Part 4

"Her leg is broken and she has a severe concussion," an unfamiliar male voice said. "She also has a dislocated shoulder. We've run several tests, but have yet to come up with a reason that she hasn't regained consciousness."

"She's not in a coma?" a familiar voice asked.

"Technically, she's not in a coma," the unfamiliar voice said. "There may be something on the subconscious level that is keeping her from waking. But we don't know. The mind is a peculiar piece of the human anatomy that is still being explored. And the way each person's mind works is different. We just have to be patient."

"I just wish she would wake," the female voice said.

"When she was brought in, we heard that there had been an argument prior to the accident," the first voice said.

"Do you think something happened in the argument and that's why she won't wake?" The question came from a second male voice, which was familiar.

"It's a possibility," said the unfamiliar male voice. "Keep talking to her. I have a feeling she will wake when she's ready."

"Thank you, Dr. Marshall," the female voice said.

"You're welcome," Dr. Marshall said. "I'll be back later."

Trixie listened as the footsteps moved away from her and then a door close.

"Oh, Peter. I wish she'd wake."

"She will, Helen."

Moms and Dad, she thought.

"Do you think what Brian and Mart told us is true?" Helen asked.

"I'm not going to believe anything," Peter said. "I want to know what Trixie has to say. I also want to talk to Jim. He's been very honorable and I doubt he would do something like that with Trixie. But I will only know for certain after I talk with both of them."

"I hope it isn't true," Helen said. "Our little girls is too young for that. I always thought she had more sense than that."

"Maybe she does. but we can't judge her until she wakes."

Trixie vaguely felt her curls being brushed off her forehead, and then a kiss.

A soft beeping to her left greeted her as she slowly became aware of her surroundings. She could feel a dull throbbing in her entire body, but the pain wasn't too bad. She figured the pain medication was taking care of that since she recalled the overheard conversation her parents had with the doctor. She recalled everything.

As she rested on the bed, the events that led to her current situation played through her mind. She couldn't believe a sign like that had been placed on her locker. And to make matters worse, everyone believed that it was true, including her own brothers. She felt so lost and alone.

All this happened because I put my nose where it didn't belong, she thought. Everything that has happened is because I found Jim at Ten Acres. Had I stayed at Crabapple Farm, I wouldn't be an outcast. I've never meant to hurt anyone. But I've hurt myself the most. I created all this and I'm going to have to live with it.

Jim wanted to go to the Snowflake Ball with me, but it isn't right. If he goes with me, his reputation will be dragged through the mud. He doesn't need that. His dreams are so grand that he has to be careful. I'd rather let him go than to have him stay with me and have his dreams broken. I love him too much to be responsible for that. His happiness means more to me than us being together. This is how it has to be.

Trixie slowly opened her eyes and stared at the white ceiling. She wasn't sure her parents would believe her. Sure, she had gotten into some trouble over the past couple years, but she had never lied to ruin someone else's reputation. She called it like she saw it and was usually right on. She hoped her parents did believe her, but doubted it would happen.

The door to her room opened, but she didn't turn her head to see who was there. If it was her parents, she knew she couldn't look them in the eye knowing there would be disappointment staring back at her.

If her brothers had come to see her, she knew she couldn't handle their angry looks or the nasty comments that were definitely going to be said.

"Trix?"

A face leaned into her view. Jim.

He gave her a small smile. "I'm glad you're awake," he said softly as he took her right hand in his own. "I've missed seeing those blue eyes."

Trixie wanted to cry, but the well that held her tears had dried up. There were no tears left.

"You scared years off my life when that car hit you. I swear I stopped breathing when you fell to the ground. But luckily, you will heal and be as good as new in no time."

Trixie continued looking at Jim, not sure what to say to him. They were best friends, but Jim's future was more important.

The door opened again and Jim looked toward it. He straightened up and said, "She's awake."

"That's good."

Trixie saw a man in green surgical scrubs move to her right side.

"Hi, Trixie. I'm Dr. Marshall. I've been treating you since your arrival."

Trixie continued looking at him, but didn't say anything.

"Is she all right?" Jim asked. "She' hasn't said anything since I came in."

"She's probably still a little groggy from the pain medication," Dr. Marshall said. "Why don't you let her folks know that she's awake and that I'm checking her over."

