The Elite Journey - chapters 6 to 9

Chapter 6
"You still need a tutor?" the girl asked sitting next to her schoolmate on the bus
"Yeah, but I can't pay you"
"Then let's trade"
"What?"
"English for running"
"Running?"
"Yeah, I wanna do it, but everything I've tried goes too fast"
"So what's your best?"
"10 seconds but, then the walk in my plan is too short for recovery"
"Which plan you using?"
"Galloway's conditioning one"
"And what's the ratio?"
"10 seconds run to 50 walk"
"For how long?"
"It's meant to be 19 minutes but I can't do more than five"
"Did you do the first three weeks ok?"
"Yeah but then I had to take time off"
"Why?"
"I tripped over one of my sister’s toys and hurt my foot and ankle"
"How bad?"
"I was on crutches for six weeks"
"When?"
"Over the holidays"
"And since then?"
"I've worked back to where I was with the walks but I can't do the runs with the ratio he wants”
"Including the 5 second ones?"
She nodded.
"So how long do you need for recovery?"
She shrugged adding "I end up heading home after the second run 'cos it hurts too much"
"Physically?"
"Yes but the mental stuff is really annoying. Especially when you’ve got a kid who’d run all day if you let her”
“Imogen?” Abbey guessed knowing that Zara’s other sister Bronte was, like her friend more academic than physical
Zara nodded.
"Then let’s do a baseline test?"
"What's that?"
"Checking where you are currently"
"But I'm nowhere"
"Yes you are, you just need more recovery time after running"
"And you'll help me?"
"Yes"
"Even though I'm bound to be much slower than you?"
She nodded
"Won't it screw with your training?"
"Not if I use it as a warm up, or do it on rest days"
“I thought rest days were for rest?
“They are but I do active rest”
“Definite oxymoron”
“What?”
“An oxymoron is something that contradicts itself”
“Thanks”
“Why?”
“Cos the teacher’s explanation sucked”
“So you’re sure you’re willing to help me run?”
“Yes”
Then sealing the deal with a hug they continued talking about school for the rest of the trip.
That night after finishing the English homework set by her teacher Abbey took Zara out for a test run. From there it was established the best ratio for her to start with was ten seconds run to seven minutes and twenty seconds of walking repeated four times.

Eventually when they’d covered about 1.7 k Zara asked when they could go out again.
"How's Wednesday?"
"Ok, what time?"
"About five"
"Can we go later?"
"Why?"
"I have to take Imogen for an IQ test"
"Why?"
"They think she may have an intellectual disability."
“Along with the CP?”
“Yeah, but worse”
"How bad?"
"Well she's pretty much doing kinder work for maths, pre-k for English and can’t understand science or integrated studies very well”
"And religion?
“She likes the stories they tell but doesn’t understand the meaning behind them”
“What about non-academic stuff?"
"She keeps up with the other kids in running unless there’s a hill or ramp but can’t climb stairs without assistance and is ok with the arty stuff but doesn’t understand theory
"So what happens if the tests show something is wrong?"
"We try getting her an aide for the rest of the year but I'm not sure how much it'll help"
“I thought she already had one”
“No, just therapists”
"Why?"
“Cos she didn’t really need physical help in class beyond the provision of equipment, task adaptation or what the teacher can help her with anyway”
“Like the stairs?”
“Yep”
“But why don’t you think the aide will work?”
"Cos she's so far behind everyone else"
"But don't they cater for that?"
"Yes, but some subjects are way too abstract for her so it doesn’t matter how much they adapt them”
"And they can’t make them concrete?"
"No”
"So what happens if the aide doesn't work?" Abbey wondered having only just stopped working with an aide herself with no idea of what would come next.
"Dual schooling but I'm gonna give her a semester to see what happens."
“How’s that work?”
“She’ll attend the catholic school part of the week and special school the rest of the time”
“"Good, see you Wednesday." She promised as they finished the run at the fence line of Zara’s property.


