The World Through Various Eyes

[13] That Fateful Day in June (Leslie's POV)

I remember vividly when it happened. That warm day in June was like any other. School had recently let out and although I was eager to spend some time with my friends without the stress of my schoolwork, my mother had other plans.

I raced down the stairs in a rush and barely made it outside in time. The air felt tender and humid, which was a refreshing change from the cold, rainy spring weather we had just finished experiencing. My mom's electric teal Honda was waiting for me outside, with my mom herself behind the wheel while examining her phone's narrow screen.

Slamming the door a little more forcefully than I intended to, I hopped in and fastened my belt while she turned her key to start the car back up. A more-than-audible jingling of the many keys dangling from her key ring was all that could be heard as we pulled out of the driveway, passing by the rest of the identical houses in our neighborhood.

I broke my gaze from the window to the left of me, and in turn, the silence as well.

"What's the point of this doctor's visit anyway? I don't need a physical for any sports, since I obviously don't play any, and sophomore year doesn't start until September!"

My question lingered in the muggy air that mixed with brisk air conditioning.

Turning the street corner with a controlled flick of the steering wheel, my mother answered as she kept her eyes glued to the road for safety reasons.

"It's not just a physical; it's your annual examination. We can't be too cautious, can we?"

I muttered an answer under my breath, most likely one that she would have disapproved of. Deciding against going any further with this, I settled with just responding outright.

"Mom, we already had my blood tested for thyroid problems, which clearly aren't there, among other illnesses. How many more miscellaneous diseases and conditions do you want to have me tested for?"

I wanted to scream! I was tired of being dragged to the hospital week after week, month after month, year after year. There was more to life than this, and I wanted to find it. Having an overly paranoid mom get in the way of me having a social life was not how I wanted to spend yet another summer break, or year of high school for that matter. Didn't I have a say in what I, the patient, was having done to me?

We came to a red light and she removed her hands from the wheel momentarily to shift around and look directly at me in the passenger seat.

"You know full well that these aren't miscellaneous screenings. We have been doing this routine for a while, you think you would be used to it by now."

Oh, so now I had to get used to it? Where was my say then? I still wasn't seeing it. My mom continued her point, and I didn't dare interrupt. She had a tendency to yell whenever angry during car rides, and I wanted to avoid even a potential accident as much as humanly possible.

"My family and your father's family have a long track record of diagnosis with many of the diseases you are being tested for. I don't do this because it's fun, I do this because it's necessary. And relevant."

Her light green eyes held a flicker of promise in them, as if to convey a message of hope. Hope that I would finally understand. Hope that I would appreciate her efforts. Hope that maybe I would find it in me to endure one more test session today.

I rolled my eyes and smoothed my new pastel coral sundress' wrinkles along the area affected by the tight grey seat belt that bound me. I could be getting ice cream with Bridget and Maria right now at Matt's Gourmet, but instead, I was stuck inside a car on a warm summer day, on my way to the hospital and research lab combination facility; the all-too-familiar "Mapleton Central Hospital and Care".

The unnervingly bleak two-story building had prominent windows that were covered for maximum privacy. This alone would have been enough to scare me away, for it seemed to suggest that, hidden within the facility itself, secrets existed that never saw the light of day.

Maybe I had too much of an imagination. Thankfully, though, I was very accustomed to the atmosphere of it, both inside and out, and although I still didn't particularly like it, it didn't spook me like it used to.

The Honda, neon in contrast, stuck out so much that it was almost painful. Its bright hue may have matched my mom's personality, but not the decor of the lab and hospital. I felt uncomfortable and out of place already as I stepped out, what with my sundress and my mom's sunny disposition.

I'm not implying that happiness is bad; me of all people would never suggest that. What really irritated me about my mother was her untamed cheeriness during particularly stressful situations. That shrill giggle that would never rest no matter the occasion just set me on edge more often than not.

As we filed into the facility, we found an empty section of the waiting lobby and took a seat in the indigo colored seats. I took a magazine that had no doubt been touched by dozens of sick adults and children, while my mom did the standard iPhone check. Glancing up from the page I had started, I scanned the room. All was relatively in order, with no young kids screaming or crying. Despite the optimism in the weather, a majority of the waiting room's inhabitants were silent or fairly sullen: more than usual here.

I didn't allow that to get me down, though. Returning to the magazine in my now semi-sweaty palms allowed my focus to wander somewhere else momentarily. Summer's hottest fashion trends were nice to consider. Maybe I might even go shopping after today, as a celebration of yet another test under my belt of medical achievements.

There were not many people waiting, so I guess a Saturday in June was less busy than I believed it would have been. This also meant that I would most likely be called on sooner. Hurray for timeliness. As if on cue, a nurse's assistant appeared in the doorway, donning blue scrubs with a low, curly ponytail running down her back.

"Ellecks, Leslie?" she said, reading directly off the file. This tipped me off to the fact that she was most likely new here, as most read the name in the proper way, not in the last name first, first name last format on the medical identification form.

I stood up routinely and walked to meet her. My mother followed, carrying in her arms my file, which contained everything from blood type to all my shots, tests and surgeries.

She lead us to a small room with no door, where she sat us down and began to type at a computer while simultaneously questioning.

"Is your daughter currently on any medication or drugs?"

"No, nothing besides her over-the-counter calcium supplements."

The assistant clicked around with her mouse to enter the information in the provided box, and typed away on her keyboard, her key strokes pronounced and staccato. She finished after a couple minutes, and spun around on the desk chair she was perched on.

"Your daughter is here for her annual exam and some additional testing, correct?"

Mom nodded and handed her my file, gesturing to the column that contained a record of all the tests that had previously been administered. The assistant scanned it with her messily manicured finger, running down the long list.

"Alright. We have three screenings in mind for her today, based on her genetics and family history as well as how prevalent the diseases we are testing for are currently. We will delve right into testing to get it over with."

At this, she glanced at me. Her eyes spoke of sympathy for me, and I wondered if her mother had put her through the same ordeal when she was my age. She broke eye contact and stood up, walking to the doorway and gesturing for us to follow.

"Right this way. Fourth door on the left."

I sighed hesitantly, as I did before any test. This was it, another piece of my life lost.

Hey reader! Thanks for reading my latest chapter in "The World Through Various Eyes"! If you enjoyed it, make sure to comment your thoughts about the book's plot so far, and your opinions on it in general. Also, if you think it deserves it, make sure to vote for it! Thanks again!

~DistantDreams (Claire)