The Lie Behind His Eyes

Jordan gave her a smile around the thermometer in his mouth.

Emilia stroked his hair and waited for the beep. When it came she gently took the thermometer and sighed at the 102.4 reading.

"Whats wrong Emmy?" Jordan asked softly.

"That's a really high fever for someone your age Jordan," Emilia said softly. "questo è peggio di quanto pensassi," she muttered softly.

(translation: this is worse than I thought)

Jordan bit his lip "Do you have to take me to the doctor?" he asked softly.

"I'm gonna finish looking you over now and I'll talk to momma when she gets home, I'll try not to but I can't make any promises," Emilia said.

Jordan nodded "Ok Emmy." he said.

Emilia nodded and put the thermometer away, grabbing her stethoscope before she pulled the blanket off Jordan a bit. "I'm just gonna listen to your lungs for a minute okay honey?" Emilia asked.

Jordan nodded "Okay Emmy." he said softly.

"This might be a little cold," Emilia said, slipping the end under the smaller boy's shirt.

Jordan shivered softly but sat still for her.

Emilia listened to Jordan's lungs for a minute or two. She didn't like how it sounded one bit. They'd learned Jordan had asthma a few months before the divorce. She sighed and hung th stethoscope around her neck. "Jordan, is daddy still smoking around you?" Emilia asked.

Jordan nodded "Yeah daddy still smokes a lot."

Emilia rolled her eyes. "He's not supposed to be smoking around you," she muttered. She pulled the blanket back and rolled his shirt up to expose his stomach, sighing softly at the number of bruises she saw.

Jordan whimpered softly, before he coughed softly.

Emilia sighed. "I'm just gonna put a little pressure on your tummy, you tell me if it hurts anywhere," Emilia said as she started, being careful of the bruises.

Jordan nodded, he whimpered softly when she pressed on a area that hurt.

Emilia stopped when she heard him whimper. "Okay, enough of that," Emilia said. She couldn't get one thing off her mind. She wanted to know how many bruises there were, and every one she saw was making her more angry, She sighed softly. She had to know. She'd need him to sit up if she was going to check and make sure his throat wasn't swollen anyways. "Jordan, sit up, take your shirt off," Emilia said.

Jordan nodded and pulled his shirt over his head.

Emilia wanted to cry at what she saw. Jordan's back, his ribs, everything was covered. "Are there any others?" Emilia asked. She knew their father liked to use his belt for punishment. He could've cracked Jordan's legs.

Jordan bit his lip and nodded.

"Let me see them," Emilia said. She grabbed her camera. If they were going to get Jordan away from their father they would need proof.

Jordan bit his lip and did what she said.

Emilia took a picture of every single bruise on Jordan's body before she put the camera away and went back to her assessment of her brother's condition. She grabbed her penlight and a tongue depressor. "Alright Jordan, one last thing," Emilia said. "Open wide for me, say ahhhh."

Jordan nodded and opened his mouth "Ahhhhh."