"Abbey slow down!" yelled a teacher grabbing her arm a few days later.
"But I have to get out of here"
"Why? What's wrong?"
"My physics teacher"
"What happened?"
"Childcare rang and he wouldn't let me talk to them"
"Why?"
"Cos it's against the rules"
"But you’ve got an exemption from the principal"
"And he won't accept it"
"Then leave it with me"
"What'll you do but?"
"Remind the staff that all the student-parents and those who are carers are exempted from the phone rules"
"And what now?"
"Call them back and find out what's going on"
"Thanks"

Finally on arriving at the centre she found Beth on the floor screaming.
"What's wrong princess?" she asked kneeling in front of her.
Beth hit her bottom
"You need a new nappy?"
She shook her head
"Then what is it?"
She pointed at the bathroom
"What about it Beth?"
She looked around then started screaming again

"Bethany Stop, we can't understand you"
"Then let’s try this" suggested Linda coming in carrying a tablet computer
Beth pushed herself up and made a grab for it.
"You need to stop screaming first"
She stopped and put her hand out
"Better, now push the screen to tell us what you want"
"Toilet" she said finding the picture representation Linda had already loaded on to the screen.
"You mean you want to use it?"
She nodded
"Is that even possible?" asked Abbey
"Not yet" answered Stephanie, the head teacher of the room.
"Why?" demanded Beth
"A lot of reasons but the main one is you can't get there”
Beth nodded
"How?"
"Wheels"
"You mean the stander?"
"Yes"
"Ok, let’s get Matt in here"
"Why? You already know how to use it" her mum protested
"Yes, but we need to work out how it works in the new activity" Steph explained
"Ok, can I stick around?"
"Sure, it'll help you put it in place at home"
"That's what I’m thinking"
"No nappy?" asked Beth looking at her
"Only for sleep"
She nodded

Alright Beth, let’s see what's going on with you"
"For toilet?" she asked back
"Yes"

On hearing the confirmation Beth pushed herself on to all fours and crawled over to the bathroom area where she pulled herself up on the edge of one of the sinks

"What happened to using your wheels?" Asked Stephanie
Beth lifted a hand to reach for the computer, but then put it straight back on to the sink
"What's wrong?"
She shook her head
"Just try it one more time so I can see the problem" Matt prompted
"ok, it looks like you're losing balance"
She nodded
"You wanna try what we do at home for dressing?"
She nodded again
"What's that?" he inquired
"I hold her around the chest so she can use her arms to take the bottom stuff off"
"Sounds like what the pacer does"
"Are you talking about Jason's one?" asked Stephanie
"Yes, is he here today?"
"I'll go check"
Coming back she pulled the pacer along with her
"You want to try it Beth?"
"Will it help me walk?" Beth asked having finally grabbed the computer from Abbey now that she was able to balance without using her hands
"Let's see"
"How?"
"Lift up one of you feet"
"Can't" she told him starting to cry again
"Why?"
"It feels funny"
"Like the hands thing?"
"No"
"How then?"
"Nothing below"
"Would it help if you had support around you legs or ankles?"
"Maybe"
"Ok let's try it" he suggested pulling out a new set of straps which would help support those areas when attached to the pacer

"How do I go forward?" she asked having been placed back in it now it had the extra support.
"Lift you foot and push it forward"

After trying she started to throw a tantrum again.

"What are you screaming for now?” Steph demanded harshly because of the exasperation she felt with Beth’s communication issues.
"I can't do it"
"Then let me help you" suggested Matt
"How?"
"Lift up your foot and I'll pull it forward"



"Now what?" she asked having finally reached the toilet
"Turn around so you can sit down"
"Can you help?"
"Sure" he agreed turning the frame.
The next night after training Abbey arrived at Zara’s house to find Beth lying on the floor reading a chapter book.
“Where’d you get this?” she asked picking it up from in front of her daughter.
“From Bronte”
“Why?”
“Cos Imogen’s are too easy” she told her talking about the books that lined both girls’ shelves.
“But Imogen’s at school already”
“And still reads worse than me.” She explained.
“Then how long you been reading Bronte’s stuff?”
“Since Christmas”
“So why don’t you take the books with you from here? “
“Cos the teacher’ll yell at me”
“Because?”
“Because the other kids can’t share them?”
“And how’s that different to your other stuff?” she asked talking about the equipment Beth used to participate in the normal activities of the childcare centre
“That’s different”
“How?”
“They let me be same.”
“And these?”
“Are too far ahead”
“Then let’s talk to them”
“Why, the books are too high even for kinder”
“How you know?”
“Cos Bronte’s almost at your school” she explained.
“True, but that’s not one of my new books” the owner informed her entering the room
“It’s not?”
“No. I’m on to way harder stuff now”

