Chapter 34
It wasn’t until 2 the next day that Hannah’s mom was finally fully conscious and ready for a walk around the hospital. Step by step Hannah pushed the creaking wheelchair down the bland corridor. Her mother staring straight ahead, mute. “Mom, would you like to go outside and sit under the sun? It’s a beautiful day out,” she suggested.
“Whatever you want dear.”
Shrugging her shoulders Hannah made her way outside and found an empty spot near the garden. “So, mom what do you want to talk about?”
Her mom turned to face her, “I don’t know Hannah, anything’s fine with me.”
“OK,” she looked down, “You know I’m really trying here mom. I know things are hard right now and really different between us, but your submissive responses aren’t helping. Can’t you at least make a little effort here? I sure am!”
Taken back by her daughter’s audacity all she could do was agree, “Yes dear. Umm, why don’t you tell me about…what you did since we last saw each other?”
“Well, actually I had a great time,” she smiled with a sense of relief. “I stayed at Nick’s for a couple days before we met up with a group of his friends down in the Bahamas. We were there for a little over two weeks, actually the night we came back was the night of your accident,” she mumbled, “But it was a lot of fun. His friends were a blast.”
Her mother just sat there nodding her head, “And this, Nick…the two of you are—“
“Dating, yes we’re dating,” Hannah admitted. “Actually no, we’re more than dating mom, we’re involved in a relationship,” she licked her lips, “and I’d be kidding myself if I didn’t say I was in love with him. Yes, I love him.”
Neither one knew exactly what to say so they just sat their, dwelling in their silence. Suddenly the pink flowers of the garden were extremely fascinating and Hannah dissected them piece by piece. Everyone else in the courtyard was engaged in conversation, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. Yet instead the Morgans sat next to each other, miles apart. ‘I’d imagined this would be hard,’ Hannah thought to herself, ‘but not this hard.’
Finally her mother saved her from the agony of endured silence. “Well, he seems like a nice young man. I’m happy for you.”
“Really?” Hannah beamed, tossing aside the shredded flower.
“Yes, really.”
“Oh mom, you don’t know how happy that makes me. I want nothing more than for you to be proud of me and be pleased with my choices. You know it was Nick that encouraged me to go to the house that night, he wants me and you to be close. I thought it wasn’t possible, I thought we had grown too far apart.”
“Aww Hannah, you know I would never stop loving you. You are my pride and my joy. I love you so much.”
“I love you too mom,” Hannah cried and reached to hug her, “I love you too.”
“It’s been too long since we’ve hugged, I’ve missed you so much Hannah.”
“I know, it’s like this big cloud has been lifted. It’s killed me not seeing your face everyday. We used to have so much fun. Remember our movie nights? We’d rent the cheesiest movies we could find, put each other’s hair up in the most outlandish hairdos, and practically paint our faces with makeup.”
Her mother almost died of laughter, “Yes! How could I forget? We looked like a couple of clowns.”
“And dad, he’d just roll his eyes at us and go upstairs.”
“Ah, yes, your father. He loved you so much.”
“He loved us both. He was the best man I’ll ever know.”
“Yes, that he was. And you, you remind me of him in so many ways.”
“I do?” she asked.
“Yes, you have that very same twinkle in your eye, his very smile, and a heart just as big as his. You know if he were still alive right here, right now, do you know what he’d say?”
“That I’ll always be his little shining star.”
“Yes, you were his shining star. He’d be so proud of you right now. You’re in love, going to college in the fall. You’ve come so far, and on your own. You’ve grown into such a remarkable woman Hannah.”
“You mean it?”
“Of course I mean it! Don’t you ever doubt yourself sweetheart. You’ve got your whole life before you, and you’re going to just grow and grow.”
“Thank you mom, that really means a lot to me. Hey, what do you say we go back to your room…do our hair all funky…and rub whatever makeup I can scrounge up all over our faces? And we can stop at the kids center a long the way and pick up some of those cartoons that we all love?” she gushed. “It’ll be just like old times.”
“Sounds like a plan! And you can tell me all about Nick.”
“Deal, let’s go.” Hannah sat up and the two made their way inside.
Chapter 35
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