Chapter Ten
Emily didn’t bring up the incident with Trevor at the market. Several days later; she was still kicking herself for holding on to it. But every time she looked at Brad; she realized there was some hidden fear, and that he just didn’t want to know. She watched Trevor. She tried to play with him, but he just wasn’t quite right. When he wacked his head on the corner of a wall hard enough to leave a sizable goose egg, he simply rubbed his head and went back to his cars. The latest trip to the grocery store had him running his hand over the conveyor belt at the checkout; Emily couldn’t get him to stop. Little things would send into an atomic tantrum where he’d throw himself to the ground kicking and screaming. Small things like, pulling him away from the television or his cars if he was lining them up.
If someone new came to visit, he’d climb all over them, and then wrap himself around their legs. Brad had to yank him off of the nice lady who showed up with business papers for him to sign. It was embarrassing and Brad had apologized profusely, after he’d yelled at Trevor.
Emily scoured the internet when the kids napped—when Trevor slept. There were times—days, he just wouldn’t sleep. She researched his symptoms, and what consistently popped up was, either mercury poisoning, or autism.
Emily needed to find the courage to sit Brad down, and talk with him. Trevor needed help, and Emily worried each time she took Trevor out to a*****e; whether he’d have a public meltdown, or if he’d scream and flail. The only thing that she could do was to pick him up and hurry back to the van with Katy; trying to ignore the hard judgmental glares from strangers. Was she hurting the kid, or just a bad mother? They didn’t say it out loud. They didn’t have to.