𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 & 𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄 ━ girl meets world²

7│THE OTHER SIDE OF GOODBYE

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

❛ ʟᴇᴀᴛʜᴇʀ & ʟᴀᴄᴇ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ sɪᴅᴇ
ᴏғ ɢᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ ꒱


❝ WHAT I SAID
ON NEW YEAR'S.
I DIDN'T MEAN IT ❞

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

They stayed the night at the hospital since none of them were sure when Barron would get out of surgery. The doctors mended him as best they could before they wheeled out his unmoving form around midnight. He was still under the influence of the anesthesia they'd given him and had yet to wake up. Daly took up vigil by his bedside, tightly grasping the fingers she could hold onto that weren't covered by a cast.

Although she was glad that the doctors were saying her grandfather was going to be okay, Miya kept her distance, unsettled by the state his body was in. Juliet understood her discomfort and didn't pressure her to come any closer, though she herself stood by her mom's side and kept a reassuring hand on her shoulder. None of them got much sleep as everyone except the teenagers took turns sitting with Barron so he wouldn't have to wake up alone.

Shawn had kept Miya updated of his location all night, starting from where he left Lubec, Maine (she did feel a bit guilty that she was making him undertake a ten hour drive at night. . . but at least there wouldn't be much traffic) to each stop he made for gas or other necessities along the way. It was early the next morning when Miya got the news she'd been waiting for (and dreading): five minutes away.

She silently showed the message to Farkle. They went over to her mom, who was sitting in one of the waiting chairs with her eyes closed and her head resting against the wall, but she was very much awake. Her eyes opened as soon as they neared and she gave them a weary smile. Miya reached out and touched her arm. "Come on, mom. Let's go for a walk."

Juliet shook her head. "You two go; I'll stay here in case dad wakes up; he fell into a natural sleep during the night so he should be. . . somewhat alert today."

"Mom, you've been here for over twelve hours," Miya argued gently. "You've only left out of necessity to get things for everyone else. Can you at least take a walk with us? It would make me feel better."

Daly overheard her granddaughter's request and chimed in, "go ahead, darling. I'll text you if your dad wakes up."

Seeing that she didn't have any more excuses, Juliet reluctantly heaved herself out of her chair and fell into step beside the teens. "Should we go to the cafeteria to get breakfast for everyone?"

"That can be the second stop," the brunette promised. "I wanted to go to the lobby and see what it looks like this early in the morning." At her mom's confused look, she held up her hands. "I know, that sounds weird, but I noticed the front of the building was all glass. I thought it would look pretty at sunrise."

Juliet's expression softened and she grasped her daughter's chin with her fingers affectionately before she dropped her hand. "You always see the beauty when others can't."

"Tell me about it," Farkle agreed, much to Miya's embarrassment.

When they got to the lobby, it was mostly empty due to the early hour. There was a different receptionist sitting at the front desk and a few people occupied the chairs and benches that were scattered around. Miya had been right: the glass windows let the lobby be bathed in  pinkish-golden light, softening the harsh edges of the sterile room. All the stress of the past day made the simple beauty more stunning and they took a moment to admire it. Miya let her shoulders relax, savoring it. Farkle squeezed her hand lightly, and Juliet, standing just behind them, gave her daughter's hair an absentminded touch, her gaze fixed somewhere distant.