Chapter 2
Aviana picked me and Alice up at 12:45 in her blue Grand Am. Inside the car was crazy! Star was crying, rather loudly, while Aviana was trying to soothe her and Alice was signing at the top of her lungs to some pop song.
It took what felt like hours but was only minutes to get the doctor’s office. When Aviana parked the car she turned it off and got out. She went to the backseat to get Star out of her car seat while I went to the back to help Alice get out.
I went to open the door but it flung open and Alice jumped into my arms. “Lukey,” she started in a shaky voice, “I’m scared, I don’t like the doctor’s. She’s scary.” She hid her face in my chest as I held her up. I pulled her face away from me and looked her straight in the eyes.
“Alice you have to go see the doctor, she will make you feel better. I won’t leave you alone. Okay?” I reassured her. She put her head against me again and nodded a yes.
Aviana had gotten Star out of her car seat and was waiting on us to walk inside the office. I shut the car door and Aviana locked it. We then started to head towards the door, me holding Alice and Aviana holding Star.
Once inside we went to the check-in. The last time I brought Alice here she had been given multiple shots. That must be why she’s scared to be here. I set her down so I could sign her in. The nurse behind the desk looked up as I was signing our names. “What’s your names?” she asked me. “I’m Luke Greene and this is Alice Greene.” I say gesturing to Alice standing next to me. She types our names into the computer and looks at it for a second before speaking, “I have some information you need to fill out.” I nod and she hands me a packet of papers on a clipboard. I take them and walk to a seat to fill them out. Alice sat in the chair on my right.
Aviana checked in right after me then came and sat next to us, on my left. She also had to fill out some papers. I look down at the papers and skim some questions they were all about my relation to Alice and her medical background.
I filled it all out then walked up to the desk and gave it back to the nurse. “Thank you. You have about 15 to 30 minutes until Alice can go back.” She says without looking up. I was about to walk away before I remembered to ask her if I could go back also. “I can go back with her right?”
The nurse now looks up. “How are you related to her, if you’re related at all?” she asks back. “I’m her biological brother but I adopted her.” She raises her eyebrows at that but doesn’t question it. She simply nods her head and says, “Then yes you can go back with her.” I sigh in relief and walk back to Alice.
As soon as I sit down Alice climbs into my lap and hides her face again. I just hold her and rub her back telling her it will be okay.
Aviana was watching me the whole time and smiles at me. “You know you are a really good brother/dad to her.” Looking at Alice I realize just how right she is. I turn my gaze to Aviana saying, “Now that you mention it your right. She’s lucky to have me.” Alice moves her head to look up at me and nods in agreement. This makes me smile. I love Alice. I can’t imagine a life where I don’t take care of her.
Aviana speaks up again, “Only if Star had a dad like you.” She has a sad look on her face and says even quitter, “Or if I even knew who her dad was...” She looked even sadder at that.
I turned so that I was facing her completely. With Alice in one arm, I leaned over with the other arm to hug Aviana. “Aviana, don’t go talking like that. You are a great mom. Star doesn’t need a dad. It doesn’t matter who he is. You have me and Kenza and Puck to help you. That’s all Star needs. The guy who got you pregnant was a dick and you don’t need him. Everything is okay. You and Star both have the only people you will ever need.”
Alice, still hiding against me, says, “Don’t forget about me. Star is like my sister. I would do anything to help her.” Aviana and I both look at Alice. “How could we forget about you Alice? You help just as much as the others. And how about we say that Star is your sister?” Aviana says.
The end surprised me. And from the way Alice looked up it surprised her too. “Really?? You mean Star can really be my sister???” She asked excitably. Aviana smiles and laughs at her reaction. “Yes Alice.” She says.
“YAY!!” Alice yells while jumping up to hug Aviana. Aviana pulls away from the hug to hold onto Alice and Star. I reach over and grab Star so Aviana could hold Alice.
At that moment a mom with 2 children walks over and stops in front of us. “You guys are so cute together. And you have a beautiful, happy, young family.” I look over at Aviana to see which of us would explain this to the women.
From the look on her face I decided I would explain. “Were not together. Just friends. This one,” I gesture to Star, “is her daughter and the other one is my sis…uh...daughter. Were both 16.”
The mom looks us over. “Oh, I’m so terribly sorry. The kids are very cute though. You look like you could be one big happy family.”
“It’s totally alright. You should actually see us with our other two friends, we act like one huge crazily happy family.” Aviana says laughing. I laugh along. Alice then decides to jump into the conversation. “Yeah! I love the whole group! Everyone is so nice and they take care of me and Star and I love them all. But not as much as Lukey. Oh and Star is now my sister!”
The women laughs while turning her gaze to me. “You guys must be amazing parents and have great friends.” Aviana and I just smile back at the women while she walks away.
A nurse then comes out, “Star?” Aviana sets Alice down so she can take Star from me and they disappear into the back. My gaze travels back to Alice. She’s already looking at me. I can see her facial expressions change and then realize a split second before she’s back in my lap that the fear has come back.
We just sit like that until another nurse calls for Alice.
During the whole appointment Alice was sat on my lap holding my hand.
The doctor concluded that she just had a cold and could go back to school either tomorrow or the day after depending on how she feels tomorrow.
We went back in the waiting room to see Aviana was just getting out also. She walked over to join us by the door. “So how’s Star?” I ask as she gets there.
“The doctor said it’s just a tummy ache. She should be fine within a few hours. Can you hold her a second?” She says while handing me Star. “That’s good, and of course I will.” As I take Star, Aviana kneels to the ground in front of Alice.
“What did the doctor say to you Alice?” I find it sweet when she talks directly to Alice when she could have just asked me. All our friends do, it helps Alice feel like she fits in with us and she loves it. Alice raises her arms in a gesture for Aviana to pick her up.
Aviana does and Alice says “I just have a cold. I can back to school tomorrow if I feel good.”
“That’s great!” Aviana says to her. At that we all walk back to the car. I put Star in her car seat while Aviana helps Alice buckle up. Then we both get in the car.
I look at the time when I’m finally sitting down. It was 3:00. “Hey, schools almost out we should go pick up the others and go hang out.” I say to Aviana. She looks at the clock and nods her head in agreement.
She starts the car and heads toward the school.
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