AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Instead of becoming a world renowned gymnast and going for the gold, I’m now a coach to Olympic hopefuls. I did what I had to do in order to support my brother and myself. It pays well enough to keep a roof over our heads, cover our household bills and his therapies. We aren’t swimming in money, but we aren’t lacking for anything either.
“I’m tired of being stuck in this house, Berlynn! I want to go out and hang with my friends and see something other than these four walls.” His memory isn’t what it used to be. He doesn't remember us being disowned by our parents when theyrealized he’d never be our dad’s prodigy, that I refused to let him be committed to a facility taking over his care plus medical expenses, and that we lost our friendship with Aris and Addison by proxy of Dad’s decisions made in anger.
In another year, we’ll both get our inheritances left to us by both sets of our grandparents. I already hired a lawyer to make sure my parents don’t stop us from receiving them. I have zero doubts that they’ll claim mental incapacity and try to be his conservators. What they’ll really do is drain the account and use it for themselves seeing as they’ve all but bankrupted themselves after their temper tantrum and being pushed out of the law firm.
Dad thought that when he walked out the doors, his clients would stand behind him and go along for the ride. He was wrong, they stayed with Mr. Davenport since he has the better reputation and is a go-getter as opposed to my dad who has his lackeys do everything outside of standing up in court and arguing cases.
Clearing my thoughts, I commiserate with him. “I know you are, Berkley. Mrs. Crockett will be here soon and maybe you can talk her into taking you on an outing.”
“Why do I have a damn nanny, Berlynn? I’m twenty-three damn years old!” I can understand his frustration, he’s lucky enough to not relive all of the losses we suffered. “I need to finish school at some point so I can help Dad. Where has he been anyway? I thought for sure he’d be crawling up my ass.”
I look at him in his wheelchair and tears swim in my eyes. He had a stroke while in a coma and the right side of his body is paralyzed. He’s made strides, he can somewhat use his hand, but his leg is pretty much dead.
“You don’t have to be a lawyer anymore, Berk. The world is your oyster.”
“But Dad will never forgive me if I don’t follow in his footsteps, sis. Why can’t I walk again?”
His lapses haven’t been as severe lately as they have been in the past. He can recall being in the hospital, but outside of that, I have to give him daily reminders—it breaks my damn heart each time I tell him the story.
“Dad doesn’t want me anymore?” he whispers, crestfallen. Rushing over to him, I wrap my arms around him and rock him—soothing him the only way I know how.
Clearing the clog in my throat, I tell him, “He doesn’t want us. But we have each other and can do anything we want to. So, Berkley, what do you want?” I lean back but keep my arms outstretched with my palms on his shoulders, smiling at him.
He takes a moment to think things over. When I see light shine in his eyes for the first time in over a year, I become hopeful that even if his body is broken his spirit isn’t. “I want to volunteer at the hospital,” he states. “I want to help those like me who have nobody. Since my dream of being a doctor isn’t in the cards, I’ll help patients in other ways.”
“Then you will. I’ll make some phone calls today and make it happen,” I declare, my heart soaring when a smile uplifts the corners of his mouth. “I’ll find the perfect program for you, Berkley.” And I will, this is the first thing he seems passionate about, and I want him to keep feeling that way. Forever if I have anything to say about it.
“Thank you, Director Harrington. Berkley is going to be ecstatic that you’re letting him come and volunteer in the pediatric ward. It was his dream to become a pediatrician before the accident occurred. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you taking a chance on him.”
“He’s a good kid. To be blunt, his mental status isn’t a concern for me. He’s intelligent and is capable. He needs to see that life isn’t over for him. Who knows, he may earn himself a paying position on my staff,” Mr. Harrington says, his tone happy and not condescending like that of the last three hospitals I’ve called today. I was scared that if I got him in at Trinity Valley Memorial, it’d bring back bad memories for Berkley, but after having this conversation, I think it’ll be the best place for him to be volunteering his time at.
“I’ll have Mrs. Crockett bring him by tomorrow morning with his paperwork so he can start orientation like you suggested. I have his state identification and social security card on hand. What else will be required on your end?”
“If you have his birth certificate, I can use that as his third form of identity for his tax forms. Our volunteers still earn compensation, it’s not much, but it’s something,” Mr. Harrington hums. “But… it’ll give him a little spending money in his pocket that he’s earned for himself.”
“Silver lining, Mr. Harrington. I have his birth certificate so we’re all good there. Unfortunately, we’re still working on his concept of money. For the most part, he gets it. There are times he reverts back to his fifteen-year old self and expects it handedout to him. However, the more time that passes, the more his synapsis begins firing and his cognitive brain connects the pieces. He’s more like his old self now than he was even a few months ago,” I confess.
“We’ll help any way we can, Berlynn. Will Mrs. Crockett stay with him while he’s here? If so, I’ll need her to bring documentation so she can pass a background check.”
“I’ll let her know to bring everything with her. The state pays her to stay at his side, but once he proves independence, she’ll only be responsible for his home health needs and provide transportation when I’m working. She’s a lovely woman with a heart of gold. You’ll wanna hire her as well,” I giggle. “Don’t steal her from us, Mr. Harrington.”
“I’d never,” he gasps, but I can hear the cogs in his brain turning.
“Uh-huh. Sure you wouldn’t. Just make sure she keeps the same hours as Berkley and I won’t hold it against you,” I warn, a smile plastered across my face. He’s admitted to me that they’re low on staff and are begging for volunteers to come in and keep the patients company so the nurses he does have can concentrate on their duties.
“I look forward to seeing both you and Berkley again, Berlynn. For now, I gotta let you go and deal with our staffing issue. Our nurses are working overtime and we need to figure out a way to bring in more bodies to help them out. Have a good day.”
“You too, Mr. Harrington. Bye.” When I hang up the receiver, I feel a sense of serenity come over me. For the first time in a year, things are looking up.
“Berlynn, your star is here, ready to rock ‘n roll,” Miranda, our gym’s receptionist says as she knocks on the door jamb of my office.
“Right on time. Thanks, Miranda.”
“Time to make a name for yourself, Berlynn. Good luck.”
She walks away before I get a chance to respond. Yes, things are most definitely looking up.
“Beautiful, Krista. You released too early on the second pass, let’s try it again from the top. You can do this; nobody flies over the uneven bars like you do.”