Chapter 7
Finally on the last day of term Abbey left for Spain after sending Beth home from school with Zara. She was going there to compete in the junior world championships. Then on arrival she called her boyfriend to tell him she’d arrived safely. They then went on to fill each other in on the progress they’d made at school along with discussing the plans made to cater for Beth due to her advancement above the norm in academics while still addressing the deficits created by her cerebral palsy.

"What the hell is wrong with you Abigail!?" the coach asked when she finally finished her race.
"Like you care" she answered moodily.
"Of course I do"
"Only ‘cos you're paid"
"True, but I'm also paid to listen"
"To what? You know wrong"
"I know what's wrong?" he asked filling in the words she'd missed as he normally did to support her language development as he had since meeting her three years previously when she’d been barely understandable to anyone.
"If know me, do" she told him starting to cry.
"Alright, calm down"
"Why?"
"Because you're starting not to make sense"
"Look!" she yelled pointing to the stands
"At what there's no one there for you"
She nodded, sinking down to the track.
“Alright angel” he soothed helping her up “we need to let them start the next race”
“But I did crap”
“Doesn’t matter, it’s only world juniors”
“You think I do better in London?” she asked with utter disbelief.

“Yes” he answered hatching a plan to relieve her homesickness.

Two weeks later at the 5000m Olympic final she happened to glance in to the stands as she passed the royal family and seeing Beth in the crowd she sprinted the second half to finish as Beth walked on to the track to meet her. As a result of this she smashed the previous world record by ten seconds to come in at fourteen minutes and eight minutes.
"Who bought you?" she inquired kneeling down to unstrap and pick her daughter up.
"No one"
"Whaddya mean no one?
"They couldn't afford more tickets"
"Who?
"Your school"
"My school?" she asked wondering what Beth meant
"They did a fundraiser to get her here" the coach informed her
"You knew?"
"Of course I did, I organised It.”
"So who looked after you?" she asked turning back to her daughter
"A stewardess"
"She nice?"
"Yeah, she taught me Arabic"
"Arabic?" she questioned turning back to the coach
"Emirates were the only airline with tickets who'd actually take her"
"O.k."

Meanwhile back in Australia another inmate of the prison yelled to Tristan "I know why you're doing all that exercise stuff now!"
"Yeah and why's that?" he asked walking over with his eyes still on the TV screen
"To get some from that hottie when you get out" he offered pointing to Abbey as she did a victory lap with Beth in her arms holding the Australian flag.
"Of course" he agreed leaving the room to make a phone call.

Later that night Beth crawled over to another group of athletes and started talking to them, then yelling “Abigail!” one of them called out to her mum.

“It’s Abbey” she reiterated crossly to the other girl

“Not when you beat me by a full lap it’s not”
“I really did that?”

“Yes but it's not the reason I called you over”
“Why then?”

