Forgotten

Part 55

(The picture is Alyssa)

Alexis' POV:

I awoke the next morning, having gotten very little, if any sleep.  I tossed and turned all night.  My sleep had been so restless that I was sure that I had kept Nikki up, as well.  But, I was anxious, nervous, and excited all at the same time.   I quite simply didn't know what to expect.  I didn't know what I would encounter when I walked into my mother's hospital room.  I didn't know what she would say, or how she would react to me.  Or what I would say, or how I would react, for that matter.   There were so many questions and so many things still up in the air.  And it had kept me up all night.

Just then I heard Nikki stir, and I knew she was awake.  "Fuck", she muttered.  

I looked at her, and could immediately tell that, she in fact, hadn't gotten any sleep either.

"I don't think I slept at all.  You tossed and turned all night.  Kept me up", she said, sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes. 

"I'm sorry.  I was nervous and anxious all night."

She yawned.  "That's understandable", she said, getting out of bed. 

Not wasting any time, because we were already running late, we quickly showered and got dressed.  We went downstairs, grabbed our coats and headed out the door.

"You ready for this?" Nichole asked, as she held my hand on the way to the car, on our way to pick up Maddie and Alyssa.

"I'm nervous", I said, quietly.  "I'm not gonna lie.  I'm really nervous."

She squeezed my hand, gently.  "That's completely understandable.  And to be expected.  This is really big.  But, I'll be right here with you the whole time."

I nodded, immediately feeling better, just knowing she was going to be there for me.  But regardless, I still felt overwhelmed.  But yet, I was extremely grateful for this opportunity that was in front of me.  To reconnect with my mother.  After all these years.  One of the most important people in my life. And for that, I could not be more appreciative.

She opened the car door for me, as she always did, then got in the driver's side, as we drove the short distance to Maddie's and Alyssa's apartment.

As we pulled up to the apartment, they were waiting outside for us, Alyssa wearing a baseball cap and dark sunglasses.  And honestly, I was glad, because I was anxious to get started because I knew momma needed us.  We had to get to her, as soon as possible.  And I didn't want to waste anytime.

Maddie and Alyssa climbed into the back seat.  We greeted each other, cordially, but I could immediately sense that Maddie was feeling much the same way as I was.  It was extremely overwhelming, and I could tell we were both anxious.  But I also knew, that above all else,  we were also both grateful that we had each other to lean on.  Because the fact was, we were going to need each other.  Perhaps more than we ever had before.

We drove in silence for what seemed like a long time, all of us lost in our own thoughts, before Alyssa finally broke the silence and blurred out, in typical Alyssa style, "I want McDonald's."

"McDonald's?" Nichole, asked, disgusted, not being a fan of fast food.

"Yeah, I'm hungry.  I want breakfast."

"I do too", Maddie chimed in.

"Ok, we can stop on the way", Nikki finally agreed.  "There's one up the road."

And although I didn't like fast food that much either, I was also in agreement, because it was going to be a long day, and we all needed energy to get through it.