Camryn Quinn is finally getting what she wants...sort of. Moving into a dorm and away from her not so supportive father is a good first step, but like everything with him, it comes with strings. She must attend the college of his choosing for at lea...
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I lift my head off the edge of the bed, then blink my eyes a few times.They've been heavy with sleep, but I can't seem to actually rest them. I double check that my mom's still breathing. It takes no thought. I can't help it. But the subtle rise and fall is enough to make me relax my shoulder, at least for a little bit.
I place a single kiss on her hand before standing up. I stretch out my legs, and twist my torso from side to side. Everything hurts. Not just from the game on Monday, but from sitting hunched over this bed every day since.
With a quick glance at the clock on the wall, I realize I have more time than I thought before I need to pick Zoey up from school. I'm lucky she's even there. It was a fight this morning that only ended when I yelled at her. It made her cry, but I didn't care. I'm not about to let her give up on everything just to sit here with us. I take my chance to slip out into the hallway and head towards the nurses station to bug them for information.
The long stretch doesn't feel strange now, not like it did when I first got here a few days ago. But then I was running around frantically searching for anyone and everyone at the same time. It took hours to get to the hospital after my grandpa called me. Abilene isn't that far from where the game was in Houston, but there were limited flights. One of the coaches offered to rent a car for me since I'm too young, and the entire drive felt like a never ending stretch of highway that had an unknown destination.
I had no idea what was waiting for me, aside from what my grandpa could tell me. When I finally made it here, I found my family waiting on the gastroenterology floor. Mom was still in surgery. I had wrapped my arms around each person in my family individually, but then we just sat in one big group hug while we waited. It felt so wrong without my mom, and it was the first time I really had to think about how soon we'd have to make it our new normal.
My favorite nurse isn't at the desk when I get there. It's only Teresa, who refuses to share anything with me, besides what the doctors have already said. I shoot her a smile anyways, but she ignores me.
"I think your sister has a friend here. I asked if she wanted to head back to the room, but she just left." She throws a thumb over her shoulder towards the exit.
I nod and thank her. Zoey's friends should all be at school like her, but her best friend Bailey has been to visit the past two days. Instead of turning to go back to my mom's room, I keep walking past Teresa towards the waiting room. The doors open for me automatically, but the lobby is empty. Bailey is probably waiting for Zoey, and I could really use fresh air so I continue out the next set of doors.
There's a concrete path that wraps around the entire hospital. I've taken it almost every day when I need to step away for just a few minutes. I pull my hood over my head to avoid the drizzle of rain. The sun hasn't shined in days which seems fitting. I don't mind the cold though. It gives me something else to focus on.
