Sitting in nothing but a paper gown was bad. Listening to Heather and Danielle fight was worse. All illusions of what a mother daughter bond should look like quickly dissolved before Ella’s eyes .The tension in the air was so thick she could feel it wrap around her lungs and begin to squeeze.

“Why can’t I see the doctor by myself?” Danielle demanded. She stood in the corner, arms crossed and still fully clothed.

When the medical assistant had led them in and handed them each a gown, Ella had wasted no time stripping down. Danielle had merely scoffed at the idea.

“Because I said so!” Heather hissed. The reasons seemed to change every time Danielle asked the question. At first, the answer had been because she was too young, then it had switched to the doctor being male. “He’ll be here any minute. Get changed!” An exacerbated Heather growled.

“I’m not changing in front of you guys!” Danielle protested.

“Nobody cares what you look like in your underwear! Why are you pretending to be shy? I caught you streaking down the hall last week!”

“Mom!” Danielle whined, drawing out every syllable. “I don’t want to change in front of her! I’m on my…you know.”

“So what! You’ve seen her in a diaper! I doubt she cares if you’re in a pad!”

“But it leaked…” Danielle mumbled.

Heather groaned and swore under her breath. “Just get changed!’”

Ella looked from Heather to Danielle as they glared at each other, each silently fighting a battle of wills. Danielle was the one to finally cave. She grabbed the gown off the table and spun around while mumbling under her breath. Ella was at first relieved in a way when she had seen the bulge in Danielle’s underwear. At least she wasn’t the only one who needed some kind of diaper. Perhaps her situation wasn’t that weird. Speaking of weird though, she eyed Danielle’s underwear for a second before she inwardly gasped and looked away. She could feel the color draining from her face. What she had thought was a tie dye design was none other than splotches of blood.

Ella groped blindly in the air until she felt Heather’s arm. She anchored herself to the woman, ignoring Heather’s worried concerns and waited until the room righted itself again. Her stomach began involuntarily doing somersaults. She stared at her bare feet as she felt a hand press against her forehead.

“Poor thing,” Heather said. “You’re running a fever.”

Why was she worried about her? Couldn’t she see her daughter was bleeding? Her mind flashed back to the time she had pneumonia. She had been coughing up blood then and it had caused a panic. Was it like that? Was she hurt? What kind of disease did she have? Was she terminal like Ella had been once labeled? She looked up at Heather with a face full of concern and panic.

“I know, being sick is no fun, huh?” Heather said. Ella shook her head and pointed at Danielle.

“What’s wrong?” Ella silently mouthed.

“I ask myself that everyday.” Heather grumbled. “ Don’t worry about her, she’s just being ornery because she knows she’s getting a shot.” Ella shook her head and pointed more frantically.

Heather hadn’t seen! She didn’t know Danielle was sick! “What’s wrong? I don’t understand.”

“Did little Timmy fall down the well?” Danielle threw in sarcastically.

“Danielle!” Heather hissed before turning back to Ella who was now pulling the notepad out of her shorts pocket that were on the floor.

She’s bleeding!

Heather looked at the note perplexed until realization dawned on her. “Don’t worry about that.”

Is she sick?

Heather smiled a little and shook her head. “No, she’s not sick.” Ella looked at her puzzled.

“What? What’s wrong?” Danielle asked. She got up and looked at the notepad before burying her face in her hands. “This is exactly why I didn’t want to get changed! This ones on you! I’m not telling her!”

Tell me what? Ella thought.

“There’s nothing wrong with Danielle. I promise. How about we worry about you. You’re covered in chicken pox!” Heather said as she attempted to change the subject. Ella wasn’t taking the bait.

Why is she bleeding?

“I’ve had her for one day. One day and I already have to have this conversation.” Heather moaned.

“If you just would have listened to me and-” Danielle started but was cut off with a glare.

“What’s happening to Danielle is perfectly normal. She’s not hurt or sick, she’s just growing up is all.” Heather explained. Ella cocked her head to the side confused.

“I’m fine, I’m just on my period.” Danielle said.

What’s a per Ella had begun to write, but jumped when the door had suddenly swung open.

“Miss Danielle!” An elderly man said walking in and giving her a handshake. “Hop up on the table and have a seat!”

Ella noticed the color of Danielle’s face drain as she did what she was told.

“Wish she’d listen to me like that.” Heather said. Danielle rolled her eyes.

“Uh-oh! Has someone been giving their mom trouble?” Dr. Lawson asked.

“When is she not?” Heather said.

“Stop it.” Danielle grumbled.

He smiled as he glanced through a small white folder. “Looks like someone’s headed into their teenage years So let’s see here. You are here for a physical, yes?”