“Listen to your daughter”
“But that’s Russian”
“Yes, and I’m wondering where she learnt it”
“Don’t know, she only does Italian at school”
“Well she understands it pretty well.”
“How’d you know”
“She’s having a full conversation about what she does in her sport" she answered pointing to her team mate
“And what’s that?”
“Swimming” answered Beth switching back to English as she turned to her mum.
"And how'd you do that?"
Beth demonstrated a freestyle movement
"Looks good kid , but I think she's asking about the speaking" the Russian swimmer told her
"I listen and watch then speak" she answered in English so everyone could understand her
"But you've never heard the language before" argued her mum
"Doesn't matter, you get a pattern if you listen and watch long enough"
"And that's how you know what to say?"
"Yeah, but I need more time to really get it"
"And how do you get that?"
"By talking with people in it"
"So are you ok staying here with Anna while I go do a few things?"
“You actually know my name?” Asked the Russian woman surprised.
“Yes you beat us in the really long swim” she told her talking of the 10k open water swim.
“True but Most just remember the medal winners”
“Not me” she answered smiling
“Ok, can I ask where she got that?” she inquired of Beth pointing to the computer she was using to talk.
“Mum?”
“It’s just a tablet computer with speech software”
“Is it easy to get?”
“Why?” she asked shrugging to show she didn’t really know
“Because, there’s a lot of kids at my orphanage who could use it”
“What’s an orphanage?” asked Beth
“It’s where kids with no parents live”
“Why not Zara?” she wondered turning to her mum
“Cos she’s old enough to look after her family”
“You live in one?”
“No, I had foster care”
“What’s that?” the Russian wanted to know, having never heard of it before
“Living in another family’s house”
“No institution care?”
“Some, but they do families more”
“Even for disabled?”
“Yep, I grew up with kids just like Beth”
“Same, but they didn’t get help”
“Why?”
“No money, means basics are more important”
“Basics?” asked Beth
“Food, clothes, bedding”
“No toys?”
“Some, but not enough for all of us”
“Even to share”
“No”
“So why’d they get computers?” Abbey was now confused by the difference in conditions and technology this woman was talking about.
“Because I have people willing to help me improve them”
“But basics are still more important right?”
“Yes, but we can’t educate children who can’t talk”
“True, what about the rest of them though”
“Rest of them?” she asked not understanding
“I’m guessing they need more than talk”
“Yes they also need physical help, so tell me about the thing Beth used earlier”
“After my massage”
“Why?”
“Because I’m sore, plus I need to look up the other stuff they could use”
“Other stuff?”
“They make seats, standers, and trikes too” Beth told her in Russian.
“Ok. I’ll look after her til you get back them” she promised lifting Beth on to her lap.
“Thanks” said Abbey leaving the common area
“So you had dinner yet Beth?” Anna continued in Russian
“No”
“You want to get some?”
She nodded.
Chapter 8
Finally arriving home Abbey reached out for the door when suddenly it opened to reveal a young well built man with light brown hair and hazel eyes
“When’d you get out T?” asked Abbey wrapping her arms round him
“This morning”
“You look good” she told him stepping back to look at him properly
“So do you but I wanna see more” he whispered pulling her close
“Yes but Beth”
“Has a new toy to play with”
“What Daddy?” she asked from her stroller
“You’ll see” he said lifting her and walking out the front door

“Inez?” she asked when he opened the garage door to reveal a shiny red tricycle. She was using her voice because she’d forgotten to grab her computer when she was lifted from the stroller.
“Of course it is, you want to try it?”
She nodded while tapping her head
"You want helmet?" asked Abbey recognising the gesture
Beth nodded, and after being strapped in to the trike held her arms out for it as Abbey took it out of the saddle bag on the bike she’d inherited from Tristan when he went to prison.
“Thank you” she signed looking up at her mother as she put the helmet on her head.

On the other side of the courtyard Anne, the neighbour Beth had ridden towards in a straight line asked if she was able to turn. She shook her head and looked back at her dad.
"What's wrong?" he asked walking over with the computer he'd gone back inside to get
"I can't turn"
"Which is why I got this" he told her pointing to the bar at the back
"How's it work?" asked Anne
"She rides while an adult does the steering"
"You want to try it by going to the park with me?" she asked squatting next to Beth so she was on the same level
"Are your kids coming?"
"Only Claudia and Mickey" she answered naming her daughters
"Are they riding too?"
"Yep" she answered nodding
"Can I?" she asked looking at Tristan for permission
He nodded, then watched Anne help Beth steer around the courtyard while the other children got ready for the park.
Closing the door after watching Beth leave with the neighbours Abbey and Tristan started stripping and exploring each other while they walked to the bedroom. Eventually they lay snuggled in bed naked and exhausted when suddenly the phone rang.

“Hello?” answered Abbey trying to keep her voice calm under the fear something had happened to Beth.

