Adopted

Chapter 78

Jessica's POV

I was confused when I woke up. I'd gone to bed at Granny and PopPop's, and I remembered feeling sick and throwing up. But after that is a muddled mess. I didn't remember going to the hospital. And I certainly didn't remember getting back to LA.

When I woke up and saw Dad sitting beside me, and then he told me we were back in LA, I was upset. I'd ruined Thanksgiving. My first with a family, really. Dad assured me I hadn't ruined anything. I was still tired so after Uncle Pete said hi, I went to sleep.

I woke up a while later and Uncle Pete was still visiting and sat and talked to me, telling me about his Thanksgiving.  Me and Pete and Dad just sat around talking.  A lunch was delivered to me, and I ate some of it. I was hungry for once.

While I was eating, I heard a knock on the door and Dad looked up from his phone. Mom walked in.

"You're awake!" She exclaimed with a smile on her face.

"No. This is a figment of your imagination," I said.

"Brat," she smiled and came over and gave me a big hug. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Okay. Better. Hungry," I said.

"Wow. Such sentence structure," she laughed.

"Hey there, Kiddo," another voice said coming in the room Zack and Kala came in after Mom.

"Hi," I waved.

"So Vegas was that bad, huh?" Zack asked, giving me a fist bump.

"The worst," I said.

Zack laughed. Kala gave me a hug.

"Mom?" I asked.

"Yep?" She replied.

"Are Granny and PopPop mad at me?" I asked quietly.

"Of course not!" She said.  "Why would you think they'd be mad at you?"

"Because I ruined Thanksgiving weekend. We were supposed to visit the whole weekend."

"Sweetheart, we didn't know you were getting so sick. Did you know you were getting sick?"

"No. I just thought I was tired. Until we got to Vegas and even walking was hard."

"Well, why would Granny and PopPop be mad at you for something you couldn't control?"

I shrugged.

"They love you very much. And so do your aunts and uncles and your cousins, all of whom drew you a bunch of pictures when they woke up and found out you were in the hospital. Well, Kennedy didn't. But you'll have to forgive her. She tried eating the crayons."

"Unacceptable," Dad said. "She is no longer my favourite niece."

I laughed, which set off a bit of coughing, but didn't feel quite as bad as before. But my side hurt. I felt it and found a big bandage.

"What happened?" I winced.

"They had to put in a chest tube in Vegas," Dad said. You had fluid all around your lungs and your lungs were so congested, you needed the fluid drawn away because you couldn't breathe. You were intubated until just before you first woke up here."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yep. When you get sick, you do it right," Dad smirked.

"Can I call PopPop? And Granny?"

"Sure honey. They should be home," Mom said.

Dad pulled their number up and we went to FaceTime.

"Hey Dad. Is  Mom there too?" Dad said.

"Sure is," PopPop. "What's up?"

"I'm here Brendon. What's wrong?" Granny said getting into the frame.

"Nothing's wrong. Just have someone here who wants to say hello," Dad said, and brought the phone over and lay down beside me so I could see the screen.

"Hi PopPop. Hi Granny. Sorry I ruined Thanksgiving," I said.

"Would you stop saying that?" Dad said. "You didn't ruin anything!"

"You didn't ruin Thanksgiving, angel," PopPop said. "If anything you made it a bit more exciting."

He laughed and Granny smacked him in the arm.

"How are you feeling sweet girl?" Granny asked.

"Better, thank you. Can you tell the cousins thank you for all their drawings?"

"Of course sweetheart. Now, you get rested up and we'll call on Friday like always."

"And don't you forget to read a newspaper," PopPop said. "We can discuss it in the next couple of days."

"You bet, PopPop," I smiled.

"And stop saying you ruined Thanksgiving. You did not. We love you and we were happy to have you here. Maybe your dad's schedule will allow for you all to come at Christmas?" Granny said hopefully.

"I'll be back on tour," Dad said.

"What about Sarah and Jess?"

"I was kind of hoping they'd fly out and meet up with us. It's our first Christmas as a family," Dad said. I tried to remember where he was supposed to be touring in the winter. Europe! I've never been, obviously.

"Well, we'll figure something out," Granny said. "Maybe we'll come up to LA for a late Christmas with Jess and Sarah when Jess is back in school in January?"

"A distinct possibility," Mom said, smiling.

We talked for a few more minutes and then they had to go.

Uncle Pete left a little later and Zack and Kala took Mom home to drop off our luggage and get our car.

Doc made me stay in the hospital until Wednesday morning and said to stay home from school until Monday and see how I felt. Mom and Dad had spoken to my teachers and they'd sent some work for me to do. Paige and Astrid visited on Tuesday after school and Joshua and Kevin joined them at our house on Friday after school. We were having a goodbye party because Dad and the band were heading out on tour on Sunday and were flying to Finland.

Mom made sure I was resting enough, and even though I was never one to intentionally skip my meds, Mom made sure I was taking them. 

My friends went home around 9 and Mom made me go to bed. Saturday was going to be just the family hanging out before the band and crew left on Sunday morning. I didn't want to go to bed so early, but Mom insisted and Dad reminded me that I had literally just gotten out of the hospital. I grumbled, but I went to bed. 

Dad woke me up Saturday morning by dropping Bogart on me. 

"What the!" I exclaimed. 

"Good morning, girl-child. Bogart and I are tired of waiting for you to wake up."

I squinted at my clock. 8 am.

"You are aware that teenagers require up to 12 to 14 hours of sleep," I grumbled into my pillow. 

"You can sleep in tomorrow," he whined. "Come on. I want to go out for breakfast and I want my favourite kid with me!"

"I thought Knox and Amelie were your favourite kids," I snarked. 

"Touche. But I was kidding. And you know that. So, come on. Get up, get dressed. I want to go out for pancakes and waffles."

I groaned and rolled over, and rolled out of bed. 

"Okay, okay, but get out of my room. I have to get changed."

"Don't forget your meds," he sang as he left my room.