Finding Lilibeth

Lilibeth spent the night on one of the wards with Darren sitting in the chair next to her. He had sent his sons home after they all ate dinner together in Lilibeth's room. Beau had gone to buy the food for them all and returned with a bunch of balloons and a teddy bear along with dinner. Even when the teddy bear was placed next to her Lilibeth didn't dare touch it knowing it was a trap and she would be punished more when they got home.

Lilibeth didn't want to eat but the nurse had insisted. Lilibeth had to eat the food the hospital had given her due to her diet she was put on to help her get to an acceptable weight seeing she was underweight apparently. Lilibeth would of preferred nothing but she had a little of the food so no one would hurt her. Darren had tried to get her to eat more even going as far as offering to feed her, but the nurse was happy she had tried some and assured Darren that small meals often was better for Lilibeth which made him drop it. Lilibeth was thankful for that.

When everyone had left, Darren had attempted to engage Lilibeth in conversation and even apologised several more times promising things would be different. Nothing he did eased Lilibeth's anxiety about being with them or him being in the same room as her. She was still as tense as ever.

At 8.30pm Darren told Lilibeth it was time for her to get some sleep and offered to help her to the bathroom. Her eyes grew large thinking she would be punished in the bathroom as no one could see her there. At least in the room there was windows that the nurses and doctors could see through. When Darren tried to help her she flinched away from him and curled herself into a ball on the side of the bed.

Darren stood frozen seeing Lilibeth's reaction to him trying to help. He knew how much he and his sons had screwed up but it still hurt that Lilibeth thought he would harm a child, his child. He had finally acknowledged her as one of his children and felt protective of the girl. Instead of saying anything he gently took the blanket bringing it up and covering her little body. Lilibeth had been confused by that action. "Goodnight Lilibeth. I'm so sorry and I love you" Darren whispered to the little girl. The more time he spent with Lilibeth the more he realised he did love the girl and wanted nothing more then to have his daughter feel safe with him and his sons.

The next morning Lilibeth was sitting up in bed waiting for the doctor to discharge her. She had barely slept the night before with Darren in the chair next to her, watching her. When she did manage to get to sleep she was woken with nightmares of either her mother beating her or the boys beating her. Each time she woke Darren was awake with her trying to reassure her that he was there but that didn't make her feel any better, it made things worse. Eventually at 5.30am she gave up on the idea of trying to get anymore sleep. The nurse had come in at 6am to help her shower seeing she still had the cast on her arm. The nurse even washed Lilibeth's hair and then braided it for her. Lilibeth was so grateful and even spoke to the nurse thanking her as her hair hadn't been washed since the last stay in hospital as no one had helped her at the house. Lilibeth felt clean and couldn't help but smile at herself.

Lilibeth was getting bored waiting for the doctor. She hadn't moved or spoken again because Darren was sitting next to her. He hadn't given up on trying to engage with Lilibeth though and had resulted in telling her stories about her brothers and the times they had been injured and required a trip to the hospital. Even if Lilibeth didn't engage she still listened though. She listen to the stories of normal childhood accidents and wished that she had been one of those children. Eventually at 10.30am the doctor discharged Lilibeth into the care of her father and made a follow up appointment with a dietitian and at the fracture clinic to check her arm and remove her cast in 4 weeks. Lilibeth hoped she would figure out how to wash her hair in that time because she didn't want to go another four weeks of not being able to wash her hair.

Lilibeth followed her father out of the hospital watching the ground. Darren tried to get her to lift her head so she could see where they were going by pointing at different pictures but Lilibeth found the ground more interesting. Beau was picking them up as he and the others took both cars home last night. When Darren and Lilibeth stepped out of the hospital Darren spotted the car immediately and headed over with Lilibeth following behind.

Beau was in the drivers seat watching his father and Lilibeth. He couldn't help the guilt in the pit of his stomach. Lilibeth was hunched over following his father like she had just lost her best friend. "Hi dad, hi Lilibeth. I'm glad you are coming home today Lilibeth" Beau told his sister. Lilibeth didn't respond she just watched her feet that were dangling over the seat in the back of the car. "Hi Beau, are you going to say hello Lilibeth?" Darren responded to his son trying to get Lilibeth to respond back to but Lilibeth just turned her gaze out the window.

Beau began to drive towards home not knowing if he should speak or keep quiet at all. "Lilibeth is likely tired, she was awake through the night with what I assume nightmares. She did get to have a shower and wash her hair this morning with the help of the nurse. Lilibeth, one of us will help you if you want to wash your hair again. I didn't even think about it before. It must be difficult to shower or bath with the cast on your arm so I apologise for that" Darren spoke up.

Beau looked at Lilibeth in the mirror and could of sworn she rolled her eyes at there dads words. Lilibeth did in fact roll her eyes. He could stop playing pretend now no one was around to see it. He could go back to be the cold detached person he was and his sons could now be the horrible, cruel boys she knew. Clearly she couldn't tell anyone as Mr Little believed everything they said. Lilibeth wondered if she would be able to get away from them again once her body was healed? It wasn't like any of them would miss her or anything.