“Hi Abs, you wanna run tonight?”
“Zara?” she asked letting her breath out

“Der, who else asks you to run on a Monday night?”
“My teddy bear” she said using Tristan’s pet name as she snuggled up to him more
“He’s out?”
“This morning”
“So ask him to come”
“He already has, numerous times”
“We know what’s going to happen to you over the next nine months then don’t we?” she teased
“Maybe”
“So are you going to run with me?”
“Only if you tell me where you’re up to with it”
“I’m doing runs of 2 minutes ten to five twenty walks”

“For how long?”
“Half an hour”

“Distance?”
“Just over two k”
“Wow!”
“Why?”
“Cos it’s like a four minute pace increase”
“Really?”
“Yeah, you started with eighteen something per k and now it’s fourteen something”
“I’d still like to run more than I walk though”
“Don’t worry we’ll work on it”
“Thanks, six o’clock ok?”
“Yeah”

“We keep going?” Imogen asked Abbey excitedly after outrunning her sisters Zara and Bronte to their fence line.
“If you want”
“Just us?”
“Ok. You want to stay here or go home with Dad?” She asked turning to Beth
“Home”

Later when they’d gone about a kilometre Abbey asked Imogen how school was going.

“Better but I still don’t get religion and stuff”

“But you’re doing better in English and Maths?” Abbey queried looking for confirmation on what Zara had told her in the last half hour

“Yes, but I still hate going”
“Why?”
“I can’t ride” she frowned close to tears
“And almost everyone else does?”
She nodded
“Does Zara know?”
She nodded again
“And?”
“Nothing works”
“What’ve ya tried?”
“Huh?” Imogen was now confused by the unclearness of Abbey’s language due to not concentrating on it because she was using too all her to run up a hill she eventually ended up walking. Imogen always liked challenging herself, even when she knew the goal wouldn’t be properly completed. Unlike most of the academic challenges however Imogen actually noticed progress when they were related to running. For example she had been able to run about ten metres up a hill she had only ever been able to walk up.

“Don’t worry, I’ll ask Zee when we get back” Abbey recognising the confusion decided to let Imogen focus on her running instead.

