Different Doesn't Mean Broken

Chapter 26 - Alex

The cabin was just waking up as I walked in from the infirmary.

"Alex!" Michelle said, as I breezed through the front room. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," I said and went to the back of the cabin where my bed was. I changed out of my pyjamas and into shorts and a t-shirt. I saw Mia's stuffed zebra in her bed. And that backpack she was always dragging around. I stuffed the zebra in the backpack and went to the front room again.

"I'm going to the infirmary," I said.

"Alex, wait five minutes," Sally said.  "We're all heading there anyway."

"I'll meet you there," I said. I didn't care if they got pissed. Mia needed her stuff.

I heard someone say something and I clearly heard Caryn call me a bitch again, but I didn't care.

I walked quickly down the path to the infirmary. It took me past the beach and I stopped for a second and looked out over the lake. It was still early and the night's coolness was starting to burn off in the morning sun but the fog coming off the water was kind of pretty. I thought Mia would appreciate the view, so I took a picture on my phone. I'd show her later when she was feeling a bit better.

I walked into the infirmary a few minutes later.

"Alex, your cabin isn't even due here yet," Erin said. "What are you doing back? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I brought some of Mia's stuff if she needs it."

"Why don't you go bring it to her. She was asking about you," Erin said. I raised an eyebrow. She hadn't even been aware I was there over the night.

I shrugged and went over to Mia's bed. I sat across from her on the bed I'd slept in briefly the night before.

Opening her backpack, I pulled the zebra out and sat it on my lap.

"Someone apparently was feeling a little lonely last night," I said, showing her the zebra. Her eyes were unfocused. "I thought you might like some company, and I think he needed some, too."

Mia blinked. Then she blinked again and looked at me, then the zebra, then back at me.

"Is it real?" She said, very quietly.

"Your zebra?  Yeah. I mean, it's a real stuffed zebra, but yeah. It's real," I said, a little confused as to what she meant. I handed her the zebra but she didn't move, so I got up and placed it in her arms. Tears formed in her eyes.

"I mean about my mom. Is it real or a really bad dream?"

I sighed. I looked at Mia. She's what? Just 13?  Just a couple of years younger than me and dealing with something so horrific.

I sat on the floor and slid myself closer to her.

"I'm really, really sorry," I said. "But yeah. It's true."

Mia sobbed quietly into her zebra. I pulled a box of tissues off the bedside table and held it for when or if she looked up. I moved closer and rubbed her arm.

"I know there isn't anything I can say or do to make what happened hurt any less or change anything. I wish you didn't have to go through this," I said.

She stopped sobbing, but while tears still flowed, she looked at me.

"What's going to happen to me now?" She asked. Her voice was so small and so quiet I thought no one else could hear her.

"I don't know. They said there's a social worker coming up and apparently they already have a guardian lined up for you and they're supposed to be coming up as well. I guess it's up to you and them," I said.