UNEDITED
Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.
Those are the words that Justin McCallister has been repeating in his mind since the day he was diagnosed with a non-cancerous brain tumour that's been causing partial...
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Adelaide
It takes Justin many convincing arguments, but I eventually agree that it's best for me to go out and explore Downtown Vancouver instead of wait for him to get an MRI and some other tests done.
So, instead of breathing in antiseptic air, I spend the day out shopping with my mom and breathing in the city air that has a hint of ocean to it. We go all over the place - Roots, Victoria's Secret, Indigo, and a whole bunch of other stores. And, because my brothers are going to be a year older in March, I go to Sportchek and buy them each a new pair of runners for training. They're expensive, but I know they're good quality and will last a long time. I also know that my brothers will use them until the soles of the shoes are as thin as paper.
"Do you think Jake and Alex will like them?" I ask Mom as we walk the busy streets back to our hotel. It's almost five o'clock now. It saddens me that Justin didn't get to walk around the city like this before surgery, but there are tests that need to be done to make sure everything's prepared properly for tomorrow; he was only supposed to have a final MRI and some bloodwork done today, but more tests were added last-minute.
Though I miss Justin, I'm glad I got to spend some more time with Mom. We're always so busy with school, work, and sports that we don't ever really get to hang out like this.
Mom nods. "I think they'll love them, Addie. I can't recall a single year when they haven't liked what you've bought them."
I smile. She's right - every year, I've been stellar at picking out gifts for my brothers for their birthdays and Christmas. It's one thing I don't mind bragging about.
As we cross the busy streets of Vancouver, I glance up at the sky. Today's been surprisingly beautiful and mild for February; it's sunny, gulls are chirping, and the breeze that had an icy chill to it yesterday is nowhere to be felt. And the nice weather only adds to the wow-factor that Vancouver holds. Kelowna looks nothing like a city when compared to Vancouver; the buildings are taller, the roads are busier, and the stores that line the downtown area go from high and luxurious to the most basic.
"How are you feeling about tomorrow?" Mom asks me as we take a corner, passing some busy pub and then multiple stores.
How am I feeling about tomorrow? Nervous, scared, anxious, but also a little excited. I sound crazy saying that, but there's the possibility that this surgery could be just what Justin needs to get his life back. "Hopeful," I eventually say. "I really think this is going to work for him. First of all, he deserves a life he has control of. Secondly, the doctors messed up the first time, so I think they're going to do whatever they can to make things right."
Mom nods, contemplating my words. "Well, I hope so, too," she says. "For both Helene and Justin."
I gnaw on my bottom lip. I never really thought about that; how Justin having epilepsy would affect Helene. I glance at Mom. I know for a fact that if I were in Justin's shoes, Mom would be trying to help me as much as possible. But that's the thing - there's nothing anyone can do when you have epilepsy. Especially if it's uncontrollable like Justin's or you don't know the cause.