“So how far’d you take her?” Zara asked opening the door as they got home
“Just over three k”
“Including the group run?”
“No that’d make five and a half”
“Is that near five point seven?” asked Imogen from the kitchen bench where she was making herself a post workout drink of Milo and milk that she’d seen Abbey plenty of times before.
“Almost, why?”
“Cos that’s how long the October run is”
“What October run?” Bronte asked curiously
“In Melbourne”
“Anyone else doing it?”
“Some girls from school, but we need coach”
"Why?"
"Parents can't take them"
"They in your class?"
She nodded
"Then I'll meet them when I drop Beth off in the morning"
"You coach us?"
"Sure"
Imogen went to her room with a beaming smile to drink the Milo while Abbey stayed to talk about bikes with her oldest sister who’d been Imogen and Bronte’s carer since their mother died a year before.
"I did see one thing that may work but Im's too big for it"
"What?"
"The smart trike off T.V."
"So what's her main problem?"
"Lack of upper body balance"
"What do her therapists say?
"All their suggestions are stand alones"
"So?"
"So she can't really pedal yet, and I want to keep riding her to school"
"Then tell them all the issues"
"But they seem to think independence is more important"
"Not if it stops her doing what she wants"
"Whataya mean?"
"She wants to ride to school"
"Really?"
Abbey nodded
"Alright, I'll talk to them"
"Thanks Zee" said Imogen coming back to the kitchen with her glass to hear the end of the conversation.
"Hmm, I MAY have a solution" the physio told Zara after hearing her out on all the issues facing Imogen's cycling when he was approached at her Thursday morning school therapy session.
"But?" hearing the word he emphasised Zara knew one was coming.
"Its custom built in England"
"Which means she'll get exactly what she needs right?"
"Yes"
"Then what's wrong?" asked Imogen looking at him from the top of the play equipment
"How'd you get up there?"
"That" she answered pointing to the stairs she’d just climbed without assistance.
"I thought you couldn't do stairs"
"I can now" she grinned with excitement at having surprised him
"The main problem is funding" he answered turning back to Zara
"Why?"
"Because most of the official stuff has to be sourced from Australia"
"Even if what you want isn't available"
He nodded
"So how do we get unofficial funding"
"Fundraising, but first we need to figure out if the trike I'm thinking of will even suit her” "How? I haven't got the money for travelling"
"We get an assessment over the phone"
"I see first?" Imogen was still at the top of the stairs she'd climbed earlier
"You mean a picture?"
She nodded
"If you climb down again"
"I can't" she whined in fear as her foot hung suspended at what she felt was a great height from the solidness of the next step
"Then slide down" he suggested pointing to the slide on the other side of the equipment
"But you said I need both way stairs"
"True, but getting up them alone is a big achievement for one session"
"How big?" she'd asked thinking of the progress stickers she’d started collecting when she started therapy as an encouragement to keep trying. The stickers themselves were not the main reward, but a token system which she could redeem for a greater one. She had used them over the last three years to create a large collection of babushka dolls, and was currently working towards getting enough stickers to get a larger set than she’d previously collected before
"You'll see when you slide down"
"Ok" she agreed walking to the slide
Later that night Abbey took the girls for their first test run. The main group consisting of Catherine, Hollie, and Jacqui finishing at two kilometres with Maddison making it to six by using walk breaks and the stars of the group (Jocelyn and Imogen) going all the way up to eight kilometres. They'd actually wanted to keep going but Zara had caught them at the end of the fourth loop and told them dinner was ready. The next day Abbey talked with her coach about how to tailor the training for each girl.
"Well you've got two with major endurance experience but the rest need to work up to the distance"
"So how do I work with each of them?"
"Split them in to two groups and let Imogen and Jocelyn do something more advanced"
"Such as?"
"Higdon's intermediate plan"
"With the speed work?"
"How old are they?
"Seven"
"Maybe just fartleks then" He suggested using the technical word for fast runs interspersed amongst ordinary ones.
"And hills?"
"For all, they'll need it on that course"
"So what about Catherine and Hollie?"
"Are they the ones who had to walk during the 2k?"
She nodded
"What intervals?"
"Catherine's were run eight minutes walk one and Hollie’s even fives"
"Sounds ok but try getting them to add running time before the break"
"Thanks"
"Why you split us?" Jocelyn asked with the hostility borne of a short life ruled by disability when Abbey proposed the separate group arrangement at the next training session.
"Because you and Im are special"
"So it is a disability thing?"
"No, it's an ability one"
"You mean we're better?"
Abbey nodded then turning to Jacqui she asked her to come look at something.
"What?" She signed seeing a pair of funny black things shaped like feet when they arrived in the other room.
"Your new shoes"
"NO!" she yelled hearing the word that bought images of the heavy things that stopped her feeling the ground beneath her feet the way she liked. This was one of the major sensory issues that accompanied her Autism.
"Try them; they're different to normal"
"How?"
"light with a thin bottom"
"Feel ground?" she asked wondering about the only thing she really cared about
"With extra protection"
"Mum?" she used one of her few words
"Says you can wear them" finished Abbey knowing Jacqui’s question contained a full sentence her impaired communication could not express. She knew this from both her own experience and Beth’s experience with language issues.

Then putting on the new shoes Jacqui signed one more word "run?"
"Yes we're going to run now?"
"Who?"
"You'll be with Tristan"
"Bike man?" she asked having seen him arrive at school with Beth on his new one.
"Yes, but he's running tonight"
Jacqui nodded before standing up and walking to the door.
“So why’d you put Maddison in my group?” asked Tristan while they walked home after the training runs they’d taken the girls on.
“Because she needs to work on endurance”
“But she got up to 6k on Tuesday”
“With walk breaks, I want her to run”
“And going short will help that?”
“Yes”
“How?”
“It builds leg strength and confidence”
“Which’ll work for Jacqui too?”
“It should, how’d she go tonight?”
“Good. She loves the vibrams and didn’t want to stop running when we finished”
“What about Catherine and Hollie?”
“Catherine did ten minutes to one and Hollie five to four”
“So they’re all improving?”
He nodded before continuing “And Maddison ran the whole thing”
“So how far can she go without walking?”
“She told me she only walked during the third loop on Tuesday”
“ You think she could run the advanced distances?”
“Maybe, what are they?”
“5k normal with 8k long for first week”
“Normal should be ok but long could be an issue”
“Not if I let her walk during it”
“So you’re going to put her in the top group?”
“Yes, but with an individual plan”
“Sounds good. What’s the long run for my group?”
“It starts at 3k”
“Ok”
Suddenly Beth spoke from the stroller asking “Can I come next time?”
“How?”
“On my trike”
“With Dad”
“Why not you?”
“Because I can’t watch you, Imogen and Jocelyn at the same time”
“Ok” she agreed turning back to the game she was playing.


