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"Jane?"
"I'm in here!" she called from her bedroom. Twelve-year-old Jane was standing in front of a mirror, nose almost touching the glass. Even though the image in front of her was foggy she could make out some color; blue eyes, strawberry blonde hair, and not much else.
"Mom didn't bring you back to school after your appointment, you okay?" Zoe sat on the edge of the bed and watched the younger girl strain to lean over the dresser, nose still pressed to the mirror.
"Alan Palmer said I was ugly when we were in algebra this morning. He said I was 'gangly' and ginger, but mom always told me I was blonde!" Jane turned to her sister and frowned.
The thirteen-year-old laughed and shook her head. "Firstly, you are blonde, but maybe there's just...a little bit of red in there. Secondly, you're not ugly- or gangly! Alan is a pimple-headed little dweeb so don't listen to him."
Jane let out a small giggle and moved to sit with her sister, but quickly sombered. "My appointment...I think Mom is more upset than me. I don't know how to feel yet." Jane was fiddling with the ends of her hair. "I don't remember exactly what they said, they always use all the big words. My first optometrist—the one I saw as a kid—was always so nice and I got stickers. Now that I see Dr.Thatcher, it's all big grown-up words and sad, quiet voices. I know I'm going blind, that's kinda obvious! But the timeline....it makes it so much more real." Zoe didn't respond right away, not knowing what to say.
Being so close in age to Jane was amazing, and was one of her favorite parts of their relationship; however, her parents had always hovered, worrying over Jane. Sometimes it meant that she took the back seat, and was left to fend for herself. She didn't mind though, it only hurt when she wanted the recognition. Even if her parents wouldn't be there for her, Jane would, and so the family dynamic stayed in place.
"We knew it was happening, so it won't change anything. You're still going to be the most sarcastic, stubborn little sister in the world, and I will still be here." She wrapped her arms around the younger girl. "We can be sad, but only for today."
⸻
The water was up to her waist now, that was the first thing she noted as she faded back into consciousness. She gasped and frantically felt around her, not touching anything but cold water and wet upholstery. Her hand met the cool glass and she hit it with her palm. She hit it twice, all the energy in her body not offering much more than a dull thud.
"...help." It came out as a small plea at first. She took a breath and tried again. "Help!" Her palm hit the window again, a little harder this time, as she bit back the pain radiating from the back of her skull.
"Come on Jane, you got this," she mumbled to herself, channeling as much strength as she could. Jane gritted her teeth and pushed herself up to give her better access to the window, using one hand to jostle the car door. It didn't feel like anything was blocking it, but she wasn't sure if there was something broken within to keep it from opening. She tried the other doors, moving a little slower with her head still throbbing.
