Exotic

XIX

Sydney

I hauled myself into Christina's car next to Eli while Kate put my crutches in the boot. I notice that the family was very excited and I was already excited so we were all just a buzzing mess of excitement. So, naturally, the drive to the airport takes forever. Christina had good music playing and she was singing along as she drove. Eli was reading, as she normally does and Kate... I think she's zoned out. I was just looking around, imagining what was going to happen when I saw Kath.

Would she be happy to see me? Will she be happy with my progress? Last time she saw me my leg and my arm were in casts and my shoulder was in a brace. Will she shocked? Relieved? I don't know. And it was slightly worrying.

"Oh my God! We're here! We're gonna see them!" Christina bounced in her seat as we parked. Kate helped me out and gave me my crutches and we all made our way into the airport. You could see the conveyer belt that carried all of the luggage and lots of people were coming and going to get their stuff. Christina and Kate must have seen them first because they charged forward and I watched as they embraced a group of three people. Eli stayed with me as I tried to head towards them, but my leg feels really painful today.

"You good?" Eliza asked, hand in my back.

"My leg hurts. I'll be fine." I dismiss.

"Kath is going be worried." Eli pushes.

"Yeah, I know. But it will feel much better after physio, I'm sure."

The big group hug broke apart and I saw Kath among them. She looked healthier and less tired. Her already tanned skin was even darker and it made her green eyes pop more. Speaking of those eyes, they landed on me and her smile grew really wide as she rushed over to me. I tried to meet her half way but I wasn't as fast as she was. She took me in her arms and hugged me tight.

"Sydney! I missed you! I'm so glad you're okay!" she gushed into my shoulder. I hear her sniff me and I chuckle, "I missed your smell."

I drop my crutches and balance my weight onto my good leg so I could hug her back. I sniffed her too and sighed, "I missed you, too. And your smell."

"I'm so glad to be back here with you." she smiled as she pulled away and touched my face, "I missed this gorgeous face." she pulled me back in and kissed my cheek, hugging me again. It felt good to be in her arms. It felt good to have her back.

"How are you, Kath? Are you doing better?" I ask.

"So much better. Hawaii was great. We should go together some time." she said as she rubbed my back. I feel her other hand grip the bottom of my shirt, supporting me and keeping my close, "Mama's has been telling me about your recovery. It really helped a lot to see that you were doing well. She sent videos and photos of you doing physio. It took away all the bad things that I was feeling. My stomach didn't hurt and I could eat. Oh, and Eli took photos of you at the zoo. I loved the one with you and Wendy cuddled up together." she chuckled.

"Christina did say that she was keeping you updated. And Eli's been a really big help. She's been helping me around at school and at the zoo. She's been awesome."

"Eliza has a massive heart. She's glad to help in any way she can. And I'm so happy that she's been keeping you safe." she looked at me with a new look in her eyes. I couldn't decipher it. But it made me feel warm inside, I liked it.

"I'm so glad you're back."

"Me too. And I want to speak to your mother and Dewey. I feel awful." she frowned.

"Hey, don't sweat it. They just hope you're okay. They miss you, you know. And they've been ganging up on me! I need you to come back so I'm not alone!"

"They want me to come back? After everything?"

"They love you, Kath. Mum reckons you're the best friend I've ever had." I giggle.

"Really?"

"Yeah! Totally." I watched as her smile returned and her eyes looked down. Her hands found my face and she was beginning to close the distance between us. Instinctively and stupidly, I put my weight on my bad leg, it popped, and then I collapsed. I cried out in pain and Christina rushed to my side as Kath was setting me down. She'd caught me before I'd hit the floor.

"You okay, there?" Christina asked as she checked my knee.

"Yeah, I just forgot I had a bad leg and put my weight on it. That hurt." I wince as Christina gently felt it.

"How has that happened?" she questioned out loud.

"What?" Kath pressed.

"It's dislocated. Maybe the joint is still too weak and it slipped out? We need to get her to the hospital." Christina shook her head. The blonde picked me up carefully and took me out to the car. I was in too much pain to even care about anything else.

----------

"Yeah, it's dislocated. We'll give her some pain meds and reset the knee and take her for a few more X-rays before we discharge her again." Ruth, Kath's oldest sister and my doctor, said with the orthopedic surgeon who repaired my knee, next to her.

"But she should be fine, right?" Kath asked, squeezing my hand.

"Definitley. She's made it this far, the little trooper." Ruth smiled at me before leaving. Kath was by my side the entire time, and hasn't left me, even when my family arrived. She's held my hand the whole time and stroked my hair and hasn't taken her eyes off of me. It gave me tingles but I loved her actions.

"You are a little trooper. My little soldier." Mum smiled gently at me. Her eyes flicked to Kath. I looked too and she was still staring down at me, "You alright there, Kath?" Mum asked. I saw Dewey perk up too. This was the first time she's spoken to her since arriving.

Kath blinked and looked up, "Hmm? What, sorry?"

"I asked if you were alright."

"I'm good. I missed you guys, you know." she smiled, looking around at my family.

"We've missed you, too." Mum relied, "Especially Sydney."

"Mum!" I whine.

"I've missed her, too." Kath looked back down at me with a smile. She kissed my forehead and cuddled with me until the doctors came back with pain meds.

It felt almost euphoric when the meds started working. The world was a much better place now that the pain was gone.