I was okay, just very stressed and tired. They are letting me go home in a day. My parents come by everyday and today they are bringing Alton to come see me. I can't wait to see him because I missed him so much and can't even imagine what he was thinking in the last ten months.
I was trying to eat my lunch when my parents and Alton came into my room. I pushed the food away and smiled widely when I saw Alton.
"Anya!" he yelled, came over, and hugged me tightly. "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too, Alton." He sat down on my bed and crossed his legs. "you got glasses I see."
"Yeah, I need them for reading and distance. I was having some trouble at school." I smiled widely and giggled. "How are you? what happened to you? what about the others?"
"I'm okay. I'm tired and very anxious. We were in this cabin in Washington state and couldn't leave. I'm happy I am able to see buildings and people now." He laughed. "the others are okay. Trace is in surgery right now and Cason is having some tests done on his brain. Hadley is resting and getting some medicine for paranoia and hallucinations and Locklyn had triplets and is catching up on her rest."
"Wait, Locklyn and Cason had triplets while in the cabin?" he was shocked. "I can't believe that."
"I delivered the babies, two girls and a boy. They are adorable and you will meet them once they get released from the hospital." He smiled widely. "Mom, Dad, can I talk to Alton alone?"
"Yes, we are going to get lunch and be back in an hour, how's that?" my father asked. I nodded and they waved and left my room.
"How are you really doing Alton? I know you have been acting out, mom told me and you didn't play any sports and got suspended. What the hell is that?"
"I was upset that Armin died and you were gone. The kids at school were bullying me and making fun of me and saying I am never going to be like my brother or a good baseball player. I decided that if everyone at school thought of me like that maybe Armin and you thought of me as that."
"No, you are an amazing baseball player and don't ever think less. I'm sorry that I was taken right when you were grieving Armin's death. It will never happen again."
"It better not happen again. I thought you were dead. If you were I lost not one but both my siblings and I would've been so depressed. I was getting worried about that." I laughed and hugged him. "Why is Trace having surgery?"
"While in the cabin, his chore was to fish and while he was fishing, someone pulled him under and broke both his ankles. We had no medical equipment in the cabin and his ankles never healed correctly. The doctors had to go in and realign his right ankle and take the fluid out of his left ankle. He's going to be fine, trust me."
"I want to see him though." I giggled and looked at my hands in my lap. I was blushing and knew I was because my cheeks were hot. "What, Anya?"
"Trace and I are..."
"Are what? You two fought and aren't friends anymore, huh? Dammit Anya, I really looked up to him."
"Are dating."
"What?!" he smiled widely, jumped off my bed, and began to jump up and down and clap. "No way! Oh my god! You two are finally dating! I can't believe this! I'm so happy for you two."
"Thanks, Alton. He will always be part of the family now."
"When did you two start dating? How did you two start dating?"
"During the first or second week while in the cabin, Trace and I got into a small fight and during the fight he admitted that he always had a crush on me and kissed me. Time went by and we grew closer than before and on October 20th we decided to date each other and call us 'official'. I guess everyone else knew Trace liked me including Armin."
"I even knew that, Anya. Of course Trace liked you, he would drool over you and everything."
"Now he doesn't have to drool over me, we're dating."
"I'm so happy for you two. Did you tell mom and dad yet?"
"No not yet, I will tell them soon."
"Tell us what?" they came into my room and crossed their arms. "What do you have to tell us, Anya?" my father asked strictly.
"Trace and I are dating."
"Really?" my mother squealed. I nodded and smiled widely. "Anya, I am so happy for you. you finally were able to let someone in and love you for you. you didn't have to change for the boy and I think Trace will be the best guy for you."
"He already is."
The doctor came in and had my file with him. "Mr. and Mrs. Pritchett, Anya can go home today. She is perfectly fine, everything came back normal and she is good to go."
"Thank you doctor." He nodded and left the room. "You get to come home, finally."
