Trading places part 3

Chapter 47-2

Trading places

Part 3

 

The punishment was a punishment as Mom locked Shawn back in the room, Dad would have left him naked, but what Dad doesn’t know he didn’t need to know.” Mom was in charge of the house while he was gone. It was her rules not his, giving Shawn his school books so he could get started on his homework. Telling him we will be back in a couple of hours, and then he can finish his chores.

I walked into the doctor’s office passing the cleaning crew of the office I ruined the day before. The same nurse came in and I growled for good measure watching her take a step back. Mom smiled and said “go easy on her tiger. No needles,” I nodded letting Mom undress me so the doctor could examine me. Frowning as he read Moms logbook noting the cuts on my ankles and feet from the knife used to cut my phantom ropes, and my raw and torn back, having to struggle to tear my scabs off instead healing the skin. I was only making it worse because of the night terrors.

My stats were good today, well better than yesterday. The doctor suggested pool therapy once or twice a day or three times a week to speed up the healing process. Where water would soften the scabs and not break open, allowing me to uses my back and shoulder muscles, healing from the inside out. Mom said something could be arranged considering it was only ten miles from home.

Mom asked regarding a shirt; Doctor frowned and said “absolute not under any circumstances, Mrs. Rothwell it’s almost a 100 degrees out there and will be until almost September. If the carpet can rip the scabs free easily enough. What do you think a shirt would do in this heat? He would sweat and the sweat would infect the wounds, bringing back the fever and he’d spend all day in the tub and never get better. I am told that his caseworker has arranged a private teacher to see to his schooling.  I am sorry, but no. I rather he goes naked before I let you dress him in clothing that would just make the situation worse. You should be thankful that’s its summer; instead of wrapping him up in a blanket to stay warm. And do nothing but sitting on the couch watching TV and sleeping all day.”

Mom sighed said. “That’s a whole different problem, he doesn’t sleep;” lifting my feet showing the long cuts again with a simple kitchen knife, stating clearly. “This is what happens whenever he has a night terror. Band-Aids don’t stick. Clean white socks like these.” Mom waves them in front of him “become bloody;” showing him the blood already staining after almost two hours of wearing them. “Shane and Dad or any of us can’t hold him down without blooding their clothes. I am ruining more clothing and bedding then I am washing them because “HE CAN’T SLEEP!” Mom lets my feet drop rubbing off the dry blood off her hands. Trying hard to calm herself.

The doctor simply said. “Then let him go barefoot and wear boxers all day and all night, I will not let you put a single bit of unnecessary clothing on him where it would make things worse. Other than a girl’s nightgown just so he won’t bloody your sons and husbands clothing.”

Shane growled. “That’s not going to happen.” Took off his shirt handing it too Mom stripped down to his boxers and told Mom. “Boxers are cheaper and no one's going to care when you have a whole house full of brothers.” Taking some of my blood off my feet and my back and rubbed it on his chest. Which wasn’t a lot considering the scabs had hardened again, but he did look like an Indian putting on war paint.

Shane went over to the sink and washed it off as if was no big deal throwing the paper towel into the wastebasket said “two points” giving me a high five and knuckle bump. Mom didn’t think he was a bit funny told him to put his clothes on. Shane just folded them up and took a seat. Suggesting the argument had been settled. Mom scowled and gave up shrugged her shoulder and put back on her game face. “So no clothing then, not even on Sunday for few hours?”

The doctor shook his head no, told her I could wear a light jacket over my shoulders or possibility a cloak of some kind, and church slacks and shoes and socks if I wanted to Mom said. “I can live with that,” she wasn’t happy about it, but it wasn’t worth the fight. Knowing its better to pick your battles the ones you can win,  One boy going to church as if he was going to a summer pool party picnic, was better than having Dads wrath having the entire household go to church in beachwear.

Mom didn’t know what an overcoat or cape cloak was. So I said. “What the guy wears in “Phantom of the Opera” eight-century overcoat.” She still didn’t understand so I asked Shane for his shirt and put it around my neck, and she still had no idea what the heck I was talking about saying “you mean a Superman cape.” Thank heavens for videos stores and library. The doctor suggested Sherlock homes movie and Phantom of the opera. Mom asked are they rated G or PG 13. Doctors said as far as he knows it was PG-13. If she worried there might be porn or inappropriate language for children. There’s a BYU version in the library in town.

