A New Cullen Sister

Chapter 16

"Goodbye Mia, we are going to miss you so much," said Samantha as she hugged the sick teen. It was change of shift, and Samantha, along with the other night staff nurses, were heading home. Amelia had slept soundly the night before in spite of her excitement at finally leaving hospital. Soundly, as in you could have ripped a chainsaw to life in her room and she wouldn't have stirred.

"I'll miss you too, Sammy. Please keep in touch," responded Amelia, hugging her back with equal force.

"Don't worry, kiddo, you aren't rid of me just yet. We have forever after all." The last part was whispered. Amelia grinned happily.

Carlisle and Esme arrived just as the day staff took over and they too had a small celebration with Amelia. She was considerably less tearful, but emotions were running high all round. At 9.45am, Esme helped Amelia get dressed into some outdoor clothes.

"No more hospital gowns for you, Mia," announced Dr Anderson as she walked into the room at 10am carrying two files.

"Yay!" Amelia and Esme cheered. It was difficult to decipher whom of the two were more excited to be leaving – Amelia, because she was finally leaving the hospital after four and a half long months and was going home to a family at last, or Esme, because her newest daughter was one step closer to living with them. Carlisle smiled at his two girls, happy because the love of his life was happy.

"Smile!" called Esme, snapping away photographs of her daughter and the woman responsible for keeping her daughter alive for the duration of her hospitalisation. Both obligingly smiled.

"It was an honour getting to know you, Mia," began Dr Anderson, "I wish you only the best for your future. Please do keep in touch. I believe you're starting school again on Monday?"

"That's the plan at the moment. We'll see how it goes. I'd like to get as far as I can. Thank you for everything, Dr A. These last few months were as good as they could be, all factors considered," Amelia replied.

"Are you excited to be going back?"

"Mixed feelings. I'm worried that I won't be able to keep up with everyone else."

"There's a doctor's letter in your file," Dr Anderson handed one of the files over to Carlisle, "excusing you from gym class for the rest of your schooling. I've already spoken to the school administration and explained, but you will need to hand it in anyway so that it goes on record."

"You duplicated my file?" queried Amelia in amusement.

"I kid you not, it felt like it took half a century to copy. I had my son do it, it kept him out of trouble for a few hours, though I could have cheerfully murdered him with his whining while he was doing it. He's like an old woman, I swear."

"Please thank Michael for me," said Amelia, laughing.

"Thank you for this," said Carlisle sincerely.

"You're welcome, Dr Cullen. So Mia, what do you say we get you out of here?"

---

The Cullen trio left the hospital. Had she been able to, Amelia would have surely skipped to the exit. At human speed, it took a while to get Amelia settled into the car, but soon enough they were on their way.

"What do you want for lunch?" asked Esme, after hearing her daughter's stomach grumble.

"Anything that is not hospital food. Preferably something greasy. The more carbs and fat, the better. I'd like something as artery-clogging as possible, please."