Kylie Griffith felt completely horrible. Just another one of her sleepless nights. It was not that she wasn't tired, she was dead exhausted, but it was the pain that was ailing her. She felt as though there was an invisible dagger, stabbing her in the stomach. To top that all off, she was experiencing social problems of her own. 'Could life get any worse?' she asked herself. Contemplation of suicide crept into her mind, but they were quickly dissolved as she knew it would thoroughly upset her already disturbed parents. In the background, she could hear her mother screaming and even swearing at her father who was also shouting. What she thought to be a plate, crashed destructively onto the floor. Kylie groaned, her eyes grew a little moist. She turned over and put her pillow over her head, to block the noise out which just wouldn't go away. It made her already throbbing head grow worse, like a herd of buffalo were stampeding across her head. She closed her eyes, and wished she could just go to sleep.
Since the fights began, Kylie's life slowly drifted into oblivion. Her usual straight A grades were down to barely Cs. She couldn't concentrate, with both the pain and the fighting. Her teachers were concerned, but could never get a hold of both parents. Her so-called friends started to desert her. Her position as captain on the soccer team was forfeited and she even drastically quit the team that she was not so long ago, the star player of. To top that all off, her steady boyfriend had cheated on her. He saw her watching, but didn't even bother to explain, or even move someplace else. Kylie's life was torn to shreds.
That morning, everything was just too much for Kylie to bare. While trudging her way down the stairs, she collapsed with a thud and rolled a few steps onto her living room carpet. She couldn't remember anything after that. Her mind switched to black.
"I really do absolutely have to get a job?" whined Lee Barrett to her middle aged father. She wasn't too keen on this prospect as she had her first year of college to get through. This girl was having more superficial problems.
“Its time you started learning some responsibility young lady. You’re already 21, actually, you're not a young lady anymore, you already are officially a lady. Anyway, money is getting tight, you'll be able to keep your pay as allowance. You know nothings been the same since your mother… “ His voice trailed off into dead silence.
Lee's mother just packed up and left her family 3 short months ago, leaving Lee and her 4 year old brother with their father who was a nervous wreck.
"Its ok ,Dad." Lee reassured her father, she understood how he felt and gave him a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. She thought, it was mom who abandoned us, dad shouldn't be the one to suffer.
The 5 Backstreet Boys were sitting around in an unusually large hospital room that vaguely resembled a hotel suite. Nick and Kevin sat on the foot of Brian's bed, while Howie and AJ were sitting on chairs.
"Its gonna be damn weird without you for a few whole months." Said Nick, kinda sad to be losing his best friend for a while.
"Awww, you're just pissed cuz you have to room with Kev now." Smiled Brian, sorta happy to have friends who would miss him.
"Just don't do anything I wouldn't do cuz." Said Kevin.
"Does that include having fun, old man?" asked Brian playfully. Kevin reacted by giving Brian a playful smack on the head. "Kidding, kidding, is that anyway to treat an invalid? But you guys will be here for the operation right?" asked Brian, a little unsure and nervous about it.
"And I thought you'd be happy to get rid of us." joked AJ.
"Now just who's gonna make us crack up everyday?" asked Howie.
"Don't worry Frick, we wouldn't miss it for the world." Reassured Nick, he wasn't really much of his own playful self at this moment.
Kylie slowly lifted her eyelids. For a few seconds, her vision was blurry. A faint buzzing of a machine could be heard in the background. Her nose picked up a strange antiseptic, disinfected smell which could only mean one thing. She was in the hospital. The scene in front of her eyes was bright, and as her vision focused, she noticed that her family was crowding around her bed, plus someone she didn't know. It was the first time that her parents were within eyesight of each other and weren't shouting or glaring angrily at each other.
"Honey, are you ok?" asked Mrs. Griffith.
“No, I'm not, why the hell else would I be here” thought Kylie bitterly. She merely nodded a little. She was a little refreshed but still tired.
