Maple Street Part 1

 Rachel sat on the front steps of her Father’s house. She was not prepared for this kind of meeting; in fact, she’d been dreading it all week. But it was time. She had to do this. She looked at the street lamp at the end of the block. It would be going out soon. The light from the sun was just starting to peek up over the hills.

“Excuse me? May I help you?” Rachel heard a voice behind her, she quickly rose to her feet and turned around in one swift motion. There was a woman, about 40-ish, in a terry cloth bathrobe, standing in the door frame.

“Hi! I’m here to see Sam?” Rachel did her very best to sound non threatening. Soothing.

“May I ask what this is in regards to?” The woman tugged at her robe, as if it would protect her from Rachel’s response.

“I’m Rachel” The woman stared into Rachel’s eyes, but her expression remained unchanged.

“I’m sorry dear, you’re going to have to give me a little bit more than that”

“I’m Rachel! Rachel Maringold? I’m Sam’s daughter!” The woman almost seemed to recoil at this response.

“Well dear, there’s no Sam Maringold at this-”

“NO, his name wouldn’t be Maringold his name would be Woodacre! Samuel David Woodacre. He lives here in this house. Ma’am, I know that you don’t know me and I’m just some girl sitting on your porch at 5:30 in the morning, but I’m telling you. I’m Rachel, I’m his daughter” The woman backed further into the house. Her left hand tightly gripping her robe, so hard that her knuckles were white.

“Well, Rachel, he’s not here” With that, the woman slammed the door. Rachel could hear the sound of the latch being forced into place.

That went well. She knew she should have borrowed some different clothes at the women’s shelter. She’d considered it, briefly. But she’d gone with her regular fish nets shorts and hoodie. She was a little unnerving for sleepy suburbia. Rachel gripped up her backpack from the steps and started walking. She’d have to come back later.

Or wait....she could go to his job....He was probably still working at the hospital….

But then again, that’s another place you can’t just waltz into and demand to see people unannounced.

Rachel walked to the end of the block and looked up into the street lamp right as it was about to go out.

She began to wonder who that woman was. His new wife perhaps? It’s completely reasonable that he would get married. He’d been married to her mother once.

Rachel heard the sound of a door opening. She turned slightly to see a man booking it to a car in the driveway, from the house she’d just approached. This was it. This was her shot. Her one shot. If she was going to talk to him, this was it.

“Dad” Rachel whispered quietly to herself as the car pulled out of the driveway. She had no other option. This was it. This is what needed to happen. This….

It was as if an outer force had taken over her body. As if God or the spirit of her mother was urging her towards the answer. It all happened so fast. As the car approached….Rachel made her move.

She memorized every detail in that moment. The teal color of the car.

One step

The Toyota emblem in the front.

Two step

the sound of the wheels moving on the pavement

Three step

And finally, the look of terror in the drivers eyes

Impact.

It was so fast. Rachel could feel every bone in her body. Every molecule of what made her human seemed to shift. It was nothing like in the movies. She didn’t go flying into the air….there was no rolling on top of the car. He could only have been going about 15 miles an hour. It was more like….Like running into a table. But if the table was 1500 lbs and being thrown at you. Just kind of “thunk” and she went down. The car pulled to a screeching halt, and then there was a distant ringing.

“He can’t run from me” she thought

The pavement was cold. Like ice. Rachel thought about a time when she’d gone ice skating with her Mom, falling onto the ice....how cold it was. She heard a voice in the distance; but she couldn’t see him. He was so close.

“MISS? MISS? Oh my God, are you okay? Don’t move, don’t move….I’ll….Maryanne! Maryanne!! Call an Ambulance! MARYANNE! I HIT HER, PLEASE CALL THE POLICE”

He’d gotten out of the car. She’d succeeded. He couldn’t ignore her now.

“Daddy” Rachel whispered. There was a hot metallic taste in her mouth

“Daddy it’s me. It’s Rachel” She closed her eyes.

Rachel opened her eyes again to the sound of beeping and a low hum. She took in her surroundings…..slowly at first.

There was a woman in blue pajamas standing by her feet with a clipboard. No wait, not pajamas….nursing scrubs.

Rachel was in a bed.

She smiled to herself. She was in a hospital.