8 weeks later Abbey passed the finish line of the 5.7k race holding Jocelyn's hand with Imogen and Maddison close behind. At this point she was pulled aside by someone who asked "You ever thought of doing this professionally?" while confusing her with the hand waving she had always had problems with. This being because like most people with a language disorder she focused too much on the speech to worry about the body language when it was extraneous.
"What?" Abbey asked wanting to clarify this strange woman's meaning
"Coaching kids like them" the woman informed pointing to Jocelyn and Imogen
"How? There's not enough wanting to do stuff"
"Yes there are, they're just not given a chance"
"Why?"
"Because the mainstream groups don't know how to accommodate them"
"Well I know Little Aths don't"
"How?"
"‘Cos it was useless for them" she answered pointing at the girls
"What happened?"
"The coach had a go at her for walking hills"
"When it's my best" added Imogen
"And her?" the woman asked looking at Jocelyn
"She was yelled at for not following instructions"
"That I never got ‘cos he too far away to lip read" finished Jocelyn.
"So you know what I mean?"
"Yeah but how do I do it?"
"With our help"
"But who are you?"
"Depends when you ask"
"Huh" Abbey questioned confused by the mystique this woman was offering
"I have two jobs"
"With?"
"Yooralla and Athletics Victoria"
"And whose our mean?"
"Both but with differing degrees of interest"
"Would it extend to other sports?" asked Tristan crossing the finish line with the other girls only two hours after completing the marathon.
"It could" she shrugged
"But?" Tristan who'd had too many meetings with lawyers knew a shrug was almost never going to end in commitment pushed for an answer.
"I can only speak for athletics. What sports did you have in mind?"
"Well Jacqui here wants to do triathlons and one of the guys I was recently an inmate with's daughter has outgrown swimming lessons but can't go to the next level because the junior stuff doesn't have a category for her"
"Plus I wanna ride" piped up a boy from the CPEC team who'd completed the distance using crutches.
"Ride what?" the woman asked, wondering just what she was getting herself in to
"Bike! What else?" he yelled wondering just where this lady whose name was actually on her shirt had been to ask such a dumb question.
"Alright I'll talk to them. Triathlon could be hard though"
"Why?"
"Because there's nowhere to go with it"
"Except Kona who have an AWD category already"

Finally accepting defeat, the woman returned to the stand she shared with the bosses who waited for her assessment of the 17 year old who'd run almost 28ks split in to a half marathon and 5.7 k at 11 weeks pregnant simply because she liked to run and loved going long distances.


