Carly lay in the sterile hospital bed, heart racing as she waited for the doctor to arrive with her final test results. Over the past year, she'd undergone two brain surgeries and fought through a coma that had lasted six months. She prayed—desperately—that this would be the day she could leave the dreary hospital behind and move into the new apartment Lilianna had rented for them. A fresh start. Carly just wanted to live the life she had before the accident, to escape the reminders of that night that seemed to haunt every corner of the hospital room.
Her gaze flicked to her sister, who sat quietly in the same chair she had every day. Lilianna had been her constant through this entire ordeal. The only time Carly ever found the chair empty was when Lilianna went to her classes during the day. Afterward, she'd return, settle in beside Carly, and fall asleep in the uncomfortable chair. The sacrifice was almost too much for Carly to bear.
The sudden buzzing of a phone broke the silence. Lilianna's hand reached instinctively for her pocket, eyes flicking to the screen as she answered.
"Hey, Petra, is everything alright?" Lilianna asked, holding the phone to her ear. Carly leaned in from her hospital bed, trying to catch every word.
A pause, then Lilianna's face lit up. "That's amazing news! I'll let Carly know! Thank you for everything!" She ended the call and smiled over at her sister.
"It's official. You're looking at your new guardian."
Carly raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips. "That's great news! But just because you're my guardian doesn't mean you're going to boss me around, right?"
Lilianna smirked, her voice teasing. "Only when you're making stupid decisions."
Carly laughed, shaking her head. "You've got me there."
Before Lilianna could respond, there was a soft knock at the door. The doctor entered, his expression warm.
"Good news! You're officially cleared to go home, so you no longer have to deal with me," he said with a smile.
Carly's eyes widened. "Oh stop, you've been a great doctor!" she exclaimed, a playful glint in her eyes. "I'll miss you most of all. You made this place not so boring with all the stories you'd tell me."
The doctor chuckled, clearly fond of his patient. "I'm glad I could make your time here a little more enjoyable. Go ahead and pack up, and I'll bring your discharge papers in a few minutes."
As the doctor left the room, Carly began changing into the new clothes Lilianna had brought her. "So long, hospital gown," Carly thought with a smile, a small but significant moment of relief.
Lilianna leaned against the wall, watching her sister with a smile of her own. "Where would you like to go eat afterwards to celebrate?" she asked, eager to make her sister's first day back as normal as possible.
Carly grinned. "I want a nice, greasy pizza."
Lilianna raised an eyebrow, feigning dramatic thought. "Your wish is my command, Sis." She clasped her hands together and nodded, her voice dropping to a mock-heroic tone. "I shall deliver the best pizza known to man!"
Carly laughed, the sound light and carefree. For a moment, it felt like everything might just be okay.
About twenty minutes later, the doctor walked back into the room, handing them Carly's discharge papers. Carly immediately stood up and wrapped him in a big hug.
"Thank you for everything," she said, her voice full of gratitude.
The doctor smiled warmly. "You're so welcome. Just remember—if you get any headaches that don't go away with medication, don't hesitate to call us."
"You have my word, I'll let you know!" Carly promised, nodding earnestly.
"Now, get out of here and go have some fun," the doctor said with a cheerful grin.
Carly beamed as they gathered their bags and headed for the door. The sterile halls of the hospital felt different somehow—less oppressive, more full of possibility—as they made their way toward the exit. Outside, the sun was shining brightly, and the sound of birds chirping seemed almost surreal after the long year inside.
Lilianna glanced at Carly, her face softening with a smile. "How does it feel to be outside?"
Carly closed her eyes for a moment, letting the sun hit her face. "You never realize how good it feels to have the