Maybe One Day

13: Happy Homecomings

"Good news!" My doctor walks in with his clipboard. "You are free to go."

"What? I thought I still had another week!" I say, amazed.

"Nope. Everything looks good, you're walking on your own perfectly fine, and your back and elbow are almost fully healed. Now," he continues. "you'll need to wear the neck brace to sleep to keep everything in line, at least for a few weeks. Crutches might be good, or a cane, just for comfort, but I believe your body can handle walking around by yourself without assistance."

"That's - amazing! So I can go like, right now?" I ask, stunned.

"Absolutely. Your parents are on their way."

Isaac gets out of bed and comes over to mine to help me out. I take his extended hand and swing my legs over the side of the bed. He pulls me onto my feet then slips his arm around my waist to steady me.

"Livie!" A voice from outside says and then I see a blur of a boy as my little brother throws himself into my arms, Isaac stabilizing me before I fall.

"Hey, Noah! So I guess you heard I'm coming home?"

"Yeeeees! I was so excited! And we made stuff for you -"

"Noah, it's a surprise," my mother interrupts as she walks in with my dad and Kendall. "Hey, baby girl." Noah backs up and she takes her turn at a hug, followed by my sister then dad.

"I'm really glad you guys are here. Oh and this is Isaac. I don't know if you've met already...?"

"I don't think we have." My dad extends his hand to Isaac's, which he shakes. "Nice to meet you."

"He's been my roommate for the past few weeks. He's been really great company." I smile up at him.

My parents exchange a look, noticing his arm around my waist and the way I looked at him. Thankfully, they don't say anything about it. "Well, I guess we can gather your stuff."

From there, the six of us start taking down the decorations off the walls; all the drawings from Noah, the balloons from just about everyone I know, the "Get well" signs and banners, all the little knickknacks brought over from my bedroom at home. After all the stuff is packed away, I say to my family, "All right, I think we're good. Shall we?" I point towards the door.

They all start walking out and I turn back to Isaac. I look at him for a minute, then step forward and pull him into a hug. "Thank you so much, Isaac," I whisper. "You are truly an amazing person."

He holds me at arm's length to get a good look at me. "And thank you. You've really helped me recover, physically and mentally, and I can't thank you enough for that." He gently kisses my lips, then releases me.

"I'll come back tomorrow to visit. You'll be out of here in no time, I promise." I smile and then leave the room I've been staying in for a month now.

"Ready?" my dad asks as he puts his arm around my shoulder.

"Ready," I say confidently. My parents have already done the checkout process, so all I have to do is walk out those front doors into the bright light, and hobble my way over to the car.

I take a deep breath and do just that. The minute the sun hits my face, a crazy grin spreads over my face. It feels so warm on my pale skin that hasn't seen the sun in weeks. I have to squint against the bright rays, but continue to keep my eyes open until they start to water. Then I don't know if my eyes are watering on their own or if I'm crying. Either way, the feeling of my feet on the pavement, with just thin flip flops between them, is a feeling I haven't had in a very long time.