We're Almost There

21. I'm Cool With That. I'm Cool In General.

Twenty One

Kenzie

It was the voices that woke her up.

Kenzie opened her eyes and blinked a few times to rid the blurry vision. She realized immediately that she was in a hospital room, and that it was her parents talking. Her mom had tears streaming from her eyes and her dad looked paler than a ghost.

A doctor was reading something to them as Kenzie say up. She remembered the party, and Tristan, and trying to get to Ally's grave. Kenzie always went there when she needed to be with someone she loved.

"...nothing major," the doctor was saying. She looked up. "Oh, she's already awake. I'll leave the three of you alone." She left and her parents just stood, staring at her.

"Look," she said, "I'm sorry. I know you have much better things to do than to be here and-"

She was cut off when her mom hugged her. "McKenzie," she sobbed. "I'm s-so sorry! I've been a t-terrible mother! It's just, ever since A-Adam ran away, I've been hurting so bad." She sniffled and pulled away slightly. "God," she muttered. "McKenzie, that's no excuse for my behaviour-"

"For our behaviour," her dad added. He seemed genuinely ashamed. "We should've payed attention. We can't apologize enough. When we were called, it was like our whole world was shaken to the core, noting could balance us anymore. We love you more than anything."

Her mom nodded, and gripped Kenzie's hand tight. "Please forgive us, sweetheart. We'll spend the rest of our lives trying to make it up to you."

"We promise," her dad said.

Kenzie was shocked. She never imagined Adam leaving had hurt them as much as it hurt her. They just took it differently. Handled it awfully. "I don't know what to say," she muttered. Kenzie still loved her parents, that never changed. She didn't realize that they loved her too. But they were too hurt, and too broken, to express it at all. They built walls around their hearts, the same thing Kenzie did.

"You don't have to say anything, kiddo," her dad assured her. Kenzie smiled at the old nickname. "Take your time."

For merely a moment, Kenzie didn't speak. She was desperately trying to find the right words to explain how she felt. "I love you guys too. And, I think I understand why you acted the way you did. I forgive you."

"Already?" Her mom whispered, a new stream of tears trickling down her cheeks. "We were so awful."

"I forgive you," Kenzie repeated, meaning it. "I do."

"Thank God," her dad muttered. "Thank God."

Kenzie started to tear up a little, so her mom hugged her again, this time, her dad joining.

"Wanna head home now, kiddo?" Her dad asked. "The doctor said it wasn't anything to worry about. But your friends did the right thing bringing you here."

"Who...? Wait how did you guys even know I was here?" Kenzie inquired.

"Mrs. Matthews called us. Sweet woman," her mom said.

Kyle's mom. "Is Kyle here?" She asked, both hope and butterflies filling her stomach.

"He his. Him and the blonde girl are waiting outside. Apparently they've been here for a few hours," Her dad told her.

"I wanna see them."

Her mom smiled. "Go right ahead."

Her parents left the room and Kenzie got dressed. She vaguely remembered getting a new shirt, and didn't remember at all if she bought it or not. Kenzie adjusted the v-neck so it went as high as possible without looking overly-stupid, and slid her glasses into her face.