"I know, I'm nervous though because I have been locked in a cabin for so long. How will it be out there?"
"You will be fine out there. We will protect you, don't worry about that," my father said. "how about mom and I run home, get you some of your own clothes and come back while you finish eating and prepare yourself for the ride home. Alton let's go, let Anya eat and be alone."
"I'll see you in a bit." Alton waved while they left.
I am actually going home today. I can't believe this. How will everyone react seeing I am back? I'm nervous, I'm scared, I'm excited. I get to go home, I get to be in my house, my own bed, my own clothes.
Will I be able to fit into my old clothes? I've lost weight from restricting and then being under stress. Well, once Hadley and Locklyn get released it will be a girls' day and we'll go shopping and get new clothes and everything, it would be fun.
My parents came back and I was released. I stood in front of the mirror and stared at my collarbones sticking out, the bags under my eyes, how pale my skin is, and some light bruises from packing and running out the woods.
I'm a fighter. I'm a survivor. I'm strong and know what I am capable of. I know the path I have to go and what to do with my life now. Delivering the triplets, helping Cason during his seizures, Trace with his ankles, and Hadley cutting herself, I know what I have to do next. I smiled widely and nodded.
"Mom, Dad, can I run and go see Locklyn quickly?" they nodded and I went upstairs to the maternity ward. I slowly walked down the hall, reading the names on the door, and when I found her room, I peeked through the crack in the door and saw her sitting in bed. I knocked on her door and opened it all the way. "Locklyn." She looked over and smiled.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" she sat up some more.
"They released me."
"Lucky. You are probably the first out of all of us." I smiled and sat down. "What's up? Why are you in my room?"
"I came to check on you and the babies. How are they doing?" she shook her head and looked down. "What is it? You can tell me."
"Joel needs heart surgery. He has this condition where the pulmonary valve wasn't formed properly and blood isn't pumping to his lungs correctly. He was just put on an ECMO machine. I went in to see him about an hour ago and he looks so sick. They have him under this UV light and wires everywhere and he's in this closed crib. I feel terrible that he has to go through this."
"He's going to be fine. Trust me. He's a fighter."
"Dr. Patelli told me that the girls were conceived between September 3rd and 5th while Joel was conceived on October 1st."
"What?!"
"Joel was five weeks premature. That's why he was so tiny. He's premature and has lost weight since birth. But they told me you did a wonderful job delivering them and treating them correctly."
"That's good. I was worried I did something wrong." She shook her head. "where are the girls?"
"The nurses took them to the nursery to give me a break. They are doing more vital signs and checks on them just in case."
"Good. I actually came up here to tell you something." She was staring at me. "I decided to become an OBGYN doctor and start back up as an EMT once I'm cleared from my doctor."
"Really?" she had tears on the rim of her eyes. "You sure about this now?"
"Yes, I'm sure about this. I need to do it, for Armin and the triplets. I learned a lot while in the cabin and decided that I need to do what's right in my heart. That is becoming a doctor for obstetrics and gynecology."
"And then you can be my doctor when Cason and I decide to have another baby in the future."
I laughed. "Of course I would be. Anything for my family." I hugged her and she hugged me tighter. "I have to get going, my parents are waiting, but when Hadley and you are released, maybe we can go shopping for new clothes and stuff. How long do they want the triplets in the hospital?"
"I'm getting released either tonight or tomorrow, but I have to go see my gynecologist for my second uterus before I do anything really. The triplets are staying for at least a week, maybe more. Dr. Patelli said I can still breastfeed the girls and to pump while at home and freeze the milk for when they get released. Right now they are giving them formula mixed with my breast milk just in case."
"Okay, well, keep me updated and we can plan something."
"Yeah, I heard Hadley is getting released tomorrow, maybe in two or three days we can go shopping, I have to get clothes for the triplets anyway." I nodded. "I'll see ya soon. Anya, thanks again, for everything."
"Welcome." I waved and left closing her door halfway.