I wake up a little dazed with with a warm feeling in my stomach that I have the greatest of friends who stayed until very late last night. I pick the note up that reads “sorry didn’t want to wake you, you were so deep asleep, we finally got kicked out late when nurse meanie did night checks, but message as soon as you’re awake and we will head over asap, love you!” 

I propped myself up against the wall and actually adjusted to being awake. Once I came round I grabbed my phone and messaged Izzy and Becca “Morning, just waking up, what time did nurse meanie kick you out last night?” 

They immediately messaged back, “Morning, sleepy head, she finally kicked us out at 11, she let us stay much later than we thought but got an uber straight away and we were sleeping at 11:30. However Mandy jumped on us at 5:30, so we may stop for coffee on our way, do you want your usual?”

“Yes please,” The thought of my usual Mocha with peppermint drizzle and whipped creme is just what I need! 

“no probs,  Jamie is just getting up, at least she managed some sleep, but she needs it for Mandy today. We both are already showered and dressed so once Jamie is up and I have given Mandy a pump change we will be right over and take you for breakfast, with your peppermint mocha! We will probably be 45 minutes!”

“amazing love you girls, don’t know if I am more excited about you guys or my peppermint mocha,” I teased them, “Of course both, love you girls, I am going to shower.”

“just for that I might ‘forget’ your mocha! She teases back, but then types “ I would never, see you soon love you too!” They end with a selfie of them sending me kisses and I focus on getting ready. 

I drag myself out my warm bed and throw my dressing gown and slippers on. I find a clean set of black jeans, a comfy tee shirt and my favourite super oversized hoodie. I head into the bathroom throwing my dressing down and slippers off, placing my hair in my shower cap to keep it dry and throwing last nights pjs in the dirty basket, and heading into the shower. Just a quick shower of face wash and shower gel and once I am smelling fresh I throw my towel around me and start getting changed. Jeans, tee and oversized hoodie and my slippers for now. I place my towel to dry and throw my dressing gown on my chair.   I also quickly made my bed as I can’t stand my bed not being made first thing! I decided to take my skin and hair. Throw some moisturiser on my face as it’s very dry here with the air filter system. Once I do that a nurse pops in for checks, this tells me I have 30 minutes til Izzy and Becca arrive as I am on 15 minute observations and the last nurse checked on me when messaging them. 

I decided to make some effort with my hair as that always brings a smile to my face. I removed my shower cap and unbraid my french braid that was getting frizzy, I should probably wash my hair in the next day or two. For now just squirt some dry shampoo and brush that through and it’s very frizzy so I add some moose for moisture and use my steam straightener so I can get some of the frizz out and it’s easy and adds hydration. This takes no time at all as it’s so easy, and then I throw my favourite hair bandana in that is purple and this way my hair isn’t in my eyes.  I then spray some deodorant and my favourite perfume that smells like sweets.  

I then jump to my bed and message my family. I start with my mum wishing her a good day at the cafe and that I am okay and will see her later. I then head into my sibling group chat and figured I have time for a short video call. 

Aaron picks up first “Hey sissy you will never guess what?”

“What, my little pirate?”

“I beat Alice at mario kart without you!” 

“No way! Don’t be getting too good without me, just you wait until the day I am home, I must reclaim my winning spot!” 

“Okay, when is the day your home by the way?” He asks so innocently and I feel bad I don’t have a day to tell him right now. Luckily Alice jumps on the call so I don’t have to answer. 

“Hey there is my favourite sibling,” Alice jokes while sticking her tongue out at Aaron. He sticks his tongue out in retaliation. 

“Hey, get along, you two, I am not there to break up fights!” They both sign and agree. 

Dad shouts Aaron from downstairs to help him with cleaning dishes and I tell him I love him and see him later. 

“Ali, seriously you are the big sibling at home right now, please act like it, I am not there to keep the peace so you both need to look out for each other okay? and remember if you need them you can connect Becca and Izzy.”

“I know thank you, I heard Aaron ask if you know what day you can come home, I take it you won’t know that.”

“Yes I have no idea, my doctor thinks I can be home for winter formal so lets keep that in mind but also keep between us, I don’t want to give Aaron false hope, let’s just keep his sweet brain thinking ‘soon’ to that answer and take it week by week and if he starts getting persistent asking distract him, he is easy to distract so that’s helpful.”

“gotta! I wish you could just come out of there now though.”

“Me too bug, but lets not be serious, you can call me anytime, and keep updated about all the crazy fun you and Aaron get up to without me. How’s our piggies doing by the way? Are you looking after Luna for me?” I figured this was a good distraction for Alice plus I miss Luna. 

“She looks like she is being spoiled rotten, thank you for taking such good care of them in my absence! Tell me how was the sleepover?” She fills me in on all the details of her first sleepover and I get a hint of guilt I wasn’t at home for this big moment and helping her pack a bag and be prepared. That guilt gets interrupted with a message from Izzy that reads “Just walking to get visitor passes now, be with you soon!” I tell Alice I have to go and have a good day and I will see them both later for dinner time with mum once she is done at the cafe. I tell her I love her and hang up the phone.

I scroll on my phone for a minute and Izzy and Becca burst into my room. Izzy is wearing her favourite green floral dress with leggings, and oversized velvet coat to match. Becca is wearing her go to for autumn, leggings, long sleeved turtle neck sweater and a denim dress and oversized cardigan on top with simple flats today and her hand bag, she blends it all so effortlessly. I always feel a bit plain compared to them but the second we chat that feeling stops. I hug them both tightly, and we compliment each other’s looks today and they notice I have my hair straightened and down and they make fuss as I usually have  a french braid in. 

“I wanted to make an effort today, and care about what I look like for the first time this week, and it really needed some hydration! Anyway, no distractions, where is my peppermint mocha?!”

“Right there on your bedside!” They say both grabbing their usuals of a cookies and creme mocha for Becca and a strawberry mocha for Izzy. “We also grabbed a few extra lattes that we gave to the nurses and asked to pass one along to Doctor Whittaker, we wanted to thank them for looking after our bestie.” We all take a long sip of our drinks. While I sip I give them a look they know means I am so grateful I have no words.

—TO BE CONTINUED—