Adopted

Chapter 73

The next couple of days dragged. And I dragged myself through them. I couldn't shake the fatigue, no matter how much sleep I got. Luckily, in PE we weren't really doing anything. We'd just finished a soccer unit and there was no point in starting a new unit right before break. So we could do whatever we wanted. Some girls played some basketball. Most of us just sat around talking.

"Jess, are you okay?" Paige asked, scrutinizing me.

"Yeah," I coughed. "I've just been really tired. I think it's from being excited to go see PopPop and Granny and meet my aunts and uncles and cousins.  I haven't been sleeping great."

Which was a bit of a lie because all I did after school was sleep.

"When do you leave for Vegas?" Paige asked.

"Right after school," I said.

"Exciting!  Say hi to your grandparents for me," she said.

"I will. They ask me about you guys every time I talk to them," I smiled.

Finally, we were sent to the change room and it was time to go.

"Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving break," Ms Abigail said as we left the school. Mom and Dad were already in the carpool line so I dragged myself to the car and got in.

"You okay, kiddo?" Dad said, looking at me worriedly.

"Yeah," I coughed. "Long day."

"Yeah. Last day before break always is," he said.

"You're sure you're okay, sweetie?" Mom said, reaching back and feeling my forehead.

"Yeah. I'm sure," I said, leaning back against the door.

I dozed off on the way to the airport.

"Wake up sleepyhead," Dad said.

We got out of the car and grabbed a luggage cart and tossed our luggage on it.  I followed my parents into the airport. There was press all over. LAX is a popular hub for celebrities to fly out of and so with the holiday, they wanted to catch whichever celebrities they could. I slipped my hand into Mom's. She pulled me closer to her and put her arm around me. I didn't want the press to see us. I didn't want them to ask about the civil case my parents launched against Eric's family. They'd lost. And Jacob wound up switching schools because his parents didn't want him around me.

Some reporters noticed us and came running over. Mom tightened her arm around me and Dad moved closer and in front of me. I tried to ignore the questions but I'm not deaf.   In fact, my hearing seemed to be extra good. The noises around me were just too loud. I put my headphones in just to block some of the sound.

Dad managed to navigate us to the first class lounge for our airline and the press couldn't follow us in there. He got us checked in and got our boarding passes and we sat down and waited for our flight to be called. I leaned on Mom. I saw her look up and Dad, and Dad was sort of scrutinizing me.

Our flight was called and we got in line to board.

"You sure you're okay?" Dad said.

"Yeah," I said.

We got to our seats. I was sitting between Mom and Dad.  We listened to the safety talk, then we were taxiing and up in the air. Where I promptly fell asleep again.

"I'm worried," I heard Mom whisper to Dad. "All she's done for the last two days is sleep when she's not at school. And her cough sounds worse."

"We'll keep a close eye on her. She might just be nervous about meeting my sisters and not sleeping well at night,"

"I hope so. But her cough?"

"It's winter, basically. She said her cough gets worse in the winter. The dry air in Vegas will help," Dad said.

I didn't hear anything after that, but I did feel Mom check my forehead and put her arm around me.

They woke me up as we were descending into the airport in Vegas.

We got our luggage and went to pick up our rental car.

Once we got organized, we were off to PopPop and Granny's house.

When we pulled into their driveway, I saw a couple of other cars there. I knew their car because the last time they'd been in LA, they'd driven up.

"Ready to meet your aunts and uncles?" Dad asked. I shrugged.

"Do they know?"

"About what? Your diagnosis?  Of course. And they're excited to meet you," he said.

I followed Mom into the house, hefting my backpack, while Dad took out the luggage.

"Hello?" Mom said, as she opened the unlocked front door.

"They're here!!" I heard Granny call out. "Boyd!! They're here!!"

"Hi, Granny," I said as she came into the entryway and smothered me in a tight hug.

"Don't smother the girl, Grace. Leave some for me!" PopPop said, pulling me to him and wrapping me in his trademark bear hug.

"You are too skinny," Granny said, taking my arm. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," I said. "I've just been really tired."

"We'll, come meet your aunts and uncles, and then I'll show you your room and you can take a nap, okay?"

I nodded.

In the kitchen were two women and men and a baby girl.

I was introduced to my aunts Kyla and Kara and their husbands and my baby cousin Kennedy.  I got to hold her and she was absolutely adorable. She cooed while I held her.

"She likes you," Kyla said. I smiled.

We talked for a little while, then Kennedy got too heavy for me, so I handed her back to her mom. Granny took me on a tour of the house and showed me my room. 

"We're having dinner in about an hour. Have a lie down and we'll come get you, okay?"

I nodded and laid down on the bed.

When I woke up, the sun was streaming in my window. It had been getting dark when I laid down. 

I got up, found my meds and made my way to the bathroom.   I went to the washroom, took my meds and brushed my teeth. It was so quiet in the house. I looked at my watch and saw it was 8:00. In the morning?

I went downstairs to see if there was anyone awake.

PopPop was sitting in the kitchen reading a newspaper and drinking orange juice.

"There's my girl!" He said, folding the paper and putting it on the table. "You must have been exhausted. We couldn't wake you up for dinner  you slept right through."

"I guess so," I said.

"Are you hungry? I can make toast, pancakes, Eggo waffles or eggs. And only fried or scrambled,"

"Toast is fine, thanks," I said. PopPop poured me some juice, sat me at the table and put some bread in the toaster. He put butter, peanut butter and jam on the table then gave me a kiss on the head.

"I've missed you kiddo. FaceTime isn't enough. I love that you're here for Thanksgiving," he smiled.

"I've missed you, too, PopPop," I said.

"PopPop?" A voice said. "You must really be liked if Dad has you calling him PopPop."

Kyla came into the kitchen and poured herself some juice and took a banana off the table.

"How are you, Jessica?  You slept through dinner last night," she asked.

"I'm okay, thanks," I said.