Would Anyone Care?

Twenty

I sit in the car impatiently, waiting for dad, while he is faffing about inside. I have been impatient ever since he told me the hospital called this morning to inform him mum was being allowed home this afternoon. I reach over and press the horn again, this time letting it sound for a second or two.
"Alright, alright I'm coming" I hear him shout as he rushes out the door with a bag. He chucks the bag on the back seat of the car as he gets in. He gives me a a smile as he starts the car.
"You sure you wanna go get her? I mean it has been peaceful without her hasnt it?" He jokes.
"I'm gonna tell her you said that" I say
"No you won't, otherwise it will be me you're coming to visit next week." I laugh as we pull out of the driveway, my tummy has butterflies the whole way there. When we get up to the ward mum is already dressed and sitting on her bed.
"Hey you two" she greets us with a big smile as dad gives her a kiss.
"Are you ready?" I ask her.
"I am but I am still waiting for the doctor sweetheart, he still needs to see me and give me my prescriptions, so might be little while yet."
I slump into the arm chair by her bed and sigh.
"I told you, you should of waited at home" dad says with a snigger.
"Nah, I'm good" I say with a smile.
"If I stayed at home with nana I'd have put on three stone by the time you got back" they both laugh.
"She trying to feed you up already?" Mum chuckles.
"What do you mean already? She has barely stopped since she got here" I say laughing.
"That's my mum for ya" mum says with a smile.

An hour and half later and mum finally has all her instructions from the doctor and her medicines and return appointment and we are in the car heading home. As I sit in the back I just keep staring at my mum. I can't believe how lucky I am to have her coming home, I make a promise to myself that I am going to let her know that at every single opportunity. When we get home we settle mum down into the living room because the short journey from the hospital has already taken its toll and I leave her with nan and grandad for a while so they can have some time to themselves. I decide I am going to cook us all dinner and go into the kitchen to decide what to cook. I see a pack of chicken breasts in the fridge, so I decide to do lemon chicken with pasta. I know its tasty, plus it is pretty healthy. But we need some lemons and I need fresh eggs for the pasta. So I go see dad and tell him I need some money and what it's  for, he hands me his card. "Do you want me to come with you?" He asks
"Nah, I am fine we have most of the ingredients to be honest so haven't got to get a lot." I say as I put my coat on.
"You sure?" He says.
"Yeah honestly, be good to have a walk anyway stretch my legs" I tell him as I grab my keys and walk out the door.

Half hour later and I am paying for the shopping and heading out of the shop, I am oblivious to everything going on around me as I start to walk home. It has been such a long time since I have been this relaxed, and it is only now I can feel just how tense I have been with everything going on. My whole body somehow feels looser, moving more freely. As I cross the road I see the bakers, and decide to get some cakes too, I know dad won't mind, he loves a cake and will be nice way to celebrate mum being home. I walk into the bakers and immediately spot some red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting on top. Mum and dad's wedding cake was red velvet so I know they will love those. I buy five of them and I also buy a crusty loaf so I can make my own garlic bread to go with dinner. I put the bread in the shopping bag I already have but I keep the box of cup cakes in my other hand, so I can keep them upright and not spoil them.

Walking home I realise I have started heading towards the cemetery without even thinking about it, and I momentarily pause. Shall I turn around? No! I force myself onwards, thinking I am being ridiculous, I have walked that way hundreds of times and the only time I have seen Adam there was the one time he was waiting for me. Truth is if I turn around now it will take me more than double to walk all the way round the high street, and I am probably more likely to see Adam that way too. I have to get home to get cracking on dinner. So onwards I go. My heart racing but I am also feeling proud and liberated, in some strange way this is a huge step in the right direction for me. Proving to myself that I will not allow myself to be downtrodden. I have to learn from mum. I have to show more inner strength, show that I can be a fighter as much as she can. Take inspiration from her, live my life in a way that will make her proud!