“Hey you” She heard a soft deep voice from her left. Turning her head ever so slightly, it felt like her skull was made out of bricks.

It was him. Sitting there in a gray suit. He had brown eyes, Just like Rachel’s.

“Daddy” she whispered. “Daddy you came”

“How are you feeling?”

“Daddy” Rachel said, ignoring his question “I have to tell you something. I have to tell you about what’s happened. Daddy, Mama died. Mama died about a year and a half ago. I know that you said that if we left the house we could never come back. I know you said that, I know what you said. And I understand why, I understand why you would feel that way. But Daddy, Mama was sick. She was sick and I was just a little girl, I didn’t know any better. If I’d had the choice I would have stayed in the house with you. I would have stayed on Maple Street. I wouldn’t have let her take me. Daddy I know it’s been years. I know you haven’t seen me in forever and ever. But I’m still your little girl. It’s still me, Rachel. I want to come home. Please. I know that you’re married to that bathrobe woman. And it might take some getting used to….but I have nowhere else to go. I want to start over. Daddy I’m so sorry we left you. I love you so much Daddy”

Rachel closed her eyes again. She’d practiced what she’d say for hours before approaching the house on Maple street. But now, in her fragile state, she had thrown out her mental notes. She was exhausted.

“Get some rest.” The man stood up gently, trying not to disturb her. He walked out of the room and to the attending Doctor who had been watching from the window.

“Will she be ok?”

“Mr-?”

“Forester.”

“Mr. Forester, her vitals appear to be good. She is doing surprisingly well for someone who’s been hit by a moving vehicle. You’ll be able to take your daughter home in a few days.” Mr. Forester looked in on Rachel, then back at the Doctor.

“I feel terrible about what’s happened, but I have to tell you, that’s not my daughter.”

“Oh! I...just assumed because of the whole...the Daddy speech.”

“No. I’ve never been married before Maryanne. I’ve never had children. And, well, we’ve only lived in that house for about five years. I feel terrible. Maybe she was the daughter of the previous owner?”

The Doctor furrowed his brow.

“This changes things a bit. I’m so sorry, but if you’re not her father I can’t release anymore information to you. I should have been more thorough and not assumed…. but then again when a patient tells me that the visitor is a relative, I tend to believe them”

“Did she speak to you? Did she say that I was her father?” Mr. Forester had a shake to his voice. He couldn’t recognize if it was due to worry, or fear.

“The EMT said that-” The Doctor stopped himself “I’m sorry, I can’t relay anymore information to you if you’re not a blood relative. I apologize if you feel we’ve wasted your time”

Mr. Forester took a step back. The Doctor’s tone implied that he felt the reverse.

Mr. Forester turned his head to the window of the hospital room. He looked at that poor injured girl in the bed. Maybe he didn’t have to tell her that he wasn’t who she thought he was? Maybe….maybe Maryanne would be okay with having this young lady stay with them for awhile.

“Doctor, what if, what if we just held off on telling her? Just a day or two, until she gets her strength back. I don’t want to traumatize the poor girl. She’s been through so much” The Doctor Rolled his eyes, so harshly that Forester was concerned that he might pop a blood vessel.

“Mr. Foster-”

“Forester”

“Forester, I’m really not in the business of convincing my patients that the strangers who put them in the hospital are blood relatives. I’m sorry sir, doesn’t that sound insane to you? Lying to a poor injured girl? Letting her believe in a fantasy just to take it away?” The Doctor placed the chart in his hand down on the nurses station.

“And I’m ASSUMING Mr. Forester, that you would eventually mean to tell her the truth? I mean. What kind of a monster would-”

“What if I didn’t?” Forester raised his voice slightly above the Doctor’s

“What if I didn’t tell her that I wasn’t her father? Ever, I mean? It’s clear that this young woman has had a VERY hard life! And, who knows if she’ll ever be able to locate her actual father? Or, if he’ll even want to see her or speak to her when she does find him? Sir, this young lady was so eager to make contact that she threw herself in front of my car. She deserves validation. Even if it’s not from who she intended.” The Doctor locked eyes with Forester. He somehow seemed more agitated than when they began speaking.

“It is my job to treat this patient. To help her. To tell her the truth. I won’t lie to her. I suggest you say your goodbyes. I’m sure you have a lot of explaining to do to the police.” Forester took two steps back. The Doctor turned and walked away.

