Unable to sit quietly, Laura said, “Faith, pull your hair back so she can put iton.”
Faith shifted Kitty underneath her other arm and lifted her long hair out of the way, watching Breannecautiously.
“Okay, good job.” Breanne scooted forward, and held up the brightly colored processor that looked like a behind-the-ear hearing aid with a small disk attached to it by wire. “I’m going to put this on younow.”
Faith had turned her head, giving Breanne easier access. She carefully settled the microphone behind Faith’s little ear and then attached the magnetic processor to its spot on her head behind her ear. “Melissa said you would be familiar with the basics. So, you know this is held on magnetically to the matching disk beneath her skin where the implantis.”
Laura nodded. “Yes, her first audiologist explained everything tous.”
“Good, I won’t bore you with going into too much detail, the care and the maintenance will be the same. The only thing different is this processor is slightly more advanced, so the sound quality will be better and it’s rechargeable. There’s still the battery light indicator on the back so you will know when it’s on or off.” Breanne pointed to the flashing green light on the back. “So, the main difference will be that when she takes it off at night, she will put it in the chargingdock.”
“That’s great. I was always worried we might run out of batteries.” She’d quickly learn to keep them in stock. She’d kept a package in her purse, her car, her house…everywhere.
“There.” Breanne scooted back and shifted her chair to face the laptop where she would program the processor. She turned and gave Faith a thumbs up, and Faith dropped her hair and sat up straight, watching every move Breannemade.
The first time they turned on Faith’s processor several months ago, she’d been shocked and delighted and scared. Laura had cried like a baby. At the time she thought John was dead, and she thought that Faith would never get to hear her father’svoice.
“Are youready?”
Faith nodded eagerly, leaning in even closer. King wrapped a thick arm around the child’s waist to keep her from falling off his lap. Laura found herself leaning in too, eager to catch every nuance of Faith’s expression when they turned the sound processor onagain.
Breanne turned to her laptop, moved the mouse around and clicked some buttons, and then silently she nodded to Laura to go ahead andspeak.
“Faith, can you hear me?” Laura sucked in a breath and held it as soon as the last word was out, gripping her knees withexcitement.
Faith’s blue eyes widened and her mouthparted.
A huge grin split Laura’s lips; she couldn’t help but glance at King, hoping he could see her open appreciation for this wonderful gift. He returned her gaze with asmile.
“Faith, can you understand me?” Laura repeatedslowly.
Faith nodded. The same expression on herface.
“Faith, is she too loud?” Breanne pointed her finger upward. “Or too soft?” Breanne pointed her finger downward, indicating if the volume needed to go up ordown.
Faith just shook her headno.
“Am I too loud?” Breanne asked in a normal tone ofvoice.
Faith shook her head no again, squeezing her stuffed cat eventighter.
Breanne glanced past Faith to King. “Dad, why don’t you say something? Let her hear yourvoice.”
The smile playing about King’s mouth disappeared. He stiffened and Laura stopped breathing. A flash of pain bolted across his gaze and was just as instantly shuttered. If Laura hadn’t been watching him so closely, she would’ve missed it. What was he thinking? What must he befeeling?
She reached for him, her soul crying out to comfort him, but he shifted slightly away, and the rejection stabbed her in thegut.
King seemed to make a recovery and cleared his throat. “Faith, can you hearme?”
Faith jumped out of his lap and squealed all at once. And then she slapped her hands over her ears, shocked at how loud her own voice had been. Then she pointed at King, suddenly asking him to talk again. When he smiled this time, it was more of a grimace, but he obliged. “Faith, how do Isound?”
Then she pointed at Laura, indicating for her to talk. Laura swallowed past the knot in her voice and said, “Sweetie, do you likeit?”
Faith squealed and clapped her hands, jumping up and down as she pointed at King to go again. Laura’s eyes watered and her lips trembled. She pressed her fingers to herlips.
King said, “Hey, Faith.” His voice was gruffer thannormal.
Faith was however completely unaware of the tension and jumped up into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck in a fierce hug. King shot Laura a panicked expression and Laura swooped from her seat, scooping Faith up high in her arms. She planted a quick kiss on her forehead. “I loveyou.”
