It Just Kind Of Happened

16: METAPHORICAL GLASS DOOR

HENRI

He woke up some time later. Like, eleven hours later. And boy was he mad. First off, his phone wasn't in his backpack. Second, he had just slept eleven hours. And finally, his grandparents were nowhere to be found.

It was more than normal for Henri to worry about his grandparents. Jill and Bill were old—almost ninety—and they thought they could just wonder around without leaving a note or something. It was ridiculous, really. They knew Henri would worry, but they laughed it off, and with time, so did Henri.

Getting up from his improvised bed, also known as the couch, Henri decided that baths were for the weak. So he went to make some breakfast instead. In the kitchen he went, and soon enough he was back with a plate of pancakes. No, Henri did not make those pancakes. Jill did and left him some, alongside with a note that made Henri's face burn.

Good morning dear, help yourself with whatever. I made you favorite, hope you enjoy. Kisses, G. Jill.

It was her usual message for him and as always he was really thankful—he would show it to her sometime later that day, as he always did, with a bouquet of lilies. What killed him, really, was the P.S.: Mackenzie is such a lovely girl. Because there was no way his grandmother would've talked to Mac unless she messed with his phone, right? So even though Henri had nothing to hide, he was bummed.

Now Mackenzie would have to be shared. He liked the exclusivity he had when it came to Mackenzie Maine. He liked that her quirkiness was to his knowledge only. And now that grandmother Jill had burst that bubble, who knows what could happen. It changed everything. It could have even changed her.

When he opened the chat with Mac, he wanted to laugh. Or cry. He didn't know really. The whole conversation was very friendly, really. They greeted each other and talked about Henri, mostly. As he approached the end of the messages, he wanted to bury his head underground. Jill had invited her over for dinner. Mackenzie Maine was coming over for dinner. At his grandparent's.

Henri Walsh was mortified. He thought it couldn't get much worse. But it could. Jill told her. Jill told her about the surgeon appointment. And for whatever reason, Henri was burning with anger. He was really mad because he never wanted this. All of this. The appointment, the text chat; Mackenzie. He never wanted Mackenzie Maine. But somehow he got her and everything seemed to good; so right. Not anymore though. This changes everything.

How could he look at Mackenzie's eyes ever again with her thinking whatever she would think about this surgery? It seemed almost as if he didn't accept himself, after all these years growing up with his condition. But he did. He needed to make sure she knew he loved himself just the way he was.

His bath was a quick one and after collecting all the gear he would need to face the cold outside, he made his way to a big, face building, where he knew the surgeon would be waiting for him. Dr. Ostron was nothing like he imagined. He was tall and muscular. He was almost aesthetically perfect. Not a single hair out of place or any kind of wrinkle in his meticulously tight shirt. It was ridiculous, really. Henri did not like him. At all. He learned not to trust a perfect person, they always seemed to be trying to hide something.

Mackenzie came to his mind again as he examined the doctor. She was far from perfect. Her freckles were a bit too much and she was always serious. Her hands were always dirty and her smile was crooked. Mackenzie was easily frustrated, and she had a scar on her temple from when she fell off a bike and had to get stitched.

But Mackenzie was also very kind and inspiring. She was funny and when she smiled it was like all the weight of his shoulders had been lifted. Her green eyes were irregularly cute, so when she laughed or smiled, one would be a bit bigger than the other. She was strong headed and hard working. She was also the girl Henri found himself very curious about. And what is love other than extreme curiosity?

The doctor was speaking. His mouth was moving very slowly, accompanying his hands as he did a very good job at sign language.

Hello, Henri. He signed. My name is Dr. Marcus Ostron and I'll be doing you examination today. Please, follow me into my office.

Simple enough. As he followed the tall man, he couldn't help but notice how the whole floor was basically separated by wall glasses. The secretary was pretending to check papers while she did her nail. The security that was sitting in the very small kitchen was laughing away on his phone. Two young doctors were sitting in the meeting room with an even younger girl.

He looked back to Dr. Ostron and it actually took him a while to register what he had just seen. Two young doctors, with an even younger girl. A girl who was wearing a Cat in the Hat themed beanie. A girl who he was pretty sure that if he took a closer look, had a bit too many freckles. A girl who had just seen him, and was coming his way.

And if the glass door closing between them wasn't a fucking gigantic metaphor, he didn't know what it was.