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...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Adelaide
I can remember the day I learned how to ride a dirt bike. I was terrified. The thing looked like a mechanical monster that would tumble over if you didn't use it correctly. Mom and Dad told me that everything would be okay, that I probably would fall but it didn't mean I shouldn't get back up again.
That day, I fell many, many times, continuously losing my balance and taking corners too sharply. I scuffed up my elbows and bruised my kneecaps. It was one of the hardest things I learned how to do, but once I got the hang of it, the dirt bike turned into something else instead of a monster. It became something I love to do, a way to forget about everything that's happening and simply focus on the terrain of the trail ahead of me. It was fun and exhilarating, and also challenging at the same time.
So as Helene opens the door and invites me and Dad inside, I tell myself that this moment is going to be exactly like learning how to ride a dirt bike. It's going to be hard and scary, but I'll eventually get the hang of it.
That is, if Justin wants to talk to me.
"Addie," Helen says, pulling me into a hug. "It's so good to see you." She then gives Dad a hug and asks where Mom is.
"Mira had to go to my sister's place to pick up Jake – he caught the flu."
"Oh, the poor kid," Helene says, shaking her head. "Must be the same flu that Chris had a week before Christmas. It shouldn't last too long."
While Dad and Helene make conversation, I remove my shoes and take in the house. The homey Christmas decorations are down now, but the house still seems to have some holiday spirit to it. It smells wonderful, too – like homemade cookies and spiced cranberry.
"Hey, Addie," Chris calls from the couch. He's watching some TV show on Netflix. It's one the boys like to watch, too. I just can't remember the name.
"Hi, Chris," I reply.
Since our first meeting, things have gotten better between us. Not that they were bad to begin with. They're just not as awkward. I think Chris kind of likes me, actually. Multiple times when I came over to help Justin with his Chem homework and we sat at the kitchen table, Chris would join us. We got to know each other a little better.
"Justin is upstairs if you're looking for him."
Behind me, the parents stop talking and I glance over my shoulder. There are solemn looks on their faces. While I'm very much aware that our parents know about the situation, I didn't ever stop to think if they'd been talking to each other over the holidays. I squint at Dad and he shrugs.
And just by that, my suspicions are confirmed. The three of them have been talking, maybe even acting as spies for each other. I just don't know how much they've said.
"Can I go upstairs?" I ask.
Dad nods.
Helene softly says, "Of course." And then she adds, "Why don't you take some hot chocolate upstairs with you?"
