Where Dreams Lay

[thirty three]

[thirty three] "but you only need the light when its burning low. Only miss the sun when it starts to snow. Only know you love her when you let her go." -passenger 

"Aiden, pinch me." I hold out my arm.

"What? Why?"

"Just do it!" I close my eyes.

A sharp pain eases through my upper arm, and I open my eyes again.

"Oh my God."

The nurse puts her hand on my shoulder, "Hon, let the doctors take care of her for now. You can sit in those chairs while you wait. It won't be long."

I nod and follow Aiden to the seats.

"She's okay." I breathe out, smiling like an idiot. "I'm going to be okay."

-

The nurses and doctors toke five minutes and eleven seconds. A different woman came to tell Aiden and I that we could go see her now. I stand up, with shaky hands and legs, and start to walk slowly into the room. Aiden follows behind me.

She's lying on the hospital bed like any other day I would come to see her. Except this time, the bed is tilted up more.

"Mom?" I whisper, walking towards her.

Her eyes were closed, and now she peers them open slowly. I run to her and collapse on the floor, taking her hand in mine.

"I'm so glad you're okay. Please don't ever leave me again . . ." I sob into her hand, feeling her fingers wrap around mine.

I look up and see her weak smile. It's not an ear-to-ear grin, but it's still a smile.

"Paris, my girl."

I try to hold back the tears, but they argue with me so I stop trying. She takes me into her arms, and we stay there for what feels like forever. She lets me cry into her shoulder, just like when I was little.

When we release, she takes both my hands, "Stop your crying." She wipes a tear off my cheek, "Everything's going to be okay now. I promise."

I nod, sniffing like I have allergies that can't be controlled. "I love you mommy. Don't forget it."

"I love you too, Paris. Not to worry, no matter what anyone says or does, I will never forget."

A smile gets plastered onto my face. All I can think about right now is that after everything that's happened, our family is going to be okay. That's all that matters to me.

"We can go soon, honey." She tells me, her voice quiet but full of emotion.

"Where mum?" I wipe the tears off my face.

She points to my charm bracelet, "To Paris of course."

I don't think I've ever smiled so big in my life.

* * *

"We still want to run some rests to make sure everything is back to normal. She should be home by later this week." The Doctor explains this to me after mom and I catch up.

"Okay, thanks again Doc." I say.

He smiles then walks away. I balance on my toes and face Aiden, who's been here since we arrived an hour ago. "So, um . . . thanks for staying. You really didn't have to."

He sighs and lets out a light chuckle, "Wow. You still don't get it do you?"

"Don't get what . ." I say slowly.