| yesteryear forever |
Innocence Ending
She sits across from an older aunt or cousin she only sees once or twice a year at family gatherings, foot bouncing nervously. She still has the pudgy stature of a childhood spent eating junk food and long days at the pool and all the innocent things before her teenage self-consciousness develops.
She glances around with an alert awareness found on vacationers' faces about to ride the newest tallest rollercoaster, excited with anticipation, except now everything is unfamiliar and scary.
It's a busy hospital cafeteria but she doesn't feel like eating, not at a time like this. The aunt or cousin asks what grade she is in now, then explains how someone is married to someone else's brother-in-law or some other such awkward small talk.
Curious, wide-eyed, and anxious, she asks a question much too mature for her tiny high-pitched voice; questions like these should be reserved for adults only. The tone turns serious and the aunt or cousin explains how they're both in intensive care but immediately reassures her she did everything exactly right calling 911 when she did. As with all childhood trauma, she's blinded by innocence and doesn't know this isn't normal.
The subject is quickly changed back to grades and teachers and best friends, but no one is thinking of any of those things.
Then they get up and leave heading back to an uncertain future...
- I thought I was ready to work in a hospital given my tolerance for needles and blood. But I never took a moment like this into consideration.
2024-06-18