Through The Eyes of a Child

© Katrina99
Ch 7

Rated G

For a few days things were quiet, Rodelyn hardly heard from Jordan. He'd called once just to say hi but that was it. She felt as though she had just ruined a friendship. Sometimes she hated herself for it. But she knew that if they'd gotten together that day, sooner or later something would come along and ruin whatever they had, and she didn't want that to happen, not again.

Rodelyn walked into work exhausted. She'd barely gotten any sleep because she'd been on the computer practically all night talking to her friends. It was something she loved doing but now she needed them more than ever. After being with Jordan she didn't feel like, staying at home and doing nothing any more. The receptionist smiled at her as she walked past and gathered her mail.

"Good morning Rodelyn" Terry said.

"Morning Terry, please say there's some coffee out. Leaded." Terry nodded and went to get her some as she walked into her room. The first thing she spotted was a vase full of white roses sitting in her room. She walked over to them as Terry came in.

"When did these get here and who are they from" She asked her searching for the card.

"Young gentleman came in, the one that sometimes brings in Evan. I say he's got a crush on you Rod."

Rodelyn found the card and opened it.

<"Dear Rodelyn, I'm sorry for what I put on you, it doesn't change what I feel, but as long as I have you for a friend, I'm happy. I hope you still want that. Love Jordan" and his number was listed.

"Wow" was all she could say.

"You can say that again." Terry put her coffee down on her desk and walked out.

Rodelyn stared at the beautiful white flowers. Well why was he staying away from her if he still wanted to be friends? How sweet it was for him to send the flowers. She picked up the card and pulled out her phone book from her purse. She quickly jotted his number down and moved the flowers to a space on her cabinet by the window. All day when children came in they commented on the pretty flowers.

That night she thought about them all the way home. At first she wanted to carry them home, but she knew that there was no way she's spend and hour and a half carrying that vase, besides it looked so much better in her bright office. She was thinking so hard that she didn't notice that Jordan was sitting in front of her building.

"Rodelyn" He called and she looked up startled.

"Jordan Knight, you are just full of surprises today aren't you." She grinned at him.

"I take it you received my little peace offering." He pulled out another white rose from behind his back.

"Gawd, what's up with you Mr. Rose garden." She laughed and let them both into her apartment. "So that was a peace offering? Why were you fighting? Or should I be angry at you for something?"

"No but after that bomb I dropped on you, I figured you wouldn't want to see me again." He looked around and made himself comfortable on her sofa.

"No I said I was happy to be friends with you. I was kind of upset that you hadn't called me after that. I figured you didn't want to see me again." She pulled out a tall glass, filled it with water and inserted the rose. "Can we be friends Jordan?" She turned around and looked at him.

"That's why I'm here Rodelyn. I wanted to know if you wanted to go on a friendly dinner with me. Don't say no, please, I swear I'll burp and belch in front of you if you need me too so it'll actually be a friendly dinner."

"Well if you're going through all that trouble." She opened the refrigerator "And my chicken isn't thawed anyway, I'm game." A few minutes later they left and had dinner at an Italian restaurant. After that dinner they were together a lot, he came and picked her up many nights after work so she wouldn't have to walk, he took her to dinner a few times. They even went out to clubs because she wanted to actually experience the nightlife.

One day while they were at his house playing video games he told her that he'd be on the road again soon.

"So you're going to tour?"

"A small one, I told them 20 shows around the States and to break them up to every two days. I don't think I can stand going day by day."

"What? When did this happen? You must be getting old."

"I am getting old, haven't you noticed."

"Yeah whatever, so when do you leave?"

"In a couple of weeks I guess. We're going to try and do a show here to kick it off."

