The Light in the Dark (completed)

Gone so soon

Your parents will be here next week Holly. They want to pay for your ear surgery. I slapped my hand over my mouth and tears clouded my vision. Mrs. Walls had written a paper and I'd taken it to my room to read it. Mr. And Mrs. Smith- your parents- foster children until their out of college and have for six children already but they are also paying for a very, very, expensive surgery for you and taking over your chemo so be thankful. And there it ended. I wiped the dripping mascara off my face and step outside where a gentle summer breeze welcomes me in my athletic shorts and blue V-neck. I sit on the step outside of the door and curl my face into my hands, trying to manage to think of it all. I wanted so much to be extremely happy, to never have to look back at this old town again but I realize how impossible that's going to be when I tilt my head to the side to find my eyes connected with Amber ones.
    I didn't realize he'd show up and sat down. I release a breath u didn't know I was holding. Zach stood up and reached out two hands which I grabbed and pulled myself up. He solemnly folded my hand into his and led my to our place. Our place, by which I mean-our garden. I'd memorized the walk and every step and every sink hole and over uneven section of the cement.
    One I had closed the wooden gate behind us, I turned to Zach and my face flooded with heat. I allowed the tears to drop from my eyes in unsteady sobs. 
     Zach's hair had grown out a few years ago and his dad wouldn't let him cut it again. But I promised him I didn't care and he still felt terrible but eventually he got over it a little.
    Zach led me over to the swing which has survived years and years of us and sat me down beside of him. He wrapped a arm over my shoulders and brought me closer to him and I just cried into his shoulder. I took a deep breath and attempted to steady my heart beat. I lifted my head and wiped the corner of one eye with the back of my hand.
They'll pay for the surgery. I sign and he looks at me shocked for a moment.
It's what you always wanted and now you can live a normal life. A normal life where you can talk to people. He signs.
Their taking me next week. I sign and then he looks at me and surveys my posture for a second.
You have to say bye to Ginny then. Zach signs and helps me up.
Tonight?
    Yep.

•••

I walk in the dimly lit street with my old purple sweatshirt and worn out denim shorts. My combat boots loose laces catch onto ever bramble or twig I come upon and I wonder if these are what every street looks like. I turn into the old park that I've enjoyed many moments in in this little town that only consists of a few main roads. The swings are rusty and the slide has carved names into it. Old mulch is scattered over the ground but bare patches still spot the dirt ground. They haven't replaced the mulch for a few years still and probably won't for a while. I remember the time when Ginny had just turned five and she got her knee stuck in the thin fence around the outskirts. Now we look back and laugh but then I was freaking out, wondering if I should just jerk her knee out or try and break the rotten wooden bars. I see the spot in the fence where we had to bend the bars to get her knee out and the exact bench Zach and I sat on trying to soothe her. I smiled a bit and moved toward the shadows in the back.
    Comforting Amber eyes and piercing Amber eyes welcome me. I walk to the comforting ones first, meeting Ginny and wordlessly picking her up and then I took on the few steps to meet Zach, with his piercing Amber eyes. He is sitting on a bench that is bowed in the middle but still hold the weight. I sat in the dent and Ginny sat while resting her head against me. Zach said he would tell her before we came and I could tell she knew. I brushed my fingers over her hair and remember the last few years when Zach and her would come by, her with her desperate eyes and pleading face saying Zach didn't know how to fix her hair.

{FLASHBACK}

Ginny rushed up to the to the door on her first day of second grade rushed with Zach trudging behind her.
Zach doesn't know how to fix hair! Ginny signed. I smirked to myself and led her inside. Her hair was so long and about to her waist. I braided a Dutch crown around her head and stuffed it full of pins to stay and when we got back home it was still sturdily braided.

{Ended}

Ginny looked at me pleadingly and then signed, do you think you can teach Zach to do hair? Cause he really sucks at it.
    Zach looks bewildered at first but then covered it with fake sincere happiness. He really would do whatever he thought was best for her and I think it was really cute.
Just for you. I sign and Ginny grins widely like a kid told they were going to Disney. Ginny positions herself on her knees, on the ground in front of me and  Zach inched towards me until we were touching. I stiffened a bit but relaxed as I ran my fingers through her hair.
Just watch. I signed to Zach and then turned to her long dark hair. I started simple with just a braid. Dividing her hair in three strands and outing the ends over the middle. It took quite a long time but Zach eventually got it, sometimes I almost burst out laughing just watching his calm face so tense and focused. I them taught him a few other simple things like ponytails, messy buns, ext.
    Of course Ginny could do her hair but she had a difficult time actually doing it. At the end of the day, all you are is exhausted, Ginny almost fell asleep as we guided her to her house. Zach dropped her off and then we went for a walk to our garden which was just about a block away. We walk with our steps in sync like they do in movies and I promise you it's not as easy as you think. Especially, when Zach knows I'm trying to and keeps walking to slow or fast. I just growl in frustration and try and keep up with his unsteady pace.
We open the gate but I don't make a move toward the seat. I just don't know if I want to sit down.
What if I find you one day. I sign suddenly. Zach walks up to me and rest his hands on my shoulders for a second before signing.
Then we would talk and talk all day. He smirks but I see the sadness he meant to hide in his eyes.
    Only if the surgery goes well. I correct. They could go in there and figure it's no use. But if it goes semi well, they will send me back to my 'parents' with a machine thing that I hook to my ear and it echoes sounds so they are louder so I hear normally. Well, as normal as I get.
    Don't talk like that. He signs, it'll all go perfect.
    I hope.
    Me too.
    He pulls me to him by my waist and moved his thumb in circular motions on my back. Zach moves his chin from my head and kisses my temple softly then returns his head back to my head. He was there when nobody else was and then he's gone so soon.