"All right," Jim said squeezing her hand. He left the room.

"So, Trixie, how are you feeling?"

Trixie lifted her right hand and make the OK sign.

"Are you in any pain?"

She lifted her hand again, this time keeping her thumb and forefinger separated a half inch.

Dr. Marshall looked at her puzzled. "Trixie, is your throat hurting you at all?"

She shook her head slowly.

"Maybe your mouth's dry." He poured some water into a cup and then placed a straw in the cup. He held it to her lips and she took a couple sips. "Now, who was the person who just left?"

Trixie opened her mouth to say Jim, but nothing came out. She swallowed a couple times and tried again. She looked at the doctor in panic. She couldn't speak.

"It's okay, Trixie," he said calmly. "Don't panic. You've been through a lot and this is probably your body's way of reacting to the shock. When you start feeling better, I'm sure your voice will return."

Trixie was terrified. Without her voice, she had no way of explaining to her parents what had happened. They were going to believe her brothers.

"Now, I want you to rest," Dr. Marshall said. "As I said, you've been through a lot, and the only way you will heal is with lots of rest. Okay?"

Trixie nodded slightly.

The doctor patted her arm and then left the room.

Trixie closed her eyes. She was in disbelief. It was unfathomable, all that kept happening to her.  She wondered if there was any end in sight. She couldn't understand how her life got so topsy turvy.

"I think she should stay in the guest bedroom downstairs when she comes home,"  a female voice said. "She'll have a difficult time maneuvering the stairs with a dislocated shoulder and broken leg."

"You're right, Helen," a male voice said.

"I think she's waking up," Helen said.

Trixie slowly opened her eyes and blinked a few times to bring her parents faces into view.

Helen smiled at her. "Hi, sweetie. How are you feeling?"

Trixie lifted her right hand and made the OK sign.

"You had us really worried," Peter said.

Trixie looked at the bed covers, guilty for putting them through that.

"You didn't ask for this to happen," Helen said. "You shouldn't feel guilty about it."

"Trixie, can you tell us what happened?" Peter asked, ignoring the warning look from Helen.

Trixie opened her mouth to respond, but closed it when nothing came out.

"It's all right," Helen said quickly. "Dr. Marshall said you were having trouble speaking. I have a pen and paper here so you can communicate."

Helen took the pen and paper from her purse. She placed it on the table before rolling it toward Trixie.

Trixie took the pen and wrote four words. "You won't believe me."

"We won't be able to say if we do or don't unless we know what happened," Peter said.

Trixie closed her eyes, gathering the strength to explain to her parents what had happened. She didn't want to be a tattletale, but she couldn't do this on her own. Her reputation had been dragged through the mud. She was in a deep, dark hole and her parents were offering her a lifeline to get out. That is, if they believed her.

She opened her eyes and slowly began writing about what had happened at school when she found the poster on her locker. Her parents stood on either side reading along.

Trixie's hand shook as she wrote about the guy kissing her and how she kneed him where it counted. She wrote about the comments that were voiced by her classmates before rushing out of the school for home.

As she related what happened at Crabapple Farm with her brothers, Jim and Dan, her writing got more wobbly, showing the true depth of the pain she was feeling.

When she finished, she closed her eyes and dropped the pen. She was certain her parents thought she had been blown the entire situation out of proportion.

"Trixie," Peter said after a few minutes.

She slowly opened her eyes, prepared to see disappointment staring back at her. But there wasn't any.

"Trixie, just answer me this - have you been sleeping with Jim?" Peter asked.

Helen gasped as Trixie's eyes went wide and her mouth fell open. She knew her father wanted a definite answer to go with all that she had written.

Closing her mouth, she shook her head.

Peter smiled at her. He leaned down and kissed her. "I didn't think so."

Trixie felt her spirit rise a little with the thought that her father really did believe her.

"Do you have any idea who it is that put the poster on your locker?" Peter asked.

Trixie nodded slightly.

"Do you think it was the girl who kissed Jim on Thanksgiving?" Helen asked.

Trixie nodded again.

"Jim kissed a girl on Thanksgiving?" Peter asked.

"No, the girl kissed Jim. He did not kiss the girl," Helen clarified.

