The Distance Between Us

usually as late as I can stay up so it must be when night ends.”
    She laughs and fires off a text message. “If he answers he’s awake; if not he’s asleep.”
    “Wow, that’s a pretty scientific way of determining whether someone is awake or asleep.”
    She playfully taps my head. “I’m glad you haven’t lost your sarcasm.”
     
    Sometime in the early morning I decide Henry is a nice guy. I’m glad Skye was able to see past his pointy nose. I fall asleep to his guitar playing.
    When I open my eyes I see Skye across the room on the phone. I go from half asleep to fully aware in one second, springing off the couch and nearly tripping over Henry, who is asleep on the floor. She sees me coming and waves her hand at me, shaking her head. Then she mouths “Xander,” and I immediately turn back around and drop onto the couch. Hopefully she’s getting my grandparents’ info without too much trouble, and then he can completely rid his life of me.
    “No,” Skye says. “She’s asleep.”
    What time is it anyway? I reach down and twist the watch on Henry’s wrist so I can read it. Ten thirty in the morning. Wow. I got at least five hours of sleep. Then how come it still feels like someone bashed my face in with a bat? And why isn’t Skye off the phone yet? How long does it take to write down a phone number and address?
    “Xander, please,” I hear her say. She’s too nice. I would’ve had the number by now. Maybe I should call the hospital while I’m waiting. I look for the phone but then realize Skye’s on it. Why didn’t she use her cell? What if the hospital is trying to call right now? My anger toward Xander is coming back full force.
    “No,” Skye says with a sigh that sounds too sweet. I’m about to stand up and take the phone from her when she says, “Thank you,” and writes something on the paper she’s holding. “Yes. Of course, I’ll let her know.” She hangs up the phone.
    “Let me know what?”
    “That he wanted to talk to you.”
    “Good to know. I don’t want to talk to him.”
    “I know.” She hands me the paper and then squats beside Henry, running a hand over his cheek. “Henry. Wake up.”
    I kick his leg and he jerks awake. “Sometimes you have to be a little more forceful, Skye.”
    She rolls her eyes but smiles. I say she should be more forceful, but I wouldn’t change her for the world.
     
    An hour later I’m standing in the hospital lobby waiting for someone to help me. Nobody had called, but after Skye had to leave for work and I called my mom’s parents and filled them in, I couldn’t wait around any longer. Finally the receptionist hangs up the phone and says, “She’s in room three oh five. Take the elevator to the third floor and someone will buzz you into the wing from there, okay?”
    “Thanks.”
    I’m anxious. I just want to see my mom. If I see her, I know I’ll feel better. Most of my anger has changed to worry, but the anger still lingers there and I want it to leave. The moment I’m in her room and see her face, pale but peaceful, I breathe a sigh of relief. I pull a chair to her bedside and force myself to take her hand. “Hey, Mom,” I whisper. She doesn’t stir.
    I don’t know how long I sit there holding her hand (An hour? Two?), but eventually the doctor comes in and gestures for me to step into the hall.
    “Sorry I couldn’t let you see her last night, but we had her downstairs and it’s a lot harder to have visitors in those rooms because they’re shared. But we had her moved up here late last night.”
    “So what’s going on?”
    “We’re still waiting on a few more tests. Has your mom been tired a lot lately?”
    “Yes.”
    He nods as if he suspected as much. “I have a hunch as to what’s going on, but what we’re going to do is thread a camera into her stomach so we can take a look around. The ultrasound didn’t show me much, and I’d like a closer look.”
    “Okay. Is that dangerous?”
    “No. It’s a common procedure with minimal risk that will hopefully give us some definitive answers.”
    “Does she know?”
    “She hasn’t woken up yet.” I must’ve gotten a scared look on my face because he adds, “Which is no cause for alarm. We gave her something to help her sleep that should be wearing off pretty soon. Then we’ll talk with her and you can talk with her, and if she agrees to it we’ll plan on the procedure for first thing in the morning.”
    “Can I stay here now?”
    “Of course. Like I