Building Trust (Night Shift)

Flipped.

"Come on, let's go home." My foster mom says putting a napkin in her empty cup with her spoon to make it obvious that she'd done and ready to go.

"A little longer, I'm still working on mine." I say, mostly just wanting to stay in the shop, taking in the sweet smells of freshly made waffle cones and sugary ice cream. I look down at my cup, still half full of cookie dough ice cream sprinkled with pecans. I don't really want anymore, but I keep steadily putting bites in my mouth making it look like I'm still trying. After a few bites I give up trying to finish it and give in. "Fine, we can go." I say with a sign and sarcastically rolling my eyes.

"Come on Nut." She says standing up with keys in one hand and the empty ice cream cup in the other.

"Goodnight Spencer," I say looking back, right as re reappears from the back of the store.

He smiles, "Take care, I'll see you ladies next time."

"Tell Tyler I say Hi," I say getting close to the door.

"You know I will," He says giving us a wave as we leave, dropping our cups in the trash can by the door.

The air is brisk right as we step out into the night. I love late evening ice cream runs, it's the small things like going to get ice cream that make me forget I'm chronically sick.

Cystic fibrosis has made my life a lot different to many kids and on top of that I'm an orphan, or was until Avery decided to give me a chance and decided to foster me and give me the best life possible regardless of my diagnosis. She's probably the 13th foster home I've been in and finally I feel like I'm home and safe. Since I've been through so many other foster homes I was weary once I got to this one expecting it to go like all the other ones, but to my surprise and amazement we immediately clicked and connected. And our bond has only grown stronger in the six months I've lived with her.

I jump in the passengers seat forcing my ice cream happy smile to stay as a sharp pain in the left side of my lung causes me to flinch. It goes away after a few minutes which I am grateful for, sometimes they don't go away for hours. I buckle my seat belt and adjust the padded cover across my chest, it always twists.

"How was your day?" Avery asks, glancing over at me and giving me a smile, starting the engine and putting it in reverse.

"Pretty good, kept everything on schedule. Watched some TV while I did nebs and vest. Breathing hasn't gotten harder today but whatever funk's come over them this week is still there. Maybe that's just my lungs now." I says feeling out of breath after getting only three sentences out. This is my life, not the worst though, I'm still happy and can do most things. "How was your," I have to suck in another breath to finish my thought," day?" I say and then start coughing. She knew what I was going to say but she lets me finish my own sentences which makes me happy. That's one habit that people tend to get into that really annoys me.

She waits until my coughing subside before answering," my day went well. Nothing that's going to make us millionaires but we'll make ends meet and keep a roof over our heads." She saves with a smile like always," I love you Bri." She says with her sincere tone.

"Love you too." I say smiling at her. Looking out the window I see the moon blink in and out of view behind rows of trees. It's about a 20 minute ride home from the ice creams shop. There's one closer to home but we don't mind traveling for our favorite. We're almost half way home when suddenly the brakes throw me forwards hard against my seatbelt. "MOM!" I shriek in pure panic. I hear tires screech and an sudden impact to the drivers side.

"Hold on Bria-" she gets cut off. The car is getting thrown around, my head slams against something briefly making me feel like I go unconscious. The car must be rolling, I feel like I might puke. I reach out my arm to stop myself from slamming into the door or the dash or something and the force of the impact snaps my wrist. Them the car abruptly stops upside down. My heart is racing and I can't think straight. My lungs are sending shooting pains through my whole body so I can barely breath. I cautiously open my eyes scared of what I'll find. Avery lay lifeless beside me, I assume the worst.