"Are you feeling better, Emma?" Dad asks once we find our table.
"Yeah, I'm going to school tomorrow."
"I wish she would stay home another day. But she won't."
"I'll be ok, mom, and if I'm not, I'll give you a call. I promise."
"Good. And if they don't let you call for some reason, sneak into the bathroom and use your cell phone."
"They'll let me call. I've got a note, remember?"
"I know, I know, I just worry."
"I know you do." We order our food and wait, after we eat, mom and day pay the check and we head home. Sarah's car is in the driveway. She gets out when she sees us pull in. "Hey, Sarah."
"Hey Emma, are you ok?"
"Yeah, I am, I'll be at school tomorrow."
"Are you sure? I mean.... you were so upset today, maybe you should take another day, no one is expecting you to be there."
"I know. I'll try, I'll see how I feel in the morning, and if I think I can't go, I'll stay home."
"Okay." She smiles. "We're just worried about you, that's all."
"I know."
********************
That night, I can't sleep, I toss and turn for hours before getting up and going downstairs. I make hot chocolate, then go back upstairs.
"Emma? What's wrong?"
"I can't sleep."
"Oh, do you need anything?"
"No, I'm ok."
"Why don't you stay home tomorrow? I can make you a doctors appointment, and we can see about getting you on something to help you sleep."
"Okay."
"I'll call the school and the doctor in the morning. Try to get some sleep. I love you."
"I love you too."
**************************
The next morning, I'm in back in a room waiting on the doctor. I only have to wait about fifteen minutes.
"Good morning, Emma, I hear you aren't sleeping well?' She asks.
"Yeah, I can't fall asleep, and when I do, I wake up several times during the night."
"Okay, have you ever been on anything to help you sleep?"
"No."
"Okay, and how long has this been going on?"
"I'm not sure, a month or so? Maybe."
"And when you do sleep, do you have nightmares?"
"Yes, sometimes."
"Are you on any other medications right now?"
"Yes, something for my depression, but that's it."
"Okay. I'm going to put you on something for anxiety and sleep. It should help, but, if for some reason it doesn't, or if it has any negative side effects, come back in."
"Okay." She writes the prescriptions and gives them to my mom.
"I hope things start to get better for you, Emma." I smile.
"Thanks."
************************
"Remember, if you wake up in the morning and feel like you can't go to school, tell me." Mom says.
"I've missed enough."
"It's only been two days, Emma, your health is the most important thing." Dad says.
"I know.. it's just.. I'll see how I feel in the morning."
"Okay. Goodnight, Emma, We love you."
"I love you too." I say. "Goodnight."
YOU ARE READING
Open This When...
RomanceEmma's boyfriend is dead, but his memory is not. She still has his jacket, his football Jersey, the necklace he gave her, and a huge stack of "Open This When" letters he had written for her. As she reads them, she realizes that he loved her more tha...
