The Other Side of Tomorrow

“Food,” Harlow jokes.

“Well, I’d deduced that much,” my mom laughs.

“Honestly, I don’t care,” Harlow says. “I’m so hungry I’ll eat anything.”

“What about you?” she asks me, looking in the rearview mirror at me. “Do you want anything in particular?”

I shake my head. “I’m good with whatever.”

She sighs. “I swear to God if I pull in somewhere and you guys say you don’t want it I’m going to strangle you both,” she jokes, pulling out of the garage and into the lane to get out of the hospital.

Twenty minutes later she pulls into the lot of a restaurant. It’s one of those chains that has an assortment of all types of food, so I know exactly why she’s chosen it.

“Sustenance!” Harlow cries and leaps from the car, running for the entrance as the two of us trail behind her.

My mom shakes her head and mutters to me, “If I could only have a quarter of her energy I could take over the world.”

I snort.

“Come on,” Harlow cries, holding open the door and waving for us to hurry up. “I’m starving. Let’s eat.”

We step inside and get led to a table in the back. The lights are muted and sports memorabilia hangs on the walls and from the ceiling.

Harlow buries herself behind the menu, moaning and groaning about how everything sounds good and she’s so hungry she knows she could eat it all.

By the time our waitress appears we’re all able to place our drink and food orders. My mom might not have been complaining but I know she’s hungry too. It took much longer at the hospital than we anticipated, not to mention the drive there.

My mom laces her fingers together and places her elbows on the table, looking across at me.

“Have you thought any more about dancing?” she asks me.

I shrug and let out a sigh. “Three years is a long time to be gone from dance and I’m eighteen now. I honestly …” I struggle to find the right words. “I don’t feel like it’s my passion anymore like it once was. Don’t get me wrong, I still love it and enjoy doing it for fun, but I want to do other things.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know,” I answer honestly. “Nothing major, I’m still planning to go to college next year. But I want to save up some money and travel.”

As soon as the words leave my mouth I realize how true they are. I want to see more of the world than my four bedroom walls and the ocean outside them. Now, thanks to this kidney, I have the opportunity to see the world and do things I couldn’t have done before. I don’t want people to say, “Poor Willa, her kidneys failed and she had to have a transplant.” Instead, I want them to say, “Wow, Willa saw, she conquered, and she soared.” I want to be remembered for living, not for hiding.

“Travel? Travel where?” she asks, her brows knitting together with worry.

I’m sure this revelation is a shock for her. I’ve been so dependent on my parents since this happened, needing their support to keep me from giving up, that I’m sure the thought of me leaving is scary for her.

“Yeah,” I say, smiling at the waitress as she drops our drinks off. “I don’t know where exactly. Maybe Japan,” I muse.

“Japan?” she blurts. “Why on Earth would you want to go there?”

“I want to see the Kawachi Fuji Gardens,” I explain. “They look magical. I figure it can be like my present to myself for finally getting a kidney. After everything I’ve been through I think I deserve a vacation, don’t you?” I joke.

She sighs but smiles slowly. “Yes, I suppose if anyone in the world deserves a vacation it’s you. Your dad and I would pay.”

“Thank you, that means a lot. But I only want you guys to help. I want to pay for some of it.”

She nods. “I can respect that.”

“You should take me with you,” Harlow says jokingly.nbsp;

“You’re not setting foot out of this country, young lady. Don’t even think about it,” our mom warns with a pointed finger.nbsp;