“Wishing For Kindness” Part 9

The sun blazed down so the days were hot. If you were in a shaded area, the breeze helped with the humidity. At nights the house was hot so the windows were left open until the temperature went down. Lisa did not like the windows open because bugs would sometime come in. Most nights, she was afraid to sleep. She would lie quietly on her bed hoping her sister would fall asleep so she could close the window. One night she closed it, her sister woke up and was angry. As she proceeded to open the window she said, “Don’t ever close the window until I say it is okay to do so!”

One morning when Lisa woke up she felt a slight pain in one of her breasts. She looked to see why she was in pain. There was a red, swollen lump the size of a quarter on her breast. The first thing she thought was that she was bitten by a bug so she took off her nightie and checked. She did not see any bugs so she checked on her bed, but found nothing. Although she did not see any bugs she still felt that she was bitten by one.

Fear was setting into her heart and she wondered if she should tell her mother, but she did not. She showered, dressed, had breakfast then went to school. During class the lump was hurting and she suddenly felt a sharp pain. “Ouch,” She said.

Although she thought that no one heard, her friend —Susan, who was sitting in front of her whispered, “Lisa, are you okay?”

“No. I will tell you at recess.”

At recess when she and Susan went outside she told her.

“What! Why did you come to school? Your mother have to take you to the doctor.”

“I think it was a bug that bit me, so I did not tell her.”

“When you go home for lunch, tell her.” Susan said.

“Okay.”

Lisa told her mother when she arrived home.

“When did you notice this?” Joanne asked.

“This morning,” Lisa said.

“Tell you father when he gets home from work. Eat your lunch and go back to school.”

“Okay.”

“Did you show your mother the lump?” Susan asked as they walked back to school.

I told her about it, she said to tell my father, eat my lunch and go back to school. She did not ask me to see it.”

“That is not right. Every time you tell me about your mother and the way she treats you, I feel that she is jealous of you.”

“Jealous! Mothers don’t jealous their daughters.”

“Yes they do! I could tell you stories, but this moment is about you and the lump. I told my mother and she said that a lump in the breast is not something to take lightly.” Lisa knew Susan was right and she became teary. “Oh Lisa, I’m sorry. I did not mean to make you cry.”

“It’s not you. I am scared~ I feel so alone~ I wish for a~ a bit of kindness~ from~ from my mother. Just a little reassurance~  that everything will be alright.” They stood on the road for a little while then continued on the way to school.  

Lisa was anxious for school to over, but the time went slowly. When she arrived home from school she anxiously waited on her father, but soon fell asleep. He came in from work and found her sleeping on her bed.

“Lisa?” Michael whispered hitting her gently on her foot.

“Yes daddy,” She said.

“Your mother told me you have a lump on one of your breasts?”

“Yes.”

“Do you mind if I take a look at it?”

 “No.” Lisa showed him the lump.

“Do you mind if I touch it?”

“No.”

Michael gently touched it and Lisa made a little face as though she felt pain so he knew it was sensitive to the touch. He looked at his watch. “Get dressed. I am going to take you to the doctor.”

Lisa was scared, as she showered and dressed. They arrived at the doctor and after examination he said that it was a cyst. He gave her medication and she had to see him in ten days. When they arrived home her mother did not ask her anything.

Michael made sure Lisa took the medication and he enquired how she was doing daily. The second visit to the doctor the cyst had melted and she was healed.