Rachel sat on her bed watching her Father speak to the man in the white coat. He had such a concern in is eyes. Rachel let out a sigh that hurt in her chest. Things would be different now. Things would be better. She had her Dad, and a new mom. Maryanne.

Rachel closed her eyes and imagined a life on Maple street. A life where she was raised by Her Father and Maryanne. Maybe they’d do some baking together, go shopping or maybe get their nails done.

Rachel sunk into her hospital bed and imagined her first day of college; because she’d of course go to college in a world where Dad and Maryanne were her parents. Dad would load up her car, probably the Toyota- he’d hand it down to her. Maryanne would make a fuss over whether Rachel had enough money to get food.

“Don’t forget to stop for gas” Maryanne would say

“Oh mom, you’re always looking out for me” Rachel would say

“Excuse me” Rachel snapped out of her fantasy “I’m Doctor Connor I’m a resident here at St Christophers. I just have to ask you a few questions.

Rachel opened her eyes to see a young woman. She had milky white skin and red hair, but Rachel could see her brown roots. Her smile revealed teeth that had most definitely been paid a great amount of attention.

“I bet you have a family that loves you.” Rachel croaked. Connor’s smile faded, revealing lines on her face that implied smiling was her default setting.

“I’m sorry I don’t-”

“ You know, a mom a dad. Giving you encouragement. Taking you to ballet, buying you a dress for prom. The works. I bet you lived in a really nice neighborhood” Connor delicately cleared her throat and looked down at the clipboard in her hands.

“Can you tell me your name please” Rachel rolled her eyes

“I told the EMT all of that”

“OK, but we just need to confirm with you now that you’re stable”

“Rachel Elizabeth with a ‘z’ Maringold M-A-R-I-N-G-O-L-D”

“And do you have any next of kin, I mean any-”

“I know what next of kin means” Rachel barked.

“I’m sorry Miss Maringold. Do you have-”

“He was just here Doctor Connor. His name is Sam Woodacre. He has a wife named Maryanne Woodacre. They’ll be back to pick me up when I’m well.”

“Oh wonderful!” Connor frantically scribbled on her papers. Rachel noticed that her pen had a bunny on the top.

“I need a home address and phone number”

“I don’t have a phone number. But I live at 114 Maple Street. Or I will. I will when my parents come back for me.”

“Maple street what?” Connor looked at Rachel, with her big stupid greed eyes

“Are you asking me a question?” Seriously, Rachel wondered how this Red headed bimbo could have become a doctor at all.

“I need a city, state and zip code” Rachel blinked. City State and Zip code. Of course, they of course needed a city….state…..and zip code. ‘Well’ She thought ‘I started out sassy might as well end sassy’

Rachel rolled her eyes. She tried to make it enough of a spectacle for Connor to catch on to it

“What City are we in Doctor Connor?”

“Jackson”

“And what’s the State that we’re in?”

“Minnesota”

“Good! Oh you’re so good. Now one more….look down at your little papey papers and tell me the zip code from where I had my accident”

“56143”

“THERE YOU GO! GOOD GIRL!” Connor looked as though she was about to cry.

“OK….well…. Thank you” Connor’s eyes welled up. Rachel felt a sting of guilt. She opened her mouth to apologize but Connor cut her off

“I’m going to give your chart to Doctor Rosannea, and then he’ll be in to talk about your discharge” Connor turned on her heel and scurried out as if her feet were on fire. Rachel felt awful. Why couldn’t she just tell Connor? Why couldn’t she have just admitted that she didn’t know where she was? That all she knew was that she lived at 114 Maple street. That her arsenal contained only her own name, childhood address and her father’s name?

She realized why she couldn’t. Because they would commit her. She knew that it sounded crazy. Finding her father on minimal information, and a feeling. But it had worked. She’d found him, and now they were going to be a family. Rachel closed her eyes for a moment.

“Hey” Rachel opened her eyes again, this time the room was dark. She looked towards the door, and there he was.

“Daddy” she whispered. Her father entered the room with a rolling suitcase.

“Are you ready to go?” His voice sounded shaky, uncertain.

“Absolutely” Rachel rolled out of the bed and to her feet. Everything ached, but she didn’t care. She was going home.

To be Continued…...

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