unconsciousness would be an undesirable outcome

[self_composed]

On Sunday, Bella drives to the movie theater with Angela in tow, and her car breaks on the way home from Angela's house. She calls a tow truck, and calls her dad, and she goes home in the cop car and her station wagon goes on vacation to the mechanic.

On Monday, Charlie drives Bella to school.

As she's been discharged from the car and Charlie pulls away, a van driven by a panicking teenager screams out of nowhere towards Bella.

Making wishes is easy.

It is not automatic. It is not instantaneous.

The van creams Bella, good and proper.

Comments

[self_composed]

"I'd really rather not prove to all the doctors that I'm ready to leave first," Bella says. "I think I can prove it to your satisfaction - yes, Dad. I know you are not a doctor."

[edgeofyourseat]

(Snort.)

[self_composed]

"I couldn't stand on my head even if I hadn't been hit by a car," Bella says. "But I can walk around the room. Will you take me home if I can walk around the room? Please?" Pause. "I'll make the nice chicken recipe for dinner..."

[edgeofyourseat]

...Alice takes out his notebook and writes something in it.

[self_composed]

"Yes, that one, with the capers and the lemon juice. C'mon, Dad." Pause. Pause. "Yes, contingent on my being able to walk around the room, without doctor or nurse supervision. Then you roll me out in a wheelchair - well, Dad, no I don't think lying to my doctors would be a great idea normally, but telling them the truth, which you declined to have explained, would get a lot of attention. From, like, reporters."

[edgeofyourseat]

Write write write.

[self_composed]

"Okay, Dad, I'll see you in a few minutes. Love you too."

Bella closes the phone and hums to herself happily.

"What'cha writing?"

[edgeofyourseat]

He turns the notebook around and shows her.

It says:

I love you.

I'm really, really glad you're okay.

It's kind of amazing how you talk to your dad.

I love you.

[self_composed]

Bella squirms and smiles.

"Did I hear you say you were crying?" she says archly.

[edgeofyourseat]

"You did," he admits. "And I did. Twice."

[self_composed]

Aww.

Footsteps approach. Bella lies down and plays injured.

"Visiting hours are over in twenty minutes, fair warning," says the nurse who sticks her head in.

[edgeofyourseat]

"Okay," says Alice, just to make her go away.

[self_composed]

The nurse closes the door. Bella opens her eyes.

"Charlie'll be here before then," she says. And "Do you want me to try explaining to him why I call you 'Alice'?"

[edgeofyourseat]

"...I dunno," he says. "What'll happen if you do?"

[self_composed]

"Probably? He'll shrug, say he's going to call you by your legal name but we can do what we want, and then mutter to himself about my weird friends."

[edgeofyourseat]

"Fuck me," says Alice, rolling his eyes. "Think we can bargain him down to Laney?"

[self_composed]

"Yeah, I can tell him that's what Hilary calls you."

[edgeofyourseat]

"Great, okay. Bring it."

[self_composed]

Charlie arrives before any more doctors or nurses do. Bella waves energetically and he winces, then gradually relaxes into an expression of openmouthed astonishment as she gets up and wanders in a circle around the room. "Can I go home?" she asks.

"Well," says Charlie. "You can walk. Seem lucid. Suppose so."

He eyes Alice suspiciously but doesn't say anything.

[edgeofyourseat]

Alice... sits. Quietly. With his notebook closed.

[self_composed]

"Dad, you've probably heard about Laney from Hilary," Bella says, helpfully pointing. "He's my friend."

"Mm-hm," says Charlie. "She's mentioned him."

[edgeofyourseat]

"Hi," says Alice.

[self_composed]

"I call him Alice, though," she adds, sticking out her tongue at Alice like this is a teasing nickname she invented for him.

Charlie hmphs. "Well," he says. "I'll go see about checking you out of here, Bells."

[edgeofyourseat]

Alice grins at her.

[self_composed]

Charlie leaves them be to go annoy some doctors and borrow a wheelchair.

"There," says Bella. "I have a swell dad."