Different is Nice

Roxanne never saw the bus. A quick trip to the nearest Stop and Shop and she returned to the field with three bags of cookies (no peanuts because of Joel F.’s allergy) and fifteen juice boxes (no juice drink, only 100 percent juice was approved by the code of snacks). She evenly distributed the grocery bags between her two arms, secured her handbag on her shoulder, and then leaned back into the car to retrieve Gabe’s unwanted jacket, which was just beyond her reach. Snatching it by the zipper pull, she jerked back her arm and lost her balance on one of the many potholes in the field parking lot. That was the last thing she recalled. The next thing she saw was her family holding up the Sunday issue of the paper. SCHOOL BUS SMACKS DOWN SOCCER MOM So, I finally made the paper, Roxanne thought. And I wasn’t even trying. Ben, Justin, Gabe, and Allison stared at her as she lay immobilized in the hospital bed. Can this really be happening, she wondered. Maybe I’m dreaming, and she closed her eyes again hoping that this would make it so. “Roxie, Roxanne,” Ben called to her. “Hey, we’ve been waiting for you to wake up. Don’t go back to sleep now.” Roxanne forced her eyes back open. “How do you feel?” asked Ben. “Like I was run over by a truck,” she said almost choking on the bandages that covered most of her face. “No Mom, it was a bus, see,” said Gabe. “You’re famous. You made the front page.” “Great. I’m just going to sleep for a while now,” and Roxanne closed her eyes and tried to shut out some of the pain that was getting worse as she regained consciousness. “So, how’s she doing?” Dr. Vogel burst into the room followed by a cluster of medical students. “Damnit,” Ben whispered to Allison. “We broke that long-time rule. Never go to the hospital in September. That’s when the new medical students are just starting and they don’t know anything.” “Well, not too good,” he said to the doctor. “She opened her eyes for a minute there, but then she went right back to sleep.” “Let’s just take a look,” said Dr. Vogel. He very gently lifted one edge of the bandage covering Roxanne’s chin. “YEEOWW!” Roxanne would have bolted upright if she could. “Still has a lot of tenderness, I see. I’m sorry Mrs. Thornton, I’ll have the nurse bring you some more medication for the pain. Mr. Thornton, can I talk to you a moment?” “Sure. Kids just stay here with Mom. And don’t touch her,” said Ben. “The good news is that her vital signs are stable. With the exception of the fractured ankle, it seems she suffered most of the injuries to her face. She has multiple facial fractures and her skin was badly abraded.” “So you’re telling me she has a broken face,” said Ben. “Umm, do you mind if we sit down. I’m feeling a little broken myself.” “Sure, have a seat. I know it sounds bad, but we have a wonderful team of plastic surgeons who can do phenomenal reconstruction. She’ll look the same as she always did when they get through with her.” Ben’s head was spinning. Reconstruction…plastic surgery…how were they going to get through all this? How long would it take? Would he actually have to take time off from work? “I will need some recent pictures of her though, do you happen to have one?” the doctor asked. “Yes, I actually do,” said Ben, more surprised than anyone else. “We just got these photos back from my daughter’s Sweet 16 party and there are a few really good ones of Roxanne. I have them in my bag. I brought them to show her.” The doctor took the photos and looked at them long and hard. “Mr. Thornton, has your wife ever expressed an interest in cosmetic surgery? Under the circumstances, all the surgical repairs would be covered by your medical insurance. So if she ever wanted to have, say, a nose job or a chin lift, now’s her chance.” “Doctor, this could be just the thing to cheer her up and help her forget some of the pain she's in. Let's talk to her now.” “Well…if you really think she is ready to handle this.” “Doctor, she's been ready her whole life.”