THE CHASM 

By Tessa Harvey

    Driving into the school parking lot, Margaret saw her eldest loping towards the car. "Mum! I'm to represent the school in the Science Fair next week. Charlie, Joe and me with out spinning, adjustable wind tower. One of the two in our shopping centre never works,  or barely. Isn't it great?!" 
    Eva arrived next with Mischa between Luca and Livia. They had all had a good day and her smallest was smiling.
    "Jeus love us," said Mischa in a clear high voice. The family were astounded and all fell silent. Mischa was on the autism scale. After a few months at school, he was looking people in the eyes and beginning to smile. Margaret did not minimise all the care the whole family had showered on Mischa, but now he was coming on in leaps and bounds. And now she had some more wonderful news, but that could wait for Nicholas.

Ariella was perched on the edge of the hospital bed, swinging her feet like a child. Her parents came in, beaming. Ari was talking to Dylan on the mobile. Esther signed to her not to hurry. They could wait.
    "Guess what? Dylan is going to meet some of his family." The older adults exchanged uneasy looks. "It is time we explained more fully about yours," her dad said slowly, but wait until we are home.
    A cheerful doctor came into the room, clutching some papers. "Okay, young lady. I see the cavalry has arrived!" Ari looked perplexed. "It's an old saying," the older lady doctor explained, "when there were fights in the Wild West and help suddenly came! Good parents are cavalry!"
    The family smiled. "Now poppet, Ari, you have to take notice and be more careful. You must finish the antibiotics and prednisolone. And use the inhaler until you are totally well."


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