Chapter 9
“But I’ve read all these” Bronte complained scanning the shelves of her new school’s library.
“Really? What grade were you reading at?”
“I don’t know Zara bought me books from her school”
“And she was in?”
“Year 12 last year”
“What about this year?”
“She’s at Uni.”
“So did your tour of her library include the classics?”
“Don’t know, what are they?” She was curious about and interested in the idea that any piece of writing could be a classic, but decided to stem her enthusiasm until she got more information off the man with long hair and a funny looking hand which she wasn’t sure could be used for anything.
“They’re books written by some very famous authors during the early nineteenth century”
“When’s that?” she’d never been good with time and this talk of centuries confused her.
“Well we’re in the 21st century now sooo, about 200 years ago” he answered having finally done the math in his head during the drawn out word in the first part of his response.
“And you can still get them?”
“Course you can, they wouldn’t be classics otherwise”
“But what makes them that way?”
“I can’t tell you, you have to read them”
“So who wrote them?”
“Well the main ones I can think of right now are Charles Dickens” she stared with a look that showed she didn’t know the name “Jane Austen” more staring “and the Bronte sisters”
“That’s my name” she told him excitedly because she’d finally found something in common with these really old writers she knew nothing about
“Yes, but they’re opposite to you”
“How?”
“Bronte is your first name, but they’re last”
“Have you got any of their books?”
“I’m not sure, let’s have a look” he suggested heading for the computer where he used the hand which bent back on itself to move the mouse while the other typed the authors name in the catalogue search.
“What else can that hand do?” she wondered after having seen the cursor move all over the screen and even in circles while they waited for the search to load
“Not much, but it’s good for holding things in place or moving stuff that doesn’t need fine motor control why?”
“Just wondering, you’re the first person I’ve seen with it”
“That’s cool, I prefer straight questions to being stared at anyway”
“Like my sister and her friends” she told him before continuing to tell him about them.
Meanwhile Abbey who had a spare that morning woke up to find her boyfriend who had just returned from taking their four year old daughter to school frowning down at her.
“What’s wrong?”
“I wanted to kiss you awake”
“Well you can still kiss me”
“I know but what beat me to it?”
“The baby”
“It’s kicking?”
“Big time”
“Can I feel?”
She nodded pushing her covers back with one hand and pulling his to her stomach with the other.
Then after leaning down he said “Well, he definitely likes that, you wanna see what he does if we go further?”
“Why?”
“Because you, my angel are too sexy to resist”
“Even now?”
“Especially now, being pregnant makes you look twice as good” he told her climbing back in to bed with her.
That afternoon while riding home with Beth and Imogen, the latter in a tricycle being towed behind his bike and the former in a centrally mounted carrier seat Tristan met up with Bronte who was also riding home from school.
“So what do you think of school so far?”
“It’s boring”
“Why?”
“The teachers think we’re stupid”
“How so?”
“They’re telling us stuff I already know”
“Like?”
“History’s about looking at the past”
“Probably to make sure everyone knows. They’re not all as smart as you”
“Ok” she accepted before standing up in the pedals to ride up the hill. Suddenly she started screaming excitedly at the summit.
“What’s all that about?” he asked having waited for her.
“I did it”
“You’ve never ridden up this hill before?”
“No, and I want school to be like this”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s all too easy, I want a challenge”
“And school doesn’t give you that?”
“It didn’t today”
“Unless you count the librarian guy”
“Yeah, but that’s just reading”
“So tell me about the projects”
“We have to look at family history and do character profiles of the people from the novel”
“And what’s wrong with that?”
“I’ve already done it”
“Then get Zara to talk to them”
“She can’t, Imogen takes up too much time”
“Maybe, but you’re needs are just as important”
“So”
“So, I know Zara’d make the time to address them if she knew what was happening”
“He’s right” Imogen agreed from behind him.
“Really?”
“She cares both of us” she assured her sister before asking Tristan if they could keep going.
“Alright, I’ll talk to her tonight. You wanna race?” she asked turning from Imogen to Tristan
“You sure?”
She nodded
“But it isn’t even”
“It is with you having Beth and Imogen to slow you down” she argued
“Come on then” he prompted putting his right foot back on the pedal.
Then arriving home Bronte and Imogen met their sister Zara’s new girlfriend Jasmine who after helping her put them to bed snuggled up with her to watch TV.
“So how’d you end up with a kid?” Zara wondered, not wanting to prolong the suspense of an unknown past any longer.
“I got drunk at the year 12 break up party, and ended up with a guy”
“So where is he?”
“I wasn’t really interested and he didn’t want anything to do with a kid who’s never going to grow beyond babyhood”
“Physically or mentally”
“The doctors say both, but I don’t believe the second part”
“Why?”
“Cos I’ve seen him actually do some academic stuff”
“Such as?”
“Put things in order, count things and watch a book while you read to him”
“So get him retested”
“They won’t, he can’t communicate”
“Then talk to his therapists about finding a way for him to”

“They won’t listen. They say he has to show some signs of communication before they’ll look at ways he can do it”
“But that’s what he’s doing when he tells you the order of things and showing you the maths he can do isn’t it?”
“Yes but they refuse to see it”
“Why?”
“Because he doesn’t do it at school”
“Any idea why?”
“No”
“So maybe they should be looking at ways to get him out of that first”
“True, but his school sucks”
“So change it”
“I can’t, there’s no other special schools in our area and he’s not smart enough for the mainstream ones”