Our Different Universe

Elizebeth

" Taxi!" I yelled outside my old New York City apartment. It was a cold bleak morning in the middle of February. Many people are inside watching television on days like today, but sadly I don't have that luxury.

Finally a yellow cab with a big brute of a driver pulled up. I opened the door and hopped in.

" Where to little lady?" He asked.

" The Downtown hospital please."

" Aren't you a bit young to be traveling alone?" He asked.

" I'm fifteen, sixteen in a month, and I don't have anyone to go with." I snapped.

" Okay, then."

" Well I'm sorry, it's just that I'm going to visit my mom."

" Oh, well I'm sorry to hear that."

We rode in silence the rest of the way there. When we got to the hospital the driver waved me away and would'nt let me pay for the ride. He said that I would need all the money I had to cover medical bills, and that he would pay for me. I thanked him and walked into the building.

As soon as I entered, I was enveloped in warm air and the strong smell of antiseptic that almost burned my nose. But under that was something sweet, like they were trying to hide the smell of hand-sanitizer and Lysol wipes, but had failed.

I walked up the the front desk.

" How can I help...you?" The receptionist asked, pausing before saying "you" to look at me. I was a sight to see, my tangled long brown hair, my sweater that had a snowman on it and said " Happy Holidays", and finally my jeans that had holes in the knees and were a few inches too short.

" I would like to see my mother." I said.

" Name?" She asked.

" Iris Sendden."

" Here to see?"

" Margret Sendden."

" Shes on the next floor up and on the right. Room 243."

" Thanks." She nodded and got back to typing on her desktop.

Before I took the elevator to the second floor, I stepped into the gift shop and decided to use the money that was supposed to be for the cab on a gift for my mom. I ended up buying a daisy in a pot, a balloon, and a stuffed dog wearing a shirt that said " get well soon" like pretty much everything else in the store.

I walked down the hallway that led to the elevators, gifts in hand. A business woman saw that I was struggling to push the up button, so she pushed it for me.

" Thank you." I said. But then I got a good look at her face. " Cousin Elizabeth?" I asked.

" Iris? Is that you?"

" Yeah!" I said almost crying tears of joy. I hadden't see any of our relatives since my mom was checked into the hospital two weeks ago.

" I was on a business trip to New York, and I thought I would stop by. I tried to call your home phone but no one picked up."

" Oh, we don't have a land line anymore, we got rid of it when mom got bad. It was too much money and no one really called it other than politicians and telemarketers. I have a cellphone now, I'll give you the number when we get to the room. I'm so happy to see you." It all flooded out of me at once and I smiled.

" I missed you too." She said. Elizabeth is one of my favorite relatives. She graduated from college last spring and moved to Chicago.

We reached the second floor and walked through double doors that were labeled ICU. We walked past rooms 240, 241, and 242.

" Two, forty-three." Elizabeth said grinning.

We walked inside and were greeted by my mother's nurse Alice.

" Good morning Iris." She said kindly. Her blonde hair was up in a bun, and she was wearing mint green scrubs, but she had dark circles under her eyes, which indicated that she was lacking sleep.

" Hi Alice, this in my cousin Elizabeth." The two shook hands.

" Hows my aunt doing?" Elizabeth asked.

" Shes doing alright, a fighter that one." Alice said indicating the curtain behind her.

My mom had a room all to herself, I guess it's because she's a cancer patient. She was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago this fall. She had Kemo therapy and a tumor removed, so we thought it was over. That was also when my father was still around.

Now she was thin, and the hair that had just grown back was falling out again. I made her come to the hospital when there was a new growth on her chest next to the scar of the last one. She has to go through Kemo again, then they might have to do more surgery.

" Iris?" I heard my mom say.

" Hey mom, I brought you a few surprises." I said as I walked around the curtain. She looked looked a bit better than when I saw her two days ago, her face had more color and her hands weren't shaking.

" Hows it going Auntie Margret?" Elizabeth said.

" Elizabeth! I'm so happy to see you. " My mom sat up in bed. I handed her the stuffed animal, and put the plant and the balloon on the table.

" Thanks honey." Mom said. I nodded. " Do you know how my sister is doing?" She asked Elizabeth.

" Jess is doing good, shes out at sea right now, and my little brother is staying at home with Alec." She said. My aunt is in the Coastguard, so my cousin Edward is staying at home with his step dad. The three of them live in Portland, Oregon.

" How's Edward doing?" My mom asked.

" Well he's a teenager...." Elizebeth said. Edward had just turned seventeen.

" You'll be sixteen soon Iris." Mom said ruffling my hair. " What do you want for your birthday?"

" You to get better, and money to pay the water, heat, and electricity bills." I said.

" Oh honey, what do you want for your birthday." Elizebeth asked.

" I told you..."

" I mean you could come to Chicago and stay with me when school is over, and go to fancy restaurants and malls." Elizebeth said.

" That would be great for you Iris, get away from....things." My mom said. I new what she was thinking. She didn't want me to worry about her, she wanted me to live a normal teenage life, but that will never happen, one parent gone, and one in the hospital.

Elizebeth's phone rang. " Okay... Yep... Shit...Okay... Okay... I'll be there soon." She hung up and said, " I have to go you two, talk to you later."

" Oh, Elizebeth, here's my number." I scribbled it down on a slip of paper and handed it to her.

" Thanks I'll text you."

" Bye Elizebeth." Mom said and she raised her hand in a wave.

" Bye auntie."