Three's a crowd

62

"Mom I'm serious I can take her." Riley's voice echoed through the house as my eyes struggled to open.

"Listen Riley, you're my son and I love you, but she asked me to take her. Let's respect her wishes on this. She's going to be fine I promise, but she's dealing with a lot with you leaving. She's trying not to depend on you so much." Averleigh said as I picked myself off the bathroom floor.

I folded up the blanket and pillow that had magically appeared, placing them back on the bed and then took a sip from the cold glass of water beside the sink.

Quietly I grabbed some clothes and turned on the shower, letting the bathroom fill with steam before stepping into the warm water.

Once I felt human again I crept towards the stairs where Riley and his mom were still talking.

"I don't know what to do mom. She keeps telling me to go, but I don't want to leave without her. I don't want her to have to depend on other people. I just don't know." I saw him shake his head as I quietly stepped back towards the bedroom.

"Riley Britt has an army of people around her that love her. No matter what she will have your father and I here, her parents are a phone call away and didn't you say Kyle was staying too?"

"That's what I'm worried about." I thought I heard him mutter as I closed the bedroom door to give the impression I wasn't listening to them and walked down towards them.

"Morning sweetie." Averleigh smiled.

"Good morning, are you ready?" I asked, nervous about this appointment but also ready to know one way or the other.

"Yeah." She smiled as I shot a half smile at Riley and followed her to the door.

"Britt?" His voice called out.

"Let's talk when I get back." I said calmly even though I was anything but calm.

I could see it in his eyes, the pain I was causing him by shutting him out but his mom was right. If I was going to survive when he left I needed to learn how to do things without him, especially since my dream had felt so real.

Better to start separating myself now, perhaps that way it will hurt less. I thought to myself as I closed the door behind me and jumped in the car with Averleigh.

The ride to the doctors office was quiet, and I'm sure she knew I was terrified. Still she didn't say anything, just placed her soft hand over mine and gave me a reassuring smile.

My nerves peaked when we pulled into the parking lot of the small white building.

"Britt honey, no matter what I'm not going anywhere and I'm always here if you need anything, whether it's to talk or cry, you'll always be family." She spoke softly as I swallowed and gave her a small nod.

Steeling a deep breath I pushed the car door open and followed her into the office. I glanced around at all the sick people waiting for their appointments, kids sitting with their mothers waiting to see a doctor as Averleigh checked me in and pulled me to a quiet area of the waiting room.

"We shouldn't have to wait long, do you want me to come in there with you or wait out here? It's totally up to you." She said as I considered it for a moment.

"Will you come with me?" I finally asked looking over at her as her eyes softened and she gave me a comforting smile.

"Of course." She grabbed my hand as the nurse called my name.

She took my vitals, height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, before giving me a cup to pee in and directing me to a bathroom.

Once I was done she directed me and Averleigh to a small room at the end of the hall and told us to take a seat.