Chronically Different

Finale

The Next Morning

"Mom, I met someone."

"What, here?"

I dive into the story of how Aaron and I met, and how he came to my room, and how he secretly already won my heart over. I, of course, never would admit that to my mom though. I knew I was smiling when I mentioned his name to my favorite nurse.

"Sounds fun! I hope he comes back today and I can meet him!!" She tells me with enthusiasm.

I nod my head in agreement and push up my sleeve on my shirt so she can access my line to start my IV med. I particularly hate this med. It makes me have horrible night sweats, and makes me see things differently. For instance, I can't focus on certain things, I see purple objects as gray, and blue as green. It also makes me have horrible joint pain. All of these symptoms I have to put up with though, all so I can hang on to my diminished lung function just a little longer.

Later that afternoon

After taking a much deserved mid day nap, I wake to find my mom has left for the day. I decide to sneak to the basement again.

"I'm just going on a walk for a bit!" I yell back to the nurses at their station before jumping on the elevator. Bookbag, sketchpad, and laptop all accompanying me.

Look cool, look cool, I say to myself as I put my hair back in a side braid. I try to smooth out the wrinkles in my cardigan as I begin walking towards the construction site in the basement. I can practically hear my heartbeat in my chest as I walk past them slowly. I peek through the doors that say "Do Not Enter," no sign of him. I turn back and head towards the greenhouse.

When I open the doors I am shocked to see him sitting there at a table. It looks like he has set up a picnic for us.

"I thought you would never come down here... I've only been here for hmm 2 hours. I kept having to check back here constantly to see if you were here yet."

"Sorry I took a nap.. But wow, is this for me?" I sounded stupid saying that, I realized as soon as those words left my mouth. For someone who reads all the time, and studied English you would think my brain could pull together a little something... better.

"Yep, for us. I thought since you talked all last night I could talk a little today, over lunch, or I guess now an early dinner?"

I looked down at the table that had a cloth draped over it. There was little bags of chips, hospital salad, hospital hamburger and fries and lastly, one of my favorites: hospital cheesecake. After I took in all my surroundings I plopped down.

"Okay, I'm ready to here your story, Aaron."

1 Hour Later

I sat back and took my last bite of my cheesecake. He had told me his story. He has an alcoholic father, similar to my mom. He's 23 years old, and not exactly where he wants to be in life. We are both beautiful messes, that's what we have decided. Both damaged, but both blessed. Both hurt, but also healed. I'm glad I have found someone who is so different than me, but also someone who shares so much with me. We exchange numbers after lunch/dinner and he walks me back to my floor. I can tell this is the beginning of something... finally, good happening to me.