Several people here have asked that I keep them posted on Charly, so I will do so here and then say no more unless something really dramatic happens -- and I don't anticipate that. Following is an update I posted ay my Facebook page last night:
Charly's home (well I guess "home" is relative since where her mother lives is also home for her). Her mother got her in for some counseling right away Friday and she says that did help. But she is still having nightmares and flashbacks. Well, I guess!
Charly and her friends (ranging in age from about 13 to 17) were sitting in the fourth row and most of the victims were in the first three rows. So they were that close. They weren't far from the door and she saw the guy come in; thought at first it was part of the show -- she has been to opening nights before and says they often do extra stuff with people in costumes etc. She said when he tossed the first canister and it exploded she realized that something wasn't right and ducked down behind the seat as she was told to do in some safety class she took -- apparently on the assumption that people who do things like that tend to aim high. When the guy started shooting, her 12 year old half-brother took off running for the exit which was nearby, and she took off after him and apparently the others in the row took off with her. She realizes now that that was the best thing they could have done because the guy was shooting right into those seats.
She went to the 5pm Youth Mass at our Parish yesterday afternoon and sang with the choir as she usually does. Our Parish had one 18 year old killed and one 15 year old seriously injured -- I think he is still in the hospital. So it was a somber Mass. Media was all over the church yesterday morning: all the American TV plus Canadian, BBC, French, and I don't know where-all. Fortunately, by 5pm they were all gone -- probably at the outdoor candlelight vigil over by the theater, just a couple of miles from Church -- so the kids had some privacy.
Charly's BFF Kaylyn, who was at the theater with her, went to the Youth Mass with her yesterday afternoon, then slept over last night. It was good for both of them. Kaylyn is always a welcome guest here; when she knows she is expected she just walks right in and calls out "Hey everybody, I'm home." Kaylyn's brother was also there (at the theater) and took some shrapnel in the leg from one of the teargas canisters, but it was minor.
Travis took the day off work today to spend some quality time with Charly. He took her to a Build-A-Bear store at a different mall today, and she built a bear that say's "I Love You" and named it Veronica for the 6 year old victim.
Update: Charly and Kaylyn went to a movie at the Harkins this morning. Don't know what movie, but I think that's a good thing. Yesterday, Kaylyn was talking about finishing out the Batman, but Charly said she didn't care if she never saw it. So, we will see.
Thanks
"Time spent with CATS is never wasted." -- Sigmund Freud
"Nothing endures but change." -- Heraclitus
"C'est le meilleur des mondes possibles." -- Candide
