Disabled.

Fourteen

Fourteen

November

"How's your trip?" Nadia asked as she fixed her hair while looking at her vanity mirror.

"It's great," she could almost hear the smile in her words, "we just came to Japan and everything here is amazing. We're really enjoying the culture and just the atmosphere as a whole," Jackson's mother told her. Nadia smiled.

"You should definitely come here when you get the chance," she told Nadia.

"I'd love to but maybe not until school is over," Nadia told her.

"Of course sweetheart. I'm sorry but I have to go now. I'll talk to you again. Take care."

"You too, Mrs Cooper," Nadia said before ending the call.

After her chat with Mrs Cooper at the spot where Jackson had asked her out, they had met a few days later and his mother had suggested exchanging numbers so that they could get through the the situation together. And shortly after, Mrs Cooper and her husband had made plans to travel around the world. Even though they had originally planned to go with Jackson, now that he was gone, they felt that going around the time that they were trying to cope would help them.

Because of that, every few days, Nadia would receive a call from his mother to see how everything was going. And although she had been skeptical at first, she now realized the importance of having someone who is experiencing the same loss go through it with her.

She placed her phone on her vanity before wheeling herself towards her bed where the outfit she had picked for the day lay. She changed, using the method she had learned from her sessions with her physiotherapist and occupational therapist before picking up her phone and backpack, placing both on her lap before leaving her room.

"Morning mom, dad," she greeted once she was in the kitchen, surrounded by the sweet aroma of pancakes and freshly brewed coffee.

"Morning," they replied in unison. She wheeled herself to the dining table to join her father before her mother brought over a plate with a pile of pancakes.

"It smells delicious," she told her mother, causing her to smile before she turned around to pick up a cup of tea from the island and place it before her.

"Thanks mom," Nadia said. Her mother's smile widened.

"You're welcome dear."

"You've been looking happier lately," her father commented, taking a sip of her coffee. Her mother nodded her head in agreement.

And she couldn't disagree. Because even though she was still going through the loss of Jackson, someone who she had held dear to her heart, now that she had someone to talk to and she was finally attempting to get her life back on track, there was no reason for her not to feel better.

"I guess it's because I'm happier. I can't completely say that I've forgotten everything but I can say that I've started to make peace with the situation."

Her mother reached over and pulled her towards her for a side hug.

"I'm really proud of you sweetheart, for being able to continue to deal with all of this with your head held high. I know it isn't easy."

And as she heard that, she couldn't stop the tears which fell. However, unlike before, these were tears of happiness and relief.

Her mother's smile widened as she wiped away her tears with her thumb.

"Do you want me to drop you off at school today?" her mother asked, causing her to shae her head.

"No, I can take the bus."