Aurelia [h.s.]

one

"Why do you bother to attend these...meetings if they bring nothing to you? No hope, no friends, nothing. What is it that keeps your mind so willing to participate if you know that nothing will come of it?"

Aurelia shrugs. Her mother often asks her things like this because she's curious and doesn't quite understand what she's trying to do. Sometimes Aurelia doesn't really understand it herself. No one ever takes her words to heart, and the difference that she's trying to make goes unnoticed because everyone chooses to let their illness control them.

She's tried to explain how she's trying to help people in a way that's better than the therapy, but it always seems to get lost in translation when it comes to her mother. Aurelia loves her mother, but it's come down to a point where trying to explain herself has just become tiring.

Aurelia sighs and tries to give her mother a simple answer, "I don't know. I suppose it's just something to do. Or rather, something that I'm supposed to do. It's not all that bad. Plus, they feed us for free and that's never a bad thing."

Her mother sighs and the faintest of smiles graces her lips. "Alright, I'll see you whenever you get back from that little café of yours. Please be careful."

Aurelia opens her door and playfully rolls her eyes. Her mother still worries about her so much even though she's gotten used to being blind and finding her way around town. The eye roll wasn't of much use considering that she can't see and her mother can't see her eyes behind her dark glasses, but the action makes her feel like she's still just like everyone else.

A soft laugh falls from her lips as she gently pushes her door open, "I'm blind mother, not incompetent. I will! See you at home!"

Sure, it had taken her a good while to adjust to being blind after seeing for most of her life, but that doesn't make her any less careful. If anything, it makes her much more careful than she ever planned to be.

Having to see with a stick and wear glasses that are darker than a black hole all the time does get irritating though. But it isn't really like she has much of a choice in the matter. Things are much worse when she doesn't use her cane or wear her glasses.

Just like every Saturday, Melissa opens the door for her and greets her with a cheerful hello. Aurelia returns the greeting in an equally cheerful manner, although she doesn't really care too much for the woman: she's always gossiping and her voice is so high pitched that she swears every time they interact she's getting steps closer to being deaf.

She's greeted by a familiar and welcoming voice the moment she steps into the large room where the meetings are always held. "Welcome back Miss Twinpeake! You look well!"

Aurelia smiles, "Thank you Donovan. I'd say the same but my eyes are sort of permanently out of commission."

Donovan runs the 'support group,' but he's more of her friend than her councilor at this point. After meetings, they sit and talked about anything and everything. That's another reason why she keeps attending the meetings. He's sort of her only friend and she likes to talk to someone that isn't one of her parents.

Not that she doesn't like talking to her parents, she enjoys their company very much, but it's nice to have someone else to talk to.

Donovan laughs with her. He thinks that she's funny more often than not and she's happy to be his friend. "Yes, well, it's the thought that counts. There's chocolate chip cookies, fruit, and some lemonade. If you'd like anything, just let me know and I'll be happy to get it for you, as per the usual arrangement."

Every week he brings in refreshments and, more often than not, they are incredibly good because they include her favorites. He always helps her get some so that she doesn't feel bad for ruining anything.