Camera || m.g ✓

T W E N T Y F O U R

We have everything. Flowers, baskets of fruit, get-well cards from mum's colleagues at work and other things that makes mum happy. A bouquet of roses is in my arms, its petals bright and red and shining in the sunlight. We all dress nicely too. Me and Athena in matching dresses - the one I wore to the pizza party in Stockholm. Cole is wearing his nicest shirt and jeans, his hair gelled to be messy.

Mum is coming out of the hospital today and needless to say, we are all very excited. It's going to be very close to perfect, I just hope mum likes it.

A nurse leads us through the halls, the smell of disinfectant and anti-septic strong but makes everything seem clean. Hand sanitisers line up against the walls and I pump some onto my hand, rubbing my hands together. I'm so happy right now. Happy happy happy!

People all around us let their gaze rest on us, probably wishing that their family or friend would get better anytime soon. That sounds so self-centered and mean, trust me I know, but you can't help yourself when you feel happy inside. Thus, we make no comment and carry on. Us three, we try to look cool and collected. But I can tell that Athena is just as - possibly more - excited as I am by just looking at the way she walks and her face that is resisting to smile too much.

The nurse stops on the top of the sixth floor steps, her breath short and sharp from climbing up the flight of stairs - my request. She opens the stairs door and leads us along the corridor. The nurse smiles warmly at us before walking into mum's room, handing us over to another nurse already in mum's room.

Room 638 looks better, to say the least. It's still cold and empty and too spacious for one person, but the nice scent of vanilla candles give the room a much more familiar homey smell. It's better than lifeless and I'd take anything lively anytime.

Mum is sitting on the edge of her bed and her eyes light up as soon as she sees us walking through the doorway. I smile too. She's in her hospital dressing gown, but already, she looks fresher and her face has gained a little bit more colour. Athena runs straight into mum's open arms, saying that it's about time she comes home. Mum and Cole gets along pretty well and Cole has even taught her some basic Norwegian.

Martinus...

No. It's mum today, no more Martinus...

Oh God.

Mum notices me standing in the corner as I watch all this happen. "Serafina!" she calls. Mum never calls me by my full name unless she's worried or angry or just overly happy. "Come here!"

Mum opens her arms and I gladly walk over and give her again, breathing in her scent.

"Hvordan har du deg?" she asks in surprisingly good accent. Although I am impressed at her amazing pronunciation, it doesn't help that I don't know what it means. My confused facial expression must have caught on to her so she laughs.

"It means 'how are you' in Norwegian," mum tells me, "Cole taught me that one!"

I laugh along with her. "Good for you, mum!" I push away the picture of Martinus that has suddenly took over my mind.

Athena, Cole and I converse around with mum and the nurse for a little while. We learn that mum needs to rest a lot of she wants to make it Oslo with us on Sunday. Mum needs to take her medication twice everyday until the pills have run out and she'll need to drink a lot of water.

When we walk out after saying thank you to the nurse, she gives me a sympathetic smile that keeps my mind occupied as to what it means. I try to ignore it and focus myself on smiling.

Come to think of it, we never knew what mum's sickness was. I know it's something serious, but I shouldn't dwell on it too much because all that matters now is that she's finally coming home.