I wake in the morning with a smile on my face. Dad and I had been up for a while last night, facetiming mom to welcome her back to the real world. I had thought about our little spats and arguments all through her absence, pretending that they were more severe than they really were so I would have less to miss her for. Now I was wondering why I had ever treated our relationship as much. And then I was wondering why I was cutting her any slack. And then I looked at her face.
She seemed different. Physically and mentally. Her jaw bones were more visible and her voice was raspy from days without water. Tiredness outlined her features in the weak light. She easily had, although the video kept cutting in and out so we couldn't really see her. It was a sign, though.
Personality wise, she was softer. Could this have changed her for the better?
She was back.
The doctors said that she wasn't exactly stable enough to move yet. She had gone without food and water for about a week and a half, which should have killed her. She was lucky to be alive and well.
It was like a humongous weight had been lifted off of my chest. In her absence, I couldn't properly breathe. With her back, the collapsing world was lifted off of my sore shoulders. I felt more 'alive' than I had been over the past couple of weeks. I could laugh more easily, and happiness came easier now that my life wasn't in broken pieces.
I met Mark for lunch the second the call ended. He seemed to be just as relieved as I was. He didn't ask me any more than I revealed. It was nice to not have him prying into my life.
My life was my own for once
On the other hand, I was panicking. I felt totally unprepared for the walk tomorrow. As I run through the list of problems, Mark looks over at me from his pastrami sandwich.
"You know it'll go well tomorrow, right? You, me, and Marlee are meeting for breakfast beforehand, and we all have our speeches memorized. Right?" I bite my lip and nod. It will have to go well tomorrow.
The beach isn't the same with the bottles, glass shards, and nets invading the once peaceful surf. It all needs to go.
YOU ARE READING
A World of Colors
Short StoryA high school girl's life is drastically changed. With no friends, no decent family within the country, and no hope, how will she make it? Especially when life continues to target her in every possible way.
