Once Upon A Karma (Karmic Krystal Book 1) by Rosie Malezer Page A

asks.
    “You know my name already?” I ask, somewhat confused.
    “Your parents told me your name.  I am Dr Stone and I just want to talk to you.  Is that okay?” Dr Stone asks me.
    “I guess,” I answer.  I look up at my dad and he nods his head. 
    “I understand that you were hurt by somebody you loved very much,” Dr Stone says.  He then puts a drawing of a girl on the desk in front of me.  “Can you please point to the places on this picture where he hurt you?”
    “No, I don’t think so.  I don’t even know you,” I say to the doctor.  “Besides, Ralph took care of it already so everything is okay now.”
    “Ralph?” the doctor asks.
    “Ralph is her toy bunny,” my father answers. 
    Dr Stone glares at my father and I can feel his anger towards my dad.  Oh, Doc, you do not want to start anything with my Daddy! I frown at the doctor and an electric shock makes Dr Stone jump from his chair.  My father looks at me, worried.  The love that I’d felt from him earlier seems to be mixed with something else now: fear.  I wonder why my dad is suddenly afraid of Dr Stone.  Suddenly wishing this appointment to be over with, I point to the places on the picture to where my grandfather touched me before taking my father’s hand, standing up and walking out, refusing to say another word. 
     

Chapter Six
    Things in the house are very uncomfortable for all of us after the doctor’s appointment.  My sisters and I are embarrassed and ashamed of what our evil grandfather did to us and to our mum.  Dad is angry, sad and afraid.  I can feel what they are feeling inside and don’t know what to make of it.  As a four year old, I am not supposed to know what others feel unless they tell me.  Or maybe everybody knows what other people are feeling?  I don’t know.
    My sisters and I hear a lot of yelling now between our parents when they are at home.  They fight a lot.  They never did that before.  Sometimes Dad storms out of the house and slams the door so hard that the windows shake.  Mum sits in her bedroom and cries.  Both of them blame themselves for what we have had to endure at the hands of that man before he died.  I feel like I am partly to blame too.  Had I known that he hurt my mother and my sisters before, he would have died much sooner.  Why didn’t Karma take him before he hurt me? 
    When Dad finally comes home, the tension is high.  I miss the days when we were all happy.  Hoping to make him feel better, I grab on to his leg and pull it into a hug.  He grabs my shoulders, gently unlatches my arms and looks at me so sadly.  “Not now, Krystal.  Daddy has to think.” 
    “Why can’t you think while I hug you?” I ask, puzzled by his rejection.  He had never turned his back on one of my hugs before.
    “NOT NOW!” he shouts, quickly regretting his anger.  “I’m sorry, sweetheart.  I am not angry at you, and you know I love your hugs so much.”  He leans down, picks me up and hugs me as a tear runs down my cheek.  Not wanting to add to his heartache, I stay silent and hug him back.
    I continue my studies each day at kindergarten.  Sharyn and I sit together always, whether being read to, painting or eating lunch, and we both agree that Mrs Tucker is the best teacher ever.  I confide in Sharyn, telling her that I hope all teachers at the big school are just as nice.  Being at kindergarten is the only time I feel happiness from the other people in the room.  At home, all of the joy is gone.
    Mid-way through the year, I arrive home on my bicycle.  As I walk past my parents, I know it is more bad news.  My sisters and I are again seated in the living room, waiting for the hammer to fall.  Looking around, I try and find any physical signs of trauma on my family.  If somebody else has messed with any of you… As my skin starts to burn in anger, my train of thought is cut when my father starts to speak.
    “Your mother and I need to discuss something with you