laugh.

“Oh, man, this is good. Wait until the twins see it.”

“You’re the one who made jumping on the bed a carnal sin!” Lance argued, trying to snatch the phone.

“Only because you two kept waking me up. My room was right underneath Kathy’s and you would knock stucco off the ceiling into my face.”

“Oh. I didn’t know that. Sorry.”

“I doubt that it would have made a difference. You two did everything you could to annoy me.”

“You made it easy, you know,” Lance grunted back. Alan just shrugged.

*

*

*

The next morning, Alan came by with his nine-year old twin daughters, Keren and Kelly.

Todd, Kathy and Noelle sat watching cartoons and the twins approached them shyly, unsure of how to act. Aunt Kathy was sick and this other lady was, as Dad had put it, different. He had also ordered his daughters, in his sternest voice, to be on perfect behavior.

“My girls! Come give me a hug. Don’t be scared, I’m ok. I missed you,” Kathy exclaimed, holding her arms out for her nieces. The two gleefully joined her and then hugged Todd tightly.

“Are you sick? Dad said you had to go to the hospital,” Kelly asked.

“No, I’m fine. Your Dad and uncles are just being over-protective. You know how they are when one of their girls is under the weather.”

“Yeah, like total bears,” Keren grinned at her father.

“Just remember, this bear bites. Girls? This is Noelle,” Alan smiled, kissing the young woman’s cheek. “She’s going through some healing too, after an accident. She got shot.”

“With a bullet? Wow.” Kelly was impressed as Noelle nodded quietly. She was looking at the girl carefully.

“What happened to your face?” she asked gently.

“Birthmark. I hate it, it’s ugly,” Kelly wrinkled her nose. “Mom said it’s the only way to tell me apart from Keren, so I have to keep it.”

“Oh. Does it hurt?” Noelle questioned, touching it. Kelly shook her head.

“It only hurts her when people make fun of it,” Keren said, “Is this yours? I like purple.” She picked up Noelle’s bunny and wagged it at her.

“Do you want this to go away?” Noelle asked, still enthralled with the large red stain that covered Kelly’s left cheek and neck. Kelly’s eyes watered as she nodded. Noelle hugged her and, with a kiss, pulled away.

The mark was gone.

Alan froze, his hand trembling as he touched his daughter’s skin while the others stared, mouths open.

“Dad? What’s wrong? Why are you all looking at me like that?” Kelly asked, confused.

“Kell… she… I… go look in the mirror, honey.” Alan stuttered, turning to look at Noelle. “How did you do that?”

“I fixed her,” Noelle said, picking up the bunny that Keren had dropped on the floor.

“Daddy said to share and I did.”

A happy shriek was heard in the bathroom and Kelly came out, crying as she flung her arms around Noelle. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” The young girl wept joyfully.