Circles

Chapter Twenty Nine

         “Alex, wake up,” Liz says at about ten the next morning. “I made an appointment for noon.”

            “Huh?” I say, still mostly asleep. “Appointment for what?”

            “Oh, please don’t make me explain this again. Just get up.”

            “Pain medicine,” I mumble. Liz leaves and comes back with two yellow pills and a glass of water.

            “Blue,” I whine, my face in my pillow. “I want the blue ones.”

            “If you take the blue ones, you won’t wake up until it’s time for dinner, and I want you to come to my appointment with me,” she says, mildly annoyed.

            I groan. “But I’m still tired.”

            “GET UP!”

            I groan again. Liz pulls my pillow out from under my head and hits me in the stomach with it. I scream.

            “Oh, my God, your ribs! I can’t believe I just did that! Are you okay?” Liz asks, panicking.

            “I’m in a decent amount of pain,” I say. “But I’m certainly awake now.”

            Liz smiles. “Sorry, Alex. Now would you please get up?”

            “Yeah, yeah, I’m going. Go pour me a bowl of cereal and I’ll be right down.”

            “Okay,” she says on her way out the door.

            I get out of bed slowly and go to the closet to grab a pair of jeans and a green sweater. I change into the jeans and take of my pajama top. Wincing as I do it, I pull the medical tape off my torso and replace it with two fresh pieces before I pull my sweater over my head. I run a brush through my hair and go downstairs.

            “Hurry up and eat, we have to go,” Liz says before I’m even in the kitchen. Cody is sitting at the table patiently. I eat the cereal in ten minutes, and as soon as I’m done, Liz is ushering us out the door.

            “What’s the rush?” Cody asks. “Are you looking forward to this?”

            “I just want to get there on time, okay?” Liz says.

            “Fair enough,” he replies.

            We get on the bus and sit down, and it isn’t then until I realize that we are not going straight to the doctor. We have to go see Liz’s parents. One of the only times you get to see your parents after receiving placement in a Circle is in case of pregnancy, if you’re still young, because the doctor needs to know your health history. No wonder Liz looks so apprehensive.

            “Do they know yet?” I ask her.

            “No. No, they don’t,” Liz says.

            “Does who know what?” Cody asks, out of the loop.

            “We have to bring my mom to the appointment. It’s a requirement if you’re under twenty-five.”

            “Oh, God,” Cody says. “I have to meet your parents like this?”

            “Afraid so,” Liz says. “Trust me, I’m not looking forward to it either.”