Required Introductions

I entered my room and threw my drawstring Nike bag onto my bed, immediately heading towards the kitchen. The past week or so had been pretty interesting, actually: we had two digs (where I found a piece of pottery and a spear *squeals*). We had tons of meetings and I had barely any free time (which was very different from last month). I had two more digs this week: one tomorrow and one in three days.

I slabbed a glob of peanut butter onto some bread, when my phone started to ring. It read: Mom. That's strange, I thought, my mom and I only called each other on Fridays and it was Sunday.

"Hello?" I answered.

I heard the voice on the other end take a deep shaky breath. My stomach dropped. "What's wrong?" I practically screamed.

"It's Mom-mom," she said, shakily.

"What's wrong with Mom-mom?" I asked, frantically.

"She's back in the hospital, Lennon, and it doesn't look good."

My mom-mom, who was my mom's mother, had Alzheimer's. She has had it for a long time, maybe three years, and at this point, she couldn't remember anything and she barely had random spurts of remembrance; this was not the Notebook, people. Before she was struck with this disease, we were extremely close. I always visited her at her home and we would hang out. My grandpa had passed away many years ago so she was used to being on her own but I liked to keep her company. We told each other everything and we used to sing together all the time.

"What do you mean it doesn't look good?" I choked out

"She's just not doing well."

"Mom, I'm eighteen for God's sake!" I yelled. "Tell me what's wrong."

The line was silent.

"I'm coming home," I said, in almost a whisper, before hanging up the phone and falling to the floor. I rubbed my sleeves across my eyes, drying the tidal wave of tears escaping them. "I'll be there for you, Mom-mom," I whispered.

Mr. Chawser was disappointed, but he understood that I needed to go home for a little while. I only had two days. I was leaving immediately tomorrow morning and coming home late the next night-- I would be missing only one dig.

I filled a small bag with my passport, phone, and money. I had some clothes still at my house, so I didn't pack any. I set my alarm for 3:00am and attempted to fall asleep to no avail... I was too worried.

The flight was really nerve wracking, considering I did not have anyone to keep me company. My uneasiness towards flying did not help, either. I gripped the sides of my chair, trying not to knock arms with the business man sitting to my left. As the plane touched down, I had a little heart attack, before calming myself.

"Welcome to Philadelphia International Airport. We hope you enjoyed your flight and that you have a safe trip. We hope to see you again soon and thank you for flying with British Airways," a cheery voice said over the intercom. Groaning, I stretched my legs and prepared to exit the plane.

Upon entering the terminal, I found Emma waiting for me. "Hey babe," I said, running over to hug her.

"Hey Lenn," she hugged me back.

"How's Mom-mom?"

"Okay." We walked out to the car and started our car ride.

After about an hour and a half, we arrived out our house. I breathed in the fresh smell of the bay and stepped out of the car, letting the warm sun hit me. "I missed it here." Emma smiled and led me into the house. "By the way, thanks for coming to get me," I said.

"It's all good. Mom's a mess and Dad's on business."

I huffed and stepped into the house only to be attacked by my mother. "Sweetie, I missed you so much! How are you? How's everything? Are you okay?"

"Mom, calm down, I'm perfectly fine. How are you?" She sniffled.

"I'm okay." Lies.

"Can we visit Mom-mom soon?" Emma asked.

Mom grabbed her purse and her keys. "How about now?"

I observed my mom from the back seat of the car. She looked tired. The area under her eyes was dark and her eyes looked sad and tired. The way she sighed as we neared the hospital broke my heart.

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"I can't," I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest. The smell of the hospital, alone, made me want to cry. I was outside my mom-mom's room with Emma.

"You have to see her, she wants to see you." I was closer to my mom-mom than Emma, a lot closer.

"She doesn't know who I am!" I cried. "She just---- it's not fair." I slid down the wall and threw my arms around my knees, which were up against my stomach. "It's not fair," I whispered, shaking my head.

Emma knelt down beside me. "Babe, please," she petted my hair, "you need closure, she needs closure. I know it. She might not recognize you on the outside, but she feels it, in here." Emma pointed to her heart.

"The ending was cheesy but thanks," I cried, leaning into her. She hugged her arms around me and held me close. "She loves you, whether you see it or not."

I slowly made my way into the room and cried harder. She was talking to my mom, who was crying. She looked fragile and pale. I held my hand over my mouth. She turned and saw me, smiling brightly-- one of my favorite sights in the world.

"Hello, what's your name?" she asked. Mom-mom was always open to making new friends. She was outgoing and amazing. Whenever I saw her, I had to reintroduce myself to her; it was hard.

"I'm Lennon," I said, extending my hand.

"No, no, only hugs here." She outstretched her arms and pulled me in to a soft and gentle hug. I tried to keep my tears in. "Look how pretty you are."

I smiled, always one to compliment.

After an hour, she fell asleep. I cried some more and eventually made my way home. I stayed up all night, watching sad movies and reading. It was stupid. At about one in the morning, I heard someone talking. I crept out of my room and saw Emma pacing around her room, whispering into her phone. I figured she was talking to Connor and brushed it off, heading back to my room.

I didn't fall asleep until six in the morning. I somehow ended up on the couch. At some point, I felt my mom kiss my forehead and head out, probably to work. A little while later, I heard a knock on the door. I shifted positions on the couch and waited for Emma to get it. I guessed she had because I heard the door open. Soon enough, I felt the couch dip.

Whoever was sitting next to me started playing with my hair. I groaned loudly and shifted positions again. Could whoever this was just stop! I was having a dream about Niall. Even though I had so much on my mind with school and Mom-mom, I still constantly thought about Niall. The person continued to play with my hair and I groaned louder. I heard a laugh, my favorite laugh.

"Lennon," I heard whispered in my ear before I felt lips on my temple. That's when I realized, I wasn't dreaming about Niall. I shot up and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Niall!" I squealed, throwing my arms around his neck. I hid my face into his neck, taking in the smell of his cologne.

"Are you okay?" he whispered in my ear. I shook my head.

"No," I said, honestly.

He took my shoulders in his hands and pushed me away to look into my eyes. It immediately comforted me. "That's why I'm here," he smiled, pulling me into an even tighter hug than before.

"You are the best!"

"I know," he said, flinging me over his shoulders.

"Niall!" I squealed, punching his back. "Put me down."

"No."

He opened the front door and brought me outside, finally putting me down. "I'm barefoot and in pajamas," I complained.

"You're still cute," he smiled widely causing me to smile to. "Well we're going to the beach."

In that moment, all I was thinking about was Niall, about how happy I was there with him. I was thinking about how just seeing him for five minutes could change my mood entirely. I was thinking about how he was perfect and just everything I needed. I was thinking about us and nothing else because in that moment, because of the way he made me feel, my worries disappeared and nothing else mattered.

A/N Kind of depressing. Tell me what you think and Comment and Vote, please. Love all of you!!