A Whole New World

Chapter Three

I buried my face into my pillow harder and waited for the familiar knocking pattern to pass. 

"Go away Colby." He was the only one that knocked the Star Wars Theme on my door.

"You and I both know that ain't happening sister." He said through door. I groaned and got up to open the door before he started snapping his fingers.

"Please don't do that again." I let him know before giving him access to my room.

"Noted." He replied.

"How do you always know when I'm upset." I questioned him as I flopped back down on my bed.

I heard him sit in my desk chair and give it a quick spin. "I'm your twin remember. We have twin telepathy."

I rolled my eyes. Colby liked to say we were twins because we shared the same birthday. To be fair, ever since we became friends in kindergarten our parents always threw us joint birthday parties. But it's not like we looked alike. I mean, I don't know what he looks like... or what I look like.

Out of nowhere I felt something soft hit my head. I touched it as it fell in my lap. It was my old Tweety stuffie from when I was six. 

"Ouch." I said, throwing it back at him, although I knew I probably missed by a lot.

"You were doing that thing where you disappear into your head." He plopped down next to me on the bed and proceeded to poke me in the side. "What's wrong Uncle Jesse."

"Am I your twin or your uncle." I murmured.

He didn't reply so I knew he was being serious now.

I sighed. "There's a chance that I could... see again."

I was waiting for him to start rejoicing, which was usually the reaction that such a comment would bring, but instead he asked "Do you want to?"

This is why he's my best friend.

I sat up in my bed and gripped my knees. "That's exactly the thing. I don't know if I want to see. I've never seen before. Being blind is all I've known my whole life. I don't know if I want to change that. And like there's my mom. I know she still blames herself for my blindness, which I don't understand because there's no way she did this on purpose. But that's why she's always bothering with the eye drops and the eye training and now this new surgery. And sometimes... it feels like she's trying to fix a broken child."

I put my head down into the little cave I had made with my knees and arms when I was done. In less than a second, Colby had his arms around me.

"You're not broken." He whispered to me. "You're the farthest thing from broken Jessie Montgomery. You're probably more put together than all of us. I mean, in all the time that I've known you, I've never seen you let the fact that you're blind stop you from doing anything you wanted to do. You're always unapologetically yourself. You're brave. You're strong. You're freaking amazing. And I hate it when you forget that."

I smiled a little and brought my head up. He always knew just what I needed to hear.

"And if you want to go through with the offer to see, that's super cool. But you should do it for yourself. Do it because it would make you happy. Because blind or seeing, you already make everyone around you happy. You deserve what would make you happy.

"You're so cheesy." I told him, placing my head on his shoulder.

"I know. I can't help it. They call me Queso Colby."

"Nobody calls you that."

"Nobody calls me that."

I laughed briefly, before looking over to where his voice was coming from. "Thank you."

He pulled the blanket over the both us, allowing us to sink deeper into the bed. 

"No problem." He said, "That's what friends are for."

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I woke up to the sound of my mom knocking on the door.

I detangled myself from Colby and got off the bed. It wasn't an easy task because he was such a tight snuggler.  When I was finally free, I found my way to the door and opened it. She took her time before speaking.

"Colby sleeping over?" She asked.

I turned my head back to the bed where I could hear his light snoring. "I guess so."

"Cool. I'll let his Dad know." She replied.

I nodded. 

"You hungry? It's eight so I thought you might want some dinner."

"I'm fine Mom." I let her know.

I heard her rubbing her palms against her jeans like she always did when she was nervous.

"I'm sorry Jessie." She started, releasing a sharp breath. "I should have told you earlier. I just... I don't know. I thought you would be happy. I just wanted to surprise you."

I let go of the door handle that I had been gripping, waiting for her to leave. Instead, I moved forward and gave her a hug.

"I know Mom. Thank you." I said, pulling back. I thought about what Colby said. "And... do you think it's too late to call Dr. Hepburn?" 

She pulled me back into her arms. She was sniffling and laughing at the same time. "No honey. I don't think it's too late."