"You've been unconscious for almost 2 days now. We've been so worried about you. Explained her sister," Stephanie in concern.
"Honey, why didn't you tell us?" asked Mr. Preston.
"You guys have enough problems to sort out." Whispered Kylie, just enough for them to barely hear her. Her parents eyed each other guiltily.
"You know that no matter what, you can always tell us anything." Encouraged Mrs. Preston as she stroked her daughters soft chestnut hair.
"Ok folks. Kylie, I'm Dr. Matthews and you have severe appendicitis. In other words, your appendix has been infected and we are probably going to have to operate. But since its not fatal or anything, well just keep you on antibiotics for a week or 2 to see if anything improves." Reported the middle-aged ladies in a spotless white labcoat who seemed nice, but a little overworked.
"So when can she be discharged?" asked Kylie's mother.
"If the appendicitis clears up, then maybe in 2 weeks, but if the operation takes place, maybe 3 weeks to a month. We also found out that Kylie's suffering from quite a severe stomach ulcer, caused by stress.
"Kylie, do you often get really bad headaches?" asked Dr. Matthews directly. She had a lot of work to do that morning, she didn't really want to waste her time.
"Sort of." Mumbled Kylie truthfully.
"Ah-ha, migraines on top of that. I sense some family problems, but I wont be nosy but Kylie, I do suggest you take it easy and try to forget or solve what's worrying you. Take up a hobby or something to keep your mind off it." Said Dr. Matthews. Mr and Mrs. Preston glanced at each other worriedly and guiltily.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "So, Adam, I need to get a job, whaddya suggest?" asked Lee to her 4 year old brother who was contentedly sitting on the beige colored carpet of their living room.
She stretched out her arm as she plonked herself down on the old but comfy couch to ruffle up his light brown hair. Adam simply looked at her, and returned to his blocks. He seemed to be aiming to build the highest tower. Adam ignored his older sister and added a blue, wooden block to the top of his structure.
Well, thought Lee, at least he has some sort of goal. Both Lee and her father were growing increasingly worried about Adam whom, at 4, hardly spoke a word. It was even worse since his mother left, had hardly spoken 3 words in 3 months. They'd gotten used to Adam's silence, and decided to give him a little more time. His life was so simple. She envied Lee, all he had to worry about at this very moment was his blocks, not moving to a completely new place, leaving behind boyfriends, college, friends, family. Her father had insisted on what was left of their family to move from Cincinnati to the sunny state of Florida for a fresh new start. But that meant leaving everything Lee had known and loved behind, just like her mother did when she left them. But then again, maybe mom never loved us thought Lee. A burning hatred and resentment of her mother had brewed inside of her.
Lee curled her legs up onto the couch and grabbed the newspaper and red marker from the coffee table. Flipping through the newspaper pages brimming full of information, she finally got to the classifieds section. After 10 minutes of completely scanning though the available jobs, she narrowed them down to a select few, which she circled with her thick red marker.
K-Mart was looking for a cashier. Yeah, if I want to meet housewives. Punching buttons is not exactly my idea of a mentally stimulating or challenging experience. Plus its only at really odd hours. Lee dismissed that job, for now anyway.
Sales assistant at a pet shop. Oh yeah, if I want to stink like animal crap the whole day. Lee was actually pretty good with animals on the whole, but she already had a pretty bad mental picture of this job.
Burger Flipper at Burger King. Great way to make new friends, with the dorky uniform and slaving over a hot stove.
Candy Striper at Florida General Hospital. Hmmm, maybe, you do get to meet loads of people, plus help others. It definitely will go down well at the college.
Thanks Adam, you've been a great help. She kissed her brother on his forehead and once again ruffled up his soft, brown hair. Adam gave her a confused look as if his sister had just been abducted by aliens, but then dismissed it and returned his attention to his multi-coloured blocks which was now almost a tower, reaching his sitting height.