I’m exhausted. How are you?
His response is immediate.
Julian White
I’m fine. Been worrying about you and your sister.
That means he’s thinking about me. I can take comfort in that.
Me
Are you still in Arizona?
Julian White
No. I went home.
Is he packing my things? Is he going to ship them back here? I close my eyes and try not to let the panic rise too rapidly. This is neither the time nor the place to freak out.
Me
Why did you go home?
His answer isn’t immediate this time. I see the little dots dancing as he types and then disappears. Over and over again until he finally sends a response.
Julian White
I don’t know. It felt wrong to be having a good time with my friends when your sister is in the hospital. You’re all I could think about, and I didn’t want to bring them down or disrupt their summer events, so I opted to go home.
That all means a lot. Right? Can I just ask him why he stayed? Am I allowed to do that?
My eyes rise as the door to the waiting room opens. Mom and Dad step inside. “The doctors will allow you in the room for a brief visit. She needs some rest.”
I turn the screen off and stuff my phone into my pocket as I get to my feet. As one big gaggle, we head into the hall. We’re not let in all at the same time, but in smaller groups of two and three. I go in with Kiaan and Navi.
The smell of antiseptic and the beep of the monitors she’s hooked up to have my heart in my throat. Then I see her on the bed, and it feels as if my entire body goes cold. Her legs are elevated under the blankets, and there’s a thick brace around her neck. The blankets are pulled right up to the brace.
The laceration over her eye is the only injury I can see, and it’s sutured closed. There’s a bruise just under her hairline and on her jaw on the same side.
We stand over her bed, and her eyes open. There’s a moment when terror fills me, scared she’s not going to recognize us. But then she smiles, and I’m flooded with such relief that moisture stings my eyes.
“You came home,” Ishika says, her voice so low I can barely hear it.
I nod. It’s difficult to keep a steady voice, and I’m not sure I succeeded. “Of course, I did. There are many less stressful ways to get me home, though. You didn’t have to resort to this.”
Ishika smiles and I’m glad for it. “You know me. I like dramatics.”
She doesn’t. That’s a lie.
Kiaan touches her hair gently, and Ishika’s eyes move to him. Her smile remains. Our exchanges are short, and we only stay for a few minutes. Even a toddler can see how tired she is. I follow my siblings back into the waiting room and settle into the chair.
My mind wanders between Julian and Ishika. I’m unsure of how to respond, and unsure if I’m comforted by the way Ishika looks. Even if they have her external injuries under control, how many does she have hidden that we can’t see?
What do I say to Julian about having gone home?
Will Ishika be able to walk again?
Does he miss me?
