Ritual [H.S]

5.

"If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea,
I'll sail the world to find you.
If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see,
I'll be the light to guide you"

30th August 2021
Present Day

The childlike plastic Spider-Man cup was delicately warm against my skin, which was a companion to the slight chill that was currently seeping it's way through my body. 

I swear to God if I am ill one more time because of MJ... I'm going to punch Megan in the throat.

Well, I can't exactly punch a kid now can I? 

There are laws against that kind of thing. 

Taking a deep breath, I slowly pushed away my thoughts and opened Megan's bedroom door, my eyes immediately settling on the little four year old boy who had completely stolen my heart.

"Auntie Shana, you're back!"

He was cuddled up in her bed, his favourite pyjamas now slick with sweat as his body was clearly beginning to fight his fever. 

The loss of colour in his face was slightly alarming, but with the way he was smiling at me, along with his sick little voice it was also weirdly comforting me- why the fuck are kids so adorable when they are unwell?

Around his shoulders was his comfort blanket that Megan had got him when he was a few weeks old, and I couldn't help but stare at it, immediately being thrown into the memory of that very night he came into our lives. 

It was no secret that between the immediate family and our close friends that Megan was in fact MJ's auntie, but, she was his mother in every sense of the word- she may not have physically made him, carried him or even give birth to him, but he was her baby and she was his entire world.

It was so special watching the relationship grow between them over the course of the last four years- and I couldn't have been anymore prouder of Megan.

She had grown so beautifully over the last four years and had become the woman I always knew that she would be- but of course, at the time, I wasn't exactly sure if taking MJ on was a good thing for her.

I was extremely apprehensive, especially as we had already planned what we wanted to do whilst we studied at university as medical students- I mean, she was just eighteen and had her whole life planned and mapped out for her.

I was worried, really fucking worried, yet the moment I laid my eyes on that defenceless little baby boy in hospital after he had been left on our doorstep four years ago, I knew and understood immediately how my best friend had quickly fallen in love with him- and how she made a vow without even opening her mouth. 

I knew from the offset that Megan was going to take him on as her own, and although I had my reservations, I quietly made my own vow that I was going to help and support her in any way that I could.