Doctor set an appointment for a three-day sleep study one in the hospital and one at home for later on in the month and right before I saw the shrink. Where they could adjust the medication, and what it would take to knock me out completely. And told her to childproof my room so I couldn’t hurt myself in my sleep. Stating not to strap me down and not to douse me with water while I am sleeping; since doesn’t work under a medicated state.

Doubling the prescription again; saying that those herbs that psychologist suggested couldn’t hurt adding ant- suppressant. He told her to continue on with the breathing exercise since seems to help during a panic attack, but I should do it before sleep as well; letting the sleeping solution take effect after I have already archived a resting dozes state.

Mom told Shane to least put on his shorts, while Mom stuffed my socks into my shoe’s and we walked out of the doctor's office and headed over to the library to check out and return the books I had finished reading, which was large stack. The librarian pointed to a sign where once again it said. “No shirt, No shoes, No service,” Sorry sandals or flip flops weren’t popular back then like now, where you can find people wearing them year round. Mom just turned me around so she could see my back. Listened to her gasp, Mom said. “Skateboards are dangerous.” Asked where the video section was and the movies that were suggested. While I and Shane and I padded barefoot and shirtless through the library picking out books for me to read.

It was almost 11 o’clock when we got home. Mom forgot that Dad locked and braced the back family room door. Having us go around to the front to get into the house. Mom asked me if I could fix some grilled cheese sandwiches and some canned tomato soup. Knowing that I could fend for myself easily enough and not have to be worried about it and neither of it required a knife. Even though Shane could have unlocked the box and put it back when we were done. It was a pain but necessary, instead of worrying about it while I was sleeping or having a panic attack.

Shane set the table for three people while I prepared lunch. Mom went down unlocked the door for Shawn and told him that Shane was in charge while she went grocery shopping and ran some errands that she would normally do when everyone was in school. And asked Shane if he could gather everyone’s laundry so I could help with it considering we were both capable and it would be one less thing she would have to do. Plus she wanted me down for a nap medicated before everyone comes home from school. Shane said. “I know the drill Mom, will be fine.”

We ate in silence, Shane and I didn’t say anything until Shawn said. “Thanks for helping me with the chores and thanks to that he least had boxers to wear.”

Shane said. “It was no problem, it’s what brothers do.” But we knew that he would have to take them off before everyone came home or we would feel Dads wrath. We didn’t discuss why he was grounded or anything that required a conversation. Instead, we simply went about our business. Shawn took a pail of soapy water and the scrubbing brush and started scrubbing the bathrooms and Shane gathered all the dirty clothes while I washed the lunch dishes and cleaned up the kitchen leaving the floor for Shane or Shawn other than sweeping it.

Dad called to check on things and how it went with the doctor’s office Shane broke it down what was said and what needed to be done. Dad asked if Shawn was doing the chores as he asked and if Mom caved in regarding him doing them in the nude. Shane said Mom wasn’t happy about it, but he was doing them as he asked. Dad said he better be or Shane and Shawn would be paying the consequences.

Shane stated he moves a little faster when washing the inside windows, checking to make sure nobody was looking. Dad said he’s lucky that he wasn’t doing them on the outside and to tell Mom he’ll be home early, most likely before everyone gets home from school. Considering that it was a scout night. Even though Shawn was grounded he had to go regardless or there would be questions. To make damn sure that all the chores were done by the time he comes home. Shane said. “That shouldn’t be a problem as fast Shawn is moving, now that his “motivated.” Shane hung up the phone relaying the message, and we quickly went to work, even though it meant disobeying Mom by not putting me down for a nap. The chores were more important, and if there was time, then there was time; but Shawn had to be done and in his room no later then 1:30 to make sure Dad didn’t surprise us.

Have you ever noticed how the fast the clock ticks when you are on a deadline and how slow it is when you are waiting for it to move faster? Which was the case for us as Shawn quickly tossed his boxers, five seconds before Dad walked in the front door; hearing him cuss because the family rooms backdoor was braced shut. Shawn was just finishing scrubbing the shower floors and walls when Dad walked into the house as I had just tossed Shawn’s boxers into the washer. Whipping the sweat off my face and started folding the towels.

Dad asking; “where is your mother?” Seeing me doing the laundry,

Shane quickly said “shopping.”

