Braking his leg is what forced us to move. You'd never think any of this would be because of the registry, but changes needed to be made, drastic ones. The kind that forced us to change our entire purpose for having him.
At the age of eight, Liam had fallen off his bike, because of the angle he'd been at it resulted in him braking his fibula in his right leg. I knew from the sharp and urgent cry he sobbed, it was broken. I'd never heard him cry like that before. He tried to wipe the tears away and not show any discomfort he was in, but was unable to hold any of it back. The pain was intense and my only thought was get him to the E.R.
Eminently he was taken in. While I filled out papers and called Martin to let him know what had happened the nurse took him to radiology department. Twenty minutes later I was seated by his side as the doctor reviewed the x-ray.
After a moment he looked at me, "Yep it's broken." Abrasively and he continued, "I don't see any reason to fix it, in fact I recommend donating his organs so a more deserving person can have them."
Shocked and utterly horrified by his comment I retorted, "Over a broken leg?" I paused a moment, "I'm sorry, but I don't see the problem?" Instead of looking at me directly he flipped through Liam's file.
"The problem is when people like you go and experiment with what's natural and disrupt the basic laws of nature."
"There's nothing wrong with him, it's a broken leg. And as for you telling me I've experimented with nature, you can shut the hell up!"
"Mama, if you're going to get irate I'll have to call security and have you escorted out. This is my patient and according to the laws I have the right to decide if he's fit enough to resume a healthy lifestyle. And as section 236 of the Clone Registration Act indicates I have that authority to make that decision."
His tone was belittling and arrogant as a smug smile spread across his face. Instead of saying another word I sat there quietly, thinking what I should do. I'm sure he saw it as my way of cowering, but I could have cared less what he thought of me. He was saying all of this in front of my son. I'd run across his type before, outspoken- uninformed- and heartless toward human clones. People who didn't see them as human, like an empty shell that was disposable.
"I'll get you the forms." and he left us in the examination room. Instead of waiting for a set of forms I would never sign. I grabbed Liam.
"Where are we going?"
"Well, we're not staying here, there's no way I'll let them do anything like that to you. Let's go!" Once we reached the car I called Marten.
"You did the right thing, I'll be home in a few minutes, keep him from moving until I can set the leg."
Getting Liam to sit still was easy, it hurt too badly to move and the walk out to the car from the E.R, just about started the tears all over again. I felt so heartbroken that I couldn't do more for the pain, a few ibuprofens, seemed to help, but really didn't do much to relieve all of the pain.
Marten picked up a few supplies for a cast and a set of crutches. Wrapping his leg beautifully, considering it had been years since he'd set a broken bone.
After a few hours, making sure Liam was completely comfortable, with a few Oxicontins and a remote. I walked back to my room. Now completely alone and the situation under control I was able to cry. Marten came in and held me.
"Did we do the right thing?" It's bad enough now. Can you even image what it might be like-"
He cut me off, "There wasn't any other way and you getting him out of there was the right thing to do. Now we know."
