For My Broken Heart - short stories

The Gift

"What do you see, Clara?" My mom asks from the corner of Dr. Yaeger's office. She's biting her nails, a habit that dad hates and which I've inherited. He hates that, too.

Dr. Yaeger looks at me inquisitively from behind the table of which four discs lay awaiting my rearrangement. He said it's something called the 100 hue test, used to determine colourblindess and severity.

Without answering, and after determining the right order of the discs, I set about rearranging them.

When I'm done I look up at Dr. Yaeger, whom looks sullenly at mom. She looks heartbroken.

"She can't perceive colours beyond grayscale it seems," he tells her. "Of course it's never a concern, the condition..."

"Sure," I say, "all it means is that humanity is no closer to finding out what caused the deterioration of colour perception globally."

"That's not your fault," mom whimpers.

After the examination Dr. Yaeger speaks to my mom privately inside the office while I idle in the waiting room. I sit close to the door so that I might make out some of their harsh whispering. I am able to deduce that they are discussing something regarding the testing of those special few whom can see in full colour... Which of course is just an urban legend. Someone at school - might've been Tom or Aaron - gave me an earful about it.

While I'm waiting my attention is drawn by a bird outside. It bounds around the ground happily and seemingly aimlessly. The only concerns it has regarding its eyesight is whether or not it can spot its next meal.

Mom finally emerges from the doctor's office, shaking his hand before coming over to retrieve me. As we leave the building, she also notices the bird and falls enamoured. She comments on its pretty song and docility. Then she puts a hand on the top of my head and smiles sadly at me.

"Its okay, " she whispers. There are tears swimming in her eyes.

I get in the car before she does, so I have to wait a moment before she is seated and buckled before I speak.

"That blue Jay is the exact same shade of blue as one of those discs inside."

"Oh, that's interesting," she says without looking up from what she's doing, and follows it with a brief pause.

"Wait... What did you just say?"