The Other Side of Tomorrow

… Six.

Seven.

Eight …

My eyes close, the bright round lights above me disappear, and I am no more.

nbsp;

Awareness prickles in slowly.

Muffled voices.

Shuffling of feet.

Beeping outside.

Why is it beeping?

I try to open my eyes but it’s like they’re caked shut.

I reach up, rubbing at them, and hear an intake of breath.

“Willa?” my mom asks.

“What? W-Where am I?” I ask.

“You don’t remember?”

I finally manage to open my eyes and look around, taking in the hospital surroundings and my parents’, and sister’s, worried faces.

It all comes rushing back to me.

“N-No, I remember,” I hasten to assure her. “D-Did everything go okay?”

“It went perfectly.” She brushes her fingers through my hair. It feels ratty and matted to my head.

“How long have I been asleep?”

“Well, they wheeled you back to surgery at almost six in the morning. It’s almost nine at night now, so you woke up sooner than they hoped, which is good. Honey, can you go tell the nurse?” She looks at my dad over her shoulder.

He leaves the room, but not before grasping my foot under the covers and giving it a shake with an encouraging smile.

“How long did it take?”

“Almost four hours, like they said. I want to hug you,” she blurts, “but I’m scared of hurting you.”

I open my arms. “You hugging me won’t hurt me. I promise.”

She smiles and hugs me, her body melting into mine as she releases her worry.

“I love you so much, Willa. I don’t tell you enough, but you girls are my entire world.”

When she releases me, she quickly wipes tears away as my dad returns with a nurse.

“Hey, sweetie, how are you feeling?” the nurse asks, checking my vitals on the machine.

“Good,” I reply. “Sore, of course, but I expected it to be worse.”