Rodelyn was a little disappointed that he wouldn't be around, but she couldn't wait to see him perform, it had been so long and she'd heard his music and loved it. They continued playing and he'd ordered Chinese food. At 10:00 he drove her home wanting to kiss her goodnight but stopped himself. Sometimes this friendship thing was hard. It was hard on her too, but she would never let herself believe that. She loved being around Jordan and counted him among one of her best friends. The next day Rodelyn had an appointment with Evan. She enjoyed him. He was definitely a bright kid, and she felt everyone had underestimated him. Even though she wasn't supposed to, she gave him extra attention. She'd been out with him a few times with Jordan and sometimes, she felt as if she were is mother. Sometimes she wished she were. She'd met his mother once, and she looked fine, coherent but she still harbored those feelings.

Evan came in at 3:00. His mom had dropped him off and went about her way "At least when Jordan brings him, he stays." Rodelyn thought to herself. She went through the usual hour and they'd chatted and he'd told her more about how he felt when he was younger. Rodelyn had brought him a die cast car which he played with happily while she wrote her report. He'd taken off his jacket and as Rodelyn looked up she noticed a humungous bruise covering most of his arm. It was blue, purple and black.

"Evan, what happen to your arm." She went over to him and looked at it.

"Um" he tried to remember "Oh yeah, I fell. Off the slide. At the park." He continued to play.

Rodelyn took his arm "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I fell off the slide at the park." He repeated. "Can I go to the bathroom Rod?"

"Oh, um sure go ahead." He got up and ran out of the room. Rodelyn caught her breath, it sounded so suspicious, and it sounded as thought he'd rehearsed his lines when he told her what happened. Rodelyn knew the signs of a child forced to lie about being physically abused. She picked up his report; he had been abused awhile back, when he was a toddler. She didn't know what to do and before she knew it she'd picked up the phone and dialed Jordan's pager.

Not even a second later he called her back. "Rod?"

"Yeah it's me Jordan. I think Linda has been abusing Evan." She came right out and said it.

"What?" Jordan got panicked "Why?"

"He's got this big bruise on his arm that he said he got at the park. I have to call the Child Protective Services Jordan, this bruise, it's huge, its...."

"Wait Rodelyn, don't do that."

"What, you want me to sit her and pretend it didn't happen?"

"Rodelyn, wait!" Jordan yelled through the phone "It did happen like that, he was at the park with me yesterday. He fell off the slide when he stood up and tried to slide down. Linda didn't hit him."

"Jordan you don't have to cover up for her. She's hitting him and he needs to get away from her." Rodelyn was looking up the CPS number.

"I'm not covering for anyone Rodelyn, he was with me yesterday."

"Jordan stop."

"No, YOU stop, I just told you what happened and you're going to sit here and not believe me? And get him taken away from his mother because you refuse to believe that someone could change her life. Don't even think about it. Nothing happened to him that doesn't happen to 6 year old boys every day, and you sit there in your office and assume you know best because your a psychologist? You don't run everyone's life Rodelyn, get over it."

Rodelyn sat there stunned. What did he mean? "Okay I won't call Jordan, if you say that's what happened, then okay." Evan walked into the room "but I'm hanging up now, and if that's the impression you have of me, I need not hear from you again." She hung up. Just as she did the receptionist called to let her know Evan's mom was here to pick him up. She quietly walked him out, gave him a hug and watched as he went to his mother. She stood there watching as they walked off. She walked back into her room and grabbed her coat and purse, walked outside and saw Evan getting into an old car. She watched with no emotion as the lady backed the car out and drove away, then she proceeded to walk to the train. Sitting on the train she replayed Jordan's call in her head "You don't run everyone's life Rodelyn" She never thought she did. "because you refuse to believe that someone could change their life" Did she actually refuse to believe. If she weren't a psychologist who'd learn about normal and abnormal human behavior and the fact that she had access to the life and abuse that Evan had the past 6 years she wouldn't be biased.

Maybe she had changed. Maybe, just maybe the life of her little boy would seem so much more important than that next drink, that next hit. Maybe if I look at her as a person rather than a person on paper I can have faith in her. Her thoughts then went to Jordan, she'd told him not to call her again. What if he didn't, what if she'd just ruined their friendship with her harsh nature. This time it was her that would have ruined it. And that night, Jordan didn't call.

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