Chapter 8
The next day Francis was back. Sitting in the dining room with Patty, she gave Ardala a warm smile when she swung into the dining room to see if there was anything she could do to be of assistance. "Good morning, dear. How is your foot?"
"Hello, Francis," Ardala leaned heavily on the crutches and tried to figure out why she was there.
Francis stood up, gesturing to Ardala. "We have an appointment this morning with Doctor Stevens to look at your foot."
"May I assist with breakfast first or must we go now?" Ardala looked over at Patty who made a shooing motion
"We have to go, or we'll be late." Francis walked to her side and smiled. "Looks like you're doing better with those." She gestured at the crutches. "That's good."
Francis led her from the building and helped her back into the vehicle. "We'll see the doctor and then have breakfast, sound good?"
"It is as you like it to be." Ardala said, trying not to fidget. "I have no opinion on this matter."
It was a silent drive to the large building where she'd been three days ago. She was ushered back into the building and into the room where Doctor Stevens and Devon were waiting. Doctor Stevens looked slightly surprised when he saw her. "You look much better, not so tired and ill."
"I feel less tired and ill." She looked at Doctor Stevens mildly, taking a chance that it wouldn't provoke anger. "I have slept and eaten many times since you last saw me."
"Good, now up on the table and let's change out that dressing." Doctor Stevens gestured to her with a slight smile that didn't expose his teeth. It was a careful sort of smile and it made her relax slightly, unwillingly. Francis helped her up on the table and Devon and Doctor Stevens gently unwrapped the film from her foot.
What followed was pain as the padding was removed from the hole in her foot and the inside prodded. Devon looked at her and she tried to hide the tears that were gathering in her eyes at the pain. "Almost done now, it's ok to cry. I know it hurts. I had one on my back after a motorcycle accident."
"I am fine," Ardala managed to get out around the pain. "To show pain is a weakness that was not allowed."
"Well, you aren't there." Doctor Stevens said as he started pushing padding back into the opening in her foot. "This is looking much better, but you're still to stay off of it as much as you can."
"I understand." Ardala sniffled and immediately felt herself freeze. Neither man reacted, simply finished with the padding, and wrapped a new piece of clear film around her foot. She watched as the buzzing machine was reattached and turned on, watched as the film was sucked tight to her foot and Doctor Stevens turned to look at Francis. "Another two days and I'll see her again to change the dressing out."
Francis nodded and took her back to the car and to another restaurant, that was another human word she knew now. Ardala followed Francis into the building, trying not to be hesitant about it. This time it wasn't a bowl that was placed in front of her, but a large platter set between her and Francis who gestured at the food. "Dig in, it's not doing you any good on the platter."
Ardala ate, finding the food different but very good. Once full she sat back and looked at Francis. "What am I to do now?"
"You'll go back to Patty's until your foot has healed." Francis said, "at that point you can choose to stay there, or you can move into the tiny village. You can also try and find work at that point." Francis slid a paper over to her. It was covered in strange symbols and Ardala looked down at it and then back up at Francis. "You can't read, can you?"
"I cannot read this, no." Ardala said quietly. "I did not study human writing, I had too many of my own duties to be permitted lessons."
"Horrible." Francis said sourly. "The people who had you were terrible." She pulled out a file and made a note. "I'll find you a tutor and we'll get that taken care of."
Ardala tried to think of something to say and failed. "I do not know what to say."
"Don't worry about it." Francis moved her chair back from the table. "Let's get you back to Patty so you can keep healing and I'll see if I can find someone to come in and tutor you."
Ardala was taken back to the house and placed back in Patty's hands. Patty immediately sent her to the sunroom to rest and she promptly fell asleep again.