Carissa woke up sometime in the middle of the night with nausea and excruciating pain in her head, and she knew. She’d felt this before and she knew what was coming.
Her shunt was malfunctioning. The tube in her brain that kept the spinal fluid from pooling up and swelling in her brain was clogged. Without help, the fluid would become too much and cause brain damage. She could feel it happening, but the pain was so intense she couldn’t get out of bed or even call out for her parents. She reached for her phone on the bedside table, but only managed to knock it onto the floor, and then the darkness came. She felt it swallowing her, but she couldn’t fight it off.
“Mom…” she managed to choke out, but she knew it wasn’t loud enough for anyone to hear, and then darkness overtook her.
* * *
Jim shook Sarah awake. It was Saturday, and he’d agreed to take her on a breakfast date to IHOP, just the two of them. It was Sarah’s favorite place to eat. Carissa could make her own breakfast. They were due some kid-free time.
“Honey, wake up!” he called. “I hear waffles calling your name. And you don’t even have to cook them!”
“Ugh…” Sarah replied.
“Come on,” Jim ordered. “Date time! You can go in your pajamas. I won’t tell anyone!”
Sarah rolled out of bed and went into the bathroom. “I can’t go on a date in my pajamas. Give me a minute.”
“If you insist, but hurry! My stomach needs a waffle in a bad way.”
“I’m coming. Should we tell Carissa we’re leaving?” Sarah asked.
“Nope! No kids ’til after breakfast,” Jim said. “You know how she hates to be bothered in the morning. Leave her alone. She can take care of herself.”
“Okay. No kids! I’m gonna get a quick shower.”
After Sarah’s shower, they left Carissa there alone.
Jim and Sarah excitedly got into the car and sped away. “I’ve missed you,” Jim said, stealing glances at Sarah as he drove.
“I’ve missed you, too,” Sarah responded, meeting eyes with him.
“We’ve spent so much time helping Carissa recover, I barely remember what it’s like to have some time with just you.” Jim told her. “It’ll be nice to just be us for a minute, won’t it?”
“It’s always nice to just be us. We don’t do it enough.” Sarah smiled at him.