I'm With You

Chapter 30

"I can tell you're nervous, sweetheart... but everything is going to be done at your pace." Darlene said softly to Mackenzie, who had been sat silently in the armchair by the bed, her head down as she played with her fingers.

"It's just a lot of change... I can barely remember what my life was like before. Eira would tell me all these stories of what Mom was like, what our Dad was like before... and I just don't remember it... our lives have just been about each other for so long and now it's all changing... we're getting a home and Eira is having a baby..." Mackenzie trailed off, sighing as tears ran down her face.

"You're jealous of the baby?" Miguel guessed, nothing about his tone judgemental. Mackenzie hesitated, refusing to look up and she slowly nodded her head.

"Eira already has a new life waiting for her... with you and the baby... I'm just gonna be left behind..." Mackenzie trailed off, groaning as she ran her fingers through her hair and Lloyd rubbed her back gently since as he was still sat on the arm of the chair.

"Mackenzie, Eira will never leave you behind. It's a lot of change for both of you, but it's for the better... this baby is gonna change things, but you'll always mean the world to her, you know that deep down. You're gonna be an aunt! And just because we have the baby coming, it doesn't mean you won't have a life or that you'll be left behind." Miguel tried to comfort her, but they all knew it would take time for both Eira and Mackenzie to adjust.

"We want you to get that high school diploma!" Darlene encouraged. "You can go to college if you want to, find what you're passionate about in life and you can meet new people, make friends..." Darlene trailed off as Mackenzie slowly looked up, looking at the Lafmans and then over at her big sister, who was passed out asleep on the bed. Both girls had learned to become heavy sleepers with being on the streets for so long.

"We won't be as close." Mackenzie breathed.

"Yes, you will," Lloyd answered before anybody else could. "Just because you might not be as close in proximity, it doesn't mean the bond you have will be any less... it'll make the time you're together that much more special, and anyway, it'll be weeks, even a couple of months before anything like that happens. You have time to adjust and to speak to someone about it all." Lloyd promised and Mackenzie slowly nodded her head, clearly deep in thought.

The Lagmans stayed until visiting hours were over, even though Eira slept all the way through. Catering for the hospital had left her a sandwich to eat for when she woke up, giving Mackenzie something more filling. She looked over to the bed as Eira started to wake up, a small groan escaping her lips but she smiled softly when she saw Mackenzie.

"Hey." She breathed.

"Hi... you have a sandwich to eat." Mackenzie said, motioning to it on the table by the bed and Eira reached for it, taking it out of the wrapping.

"When did everybody leave?"

"About an hour ago... the nurses came around and kicked Miguel out, his parents left before then. I made a promise to get you to finish the entire sandwich." Mackenzie said, but Eira stared at her sister for a moment.

"You're mad," Eira said simply and Mackenzie sighed.

"I'm not mad... all of this is just changing and I don't... I can't keep up! You and Miguel have this picture-perfect life ready and waiting for you when you get out of here and I don't have anybody except for you." Mackenzie said and Eira raised an eyebrow.

"Picture perfect life?" Eira questioned. "I'm just as terrified as you!"

"Yeah, right... with your perfect boyfriend and a perfect baby and your perfect family home on the horizon, I'm sure you're terrified... I'm going for a walk." Mackenzie mumbled, standing up and heading towards the door.

"Mackenzie!" Eira called for her, but she just walked away, slamming the recovery room door shut and Eira stared after her with tears running down her cheeks. She leaned over and pushed the button on the wall, calling for a nurse who came into the room less than twenty seconds later.

"Hey, is everything okay?" The nurse asked softly.

"C-Can I borrow a phone to call my boyfriend, please?" Eira asked and the nurse nodded her head, handing her own phone over to Eira and she dialed Miguel's number, a phone number she'd committed to memory because Miguel ensured that she knew it and he answered after just two rings.

"Hello?" Miguel answered.

"C-Can I come back with you?" Eira asked and Miguel's eyes widened with shock.

"Eira... why?"

"Mackenzie is so mad at me, she's mad at us about the baby... I think we have to rip the band-aid off when it comes to all this change... live separately right away." Eira said, letting out a sob, and Miguel sighed. On one hand, he wanted to give her what she wanted, but on the other hand he wanted her to slowly adjust to life away from the streets and have the support of his parents and be around Mackenzie. It was hard for both sisters, it was a lot to cope with at once.