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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Justin
I try not to think about what happened last time I wore this suit. Hopefully it's not going to symbolize bad luck for me. The last thing Addie needs is to deal with another tonic-clonic seizure. Sure, she knows how to properly handle them now, but it's still stressful for her. I can't imagine how long the seconds that pass by feel.
My mom and Addie's mom drop us off at some restaurant on Burrard Street in Downtown Vancouver, telling us to call when we're finished. I don't know where our moms and Chris are going, but it must be somewhere good because the kid is practically bouncing in his seat as Addie and I step out.
"Don't forget to take some pictures!" Addie's mom calls through the open window.
Addie grips my arm and tugs me along the sidewalk, her cheeks turning pink. "Keep your head down and walk. You do that, and she'll forget about us; stop nagging us about pictures."
I stumble a little trying to keep up with her, but it makes me laugh. Addie's hilarious when she's flustered.
From outside, the restaurant looks like a typical Vancouver building, city-ish and polished with the slight weathering from the amount of rain that falls annually. But on the inside, it's extravagant. Chandeliers hang lowly from the ceiling, casting a dim light over the tables that have been covered with white tablecloths. Each pillar that rises to the ceiling is wrapped in twinkly white lights. Plants have been added to black-coloured pots, giving the place a pop of colour with various types of bushes, roses, and ferns. The floor is worn, which is seemingly out of place for something that resembles fine-dining, but I like it. I think it adds a bit of a contemporary touch. In the background, soft music that thankfully isn't jazz plays.
I come to the conclusion that this is one of those places where I'm not going to know what a single thing on the menu is and I'm going to be baffled by the prices.
I glance at Addie. Her own blue eyes are wide as she takes in the view. I take that as my chance to check her out. She's tied her hair up into an elegant bun, giving me a full-on view of her swanlike neck and defined collarbone. There's a light dusting of blush on her cheeks, but nothing else; her makeup is simple and real. She's also wearing the dress that was meant for the Winter Formal we never went to. Just like last time I saw her wearing it, I can't even begin to describe how good it looks on her.
"This is beautiful," she says softly.
"You sure are," I say.
Addie blinks and looks at me. "What?"
Cheeks warming up, I blurt, "Nothing."
She gives me a look and then turns to face the hostess that's coming with two menus in hand. "Welcome," she says. "Reservations?"
Addie gives our names and the hostess locates them on a very long list located at the podium.
"Right," the brown-haired hostess says. "If you'll follow me, please."
