the other side of us | ✓

1.10 | something to live for

The third Saturday of every month was the day that Tara went back to the hospital for testing.

The hospital was a three hour drive, so the three of them loaded into Gemma's minivan early that morning. Tara's eyes shut as soon as they got in the car and Mason slid behind the wheel.

Neither Gemma nor Mason enjoyed driving long distances, but his mother had just gotten off of a double shift, so Mason was more than happy to drive so that she could rest. Even so, Mason was more grateful than ever to reach the parking lot by the main entrance.

His mother hit the button to lower the ramp, and Mason carefully wheeled his sister out of the car and into the lobby.

The nurses greeted them politely and quickly pulled Tara away as Mason and his mother took a seat in the waiting room. Gemma glanced anxiously in the direction the nurse had wheeled Tara.

Mason rested his hand on his mother's arm reassuringly. "She's fine, mum."

Gemma took a breath. "I know."

Tara had been holding steady for a while now. There hadn't been any major improvements, but no new problems had come up, and that was a win where Mason was concerned.

When the doctor wheeled Tara out three hours later, the battery on Mason's phone was nearly dead. Tara smiled brightly as her family came into view.

"Doctor McCall says I did a good job." She proclaimed proudly. Mason ruffled her hair.

"Yeah? That mean you're gonna have a party next week to celebrate?"

Tara grinned. "I'm mum says I can."

Mason saw his mother out of the corner of his eye edging away to talk to the doctor who didn't look as optimistic as his sister did. He kept Tara talking, hoping that she wouldn't notice.

*

Gemma sat down with Mason that evening, after Tara had been put to bed. She explained that the doctors hadn't made any process with her movement, and that they were losing hope that Tara would ever be able to walk.

Mason listened to his mother speak through the dull ringing that had started in his ears.

"Mason! I wanna go get ice cream!"

When her accident had first happened, the doctors had been optimistic. But now they were saying she'd never walk?

His little sister would never walk again, and it was all his fault.

***

Charlotte hated romance movies. Yet she had allowed herself to be dragged to yet another movie that Max had taken the liberty of choosing.

"It's not even that mushy," Devin whispered from her left.

"Grow up," Ash taunted.

"I wanted to watch the new Mission Impossible. But no. We just had to watch something with the kissing couple on the cover."

"It was Max's night. You know the drill."

"Feels like every night is Max's night," Charlotte mumbled.

"Hey!" Max shouted from the couch. "I have great selections!"

Even Ash had to roll her eyes at that one. "C'mon, Max. We all know that you pick these movies because it's fun to watch Charlie squirm."

It was true. Max's favorite genre was horror, and that wasn't a secret. And yet, every single movie night he picked romance titles. Without fail. Every. Single. Time.