"Oh, okay."

"Trixie, we need to know who she is so that this can stop," Helen said.

Trixie shook her head and mouthed the word "no."

"We can't just sit by and let this continue, sweetie," Helen said. "This needs to stop, and soon."

Trixie continued shaking her head. She could feel her heart racing. She knew nothing would happen because of Amelia's connections. Everyone would believe Amelia. Her life would be ruined if they said anything.

At that moment, a nurse entered the room. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine," Peter said.

The nurse looked at Trixie and must have noticed how agitated she was.

"If you don't mind stepping outside, I need to check her vitals," the nurse said.

"We'll be outside," Helen said and left the room with Peter.

Once they were gone, the nurse moved to Trixie and gently touched Trixie's wrist getting a pulse.

"Why don't you close your eyes and try to get some rest?" the nurse suggested. "Your body won't heal if you don't rest."

Trixie nodded and closed her eyes as the nurse headed for the door. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her pounding heart. She knew that if her parents talked to Amelia's, her life in Sleepyside would be over. Mayor Williams wouldn't believe his daughter would do something so mean. And to make matters worse, she only had a feeling Amelia was involved. She didn't have any proof.

When did my life get so out of control? she wondered as exhaustion settled on her battered body. Maybe that car should have killed me.

Trixie spent several days in the hospital, allowing her body more time to heal. She slept more than she was awake and knew her body was doing that so she wouldn't hurt herself more by moving sooner than she should. She also knew the pain medication played a small part in that as well.

When she returned home, she was settled in the guest bedroom on the first floor and quickly fell asleep once again.

As her brain shifted from dreams to awake, she became aware that she wasn't alone. Whoever it was had a hold of her right hand. Trixie hoped it wasn't Brian or Mart. She still couldn't look at them. She had been heartbroken when she realized they believed the people in school.

They had stopped in to see her a couple times, but she quickly closed her eyes and went to sleep. The words they had spoken hurt and he doubted she could forgive them anytime soon.

"Trix?" a voice asked softly.

Jim, she thought.

She slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to the right. A small smile appeared on her face as he looked at her.

"Hey," Jim said. "How are you feeling?"

Trixie shrugged her shoulders and winced, forgetting her shoulder injury.

"Are you okay?" Jim asked quickly. "I can go get your mom."

Trixie squeezed his hand, letting him know she as all right. She saw the dry erase board and marker on the table beside the bed. She motioned for it and Jim handed it to her.

She wrote "I'm okay."

"That's good."

"How long have you been here?"

"About an hour. Your mom said you'd be waking up soon and said I could sit here until you did."

Trixie looked at her best friend. She couldn't believe how lucky she was. She never expected to have someone so special in her life. But she also knew that being a part of his life would keep him from reaching his goals. She couldn't stand in his way. Trixie had spent a lot of time thinking and knew what she needed to do.

"Are you all right, Trix?" Jim asked. "You're serious all of a sudden."

"I'm okay." she wrote.

"That's good. I hate the thought of anything more happening to my girlfriend."

Trixie felt her heart break a little more. A voice inside her said she should leave things alone, but he gut told her it was the right move.

"Jim, there is an envelope on the dresser by the door with your name on it. Go get it, please."

Jim got to his feet and retrieved the letter. He sat down and asked, "What's this?"

"You need to read that. You'll understand."

Jim opened the sealed envelope and pulled out the folded piece of paper filled with Trixie's familiar scrawl.

He began to read aloud.

Dear Jim,

I am writing this letter because I can't really say what I need to. Just know that if my voice was working, I would say these same words.

Jim, you are my best friend. We have had so many good times and adventures together. And each time I was so glad you were by my side. It made it that much more exciting. Many times we were in situations we didn't think we would get out of, but we did.

I have been doing some serious thinking about the two of us. Jim, you move in a circle that I can only watch from a distance. You have great dreams that will be   achieved as long as nothing holds you back. With what you have planned, you need someone who can be an asset, not an expenditure. Your future is important and I can't ruin it for you.

Jim, you mean the world to me, and I'd rather let you go and see your dream flourish than be part of your life and watch it crumble because I've held you back.

That is why I think we should break up. I hope that we can still be friends.

Trixie

TO BE CONTINUED….