Stuck in the Middle

Rehab

(*Mariah's POV*)

"Come on Mariah, just a little further." The nurse encouraged me.

We were going through my physical therapy and I felt like giving up.

I sat down on a stool.

"Time out." I told her out of breath.

"Ten minutes." She said as she got a call.

My hip was giving me problems and doing therapy with a broken arm and leg makes it worse.

How am I supposed to balance like this?

The doctor said that everything is ok. I just have to worry about my hip.

The pain is killing me.

There was a knock on the door and my mom peeked her head in.

"Hey sweetheart." She said holding something behind her back.

"Hi?" I said, suspicious of what she was hiding.

She smiled big and brought her arm around.

"Starbucks!!!" I screamed.

It was a green tea frappucino with caramel walls.

She handed it to me and I drank half of it.

"I know that hospital stuff gets boring." She said.

"Thanks mom." I told her.

It tasted like heaven.

She sat next to me suddenly serious.

"Sweetie you haven't been letting me in lately." She said.

I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion.

What was she talking about.

She laughed.

"Sorry, I mean about this boy Caleb." She said.

My mind went back to that time when he came over.

It feels like so long ago.

"Is he your boyfriend?" She asked.

It was my turn to laugh. I shook my head.

She seemed confused.

"But I saw you two kissing in the room..." She trailed off.

I blushed, embarrassed. She wasn't supposed to see that.

"It's complicated." I told her.

She nodded in understanding.

My mind wandered to Caleb and Tyler. Wondering how I was going to get it right.

How was I supposed to choose? My heart wants both, but in reality I can only have one.

"How did you get it right mom?" I asked.

"Get what right?"

"You're marriage. How did you know that dad was the one you wanted to marry?"

"Easy" She smiled in a distant way.

"I married my best friend." She whispered as she looked at the ring on her finger.

I smiled at her.

Looking back on their marriage, I saw how they never got tired of each other's company and my mom's face lights up every time he comes around, no matter what her mood.

I smiled to myself.

"Ready to start again?" The nurse asked, entering.

My mother stood up and walked towards the door.

"Mom!" I called.

"Yes?" She asked as she walked half way out the door.

"Thank you."

"For what sweetheart?"

"For everything."

She smiled and left as the nurse helped me up.

"We'll take ten steps and then rest." She told me.

"One...Two...Thee...Four..." The nurse counted.

"Ow Ow!" I yelled in pain.

She let me sit.

"Well, at least you're making progress!" She said, trying to sound optimistic.

I managed a weak smile.

"She's right you know." Tyler said from the door.

I blushed, embarrassed.

"How long were you standing there?" I asked.

"Four steps ago." He said smiling as he walked towards me.

I tried to stand but the pain was too much.

I slipped and missed the chair.

I was falling.

Tyler ran towards me and caught me, causing me to fall on top of him.

"Sorry." I whispered as he groaned in pain.

He chuckled slightly.

"Don't worry about it." He said, holding me against his body.

"You're always saving me." I told him as I buried my head into his chest.

He's always saving me...

I heard my grandma's voice echo my words and everything made sense.

Tyler is always saving me.

The bully in seventh grade. The cuts when Justin left, the blood he donated and now this.

"What?" He asked as realization hit me.

"It's you..." I whispered.