Dad growled “still?” We both nodded as we watched Shawn open the back door in the buff. Walk out to the field to empty the dirty water from his pail red-faced, making a quick dash towards the house. I did mention that we were five houses down at the end of the street, and there weren’t any houses near us for almost half a block? But still. I wouldn’t want to go out walking in the sunlight outside without least a pair of shorts on. Nor would I want to do ten laps around the field like Shawn did last night, regardless if traffic was almost nil around here toward the top of the field.

Shawn put the bucket and brush under the sink saying he had just finished all the chores. Dad didn’t believe him. So he made all of us follow him as he did a quick inspection said. “That it seems that Shawn seemed to work faster doing them in the nude, then having clothes on, and he will remember that in the future; if any of us needed a reminder.” Shane, I blushed just thinking about it and did not want to test that theory anytime soon.

Dad told Shawn he was now allowed to dress, and if he stepped out a line again he would do it for a week in the nude. And that included doing them outside the house on Saturday. Shawn said he had learned his lesson, that it won’t be necessary and he was sorry of taking advantage of Arthur. But Dad was beyond being done with him said to make it up to Arthur he would be responsible to clean out the junk room. Give up his bed, and sleep on a hard mattress on the floor by living in the same living condition Arthur is now. To remind him even dumb animals needed better treatment then what Shawn had been giving.  I could see the anger in his eyes, but it quickly changed and said. “Yes, sir.”

Dad watched him then nodded said. “Son it’s my fault for teaching you that it was ok in the first place by setting those conditions. But it was you that made it worse by imposing your own restriction; now it is up to both of us to make it right. I made a promise to God and my self that I would change, but we all needed to do it as family. We as family owe it to the boys we take in to provide a road map of how they are supposed to live the rest of their lives. James didn’t nor did he want to follow the rules that we as a family tried to enforce. I failed and our family failed to set him on the right track. That changes right now as God is my witness.

“That we as a family will do better by these boys; starting with Arthur and Eric. It scares me to even think what his parents had done to him. Each time he has night terror or a panic attack, relieving a nightmare over and over caused by me or your mother when discipline is needed. And find a way to make it better by understanding the torment he faces each day and each night. So we as a family are not the cause, but the solution.

“Shane, tomorrow after school I want to start fixing the basement, starting with Arthur’s room. He has earned to be treated no different than the rest of us. It’s my fault and our families fault for putting it off what we no is right, giving excuses, saying Arthur is retarded and he is a dumb animal, a mule boy that doesn’t have feelings. We are stuck in this mortality that all the boys that come to us are dumb just like him and don’t deserve to be treated with kindness or give them respect; which is wrong.

“Each day, new inmates come in off the streets. They come from broken homes, unloved, undisciplined, with no values because society has given up on them. Our prisons are full because of it. It was the main reason why your mother and I take in these unwanted boys. Hoping to stop it and make a difference in their lives. Your mother and I have forgotten why we did this in the first place. Arthur reminded us why last night, I am not proud of it and neither should you be. Get mad, get angry, but don’t become the problem become the solution. Now go down to room and think about what I said and I want an apology by dinner time and how you plan to make a difference, and yes you are still grounded. Now go. No, not downstairs. You have given up your room for the time being.”

Dad told us to go looking at clock asking if I had a nap today being the seventh day of no more than a couple hours rest. Shane said no that it was on the list, but Mom left us with few things to do first so she could be back by the time everyone came home for school. Dad nodded seeing the clock noting it was a little after 2. Yelled to Shawn that it would be better that he took a shower now instead of later when everyone is rushing to eat and leave for scout night. That Mom would be furious if I wasn’t sleeping by the time she came home Dad said. “Well, what are waiting for?”

Shane said, “the wash.”

Dad rolled his eyes grumbling. “Woman’s work” telling him Kerry and Jody can finish it. “You boys better be asleep by the time your Mother walks in that door.”

Shane shut the curtains and the door and climbed in bed asking me do I need an invitation? I laughed and made myself comfortable and we both laughed. Even though it was awkward and would be for some time as Shane and I started the breathing exercises, trying very hard not giggle when you snuggle up to brother.

When I ask, “so are we an item?” Having him sock me hard in the arm.

Telling me; “if you think I am going to kiss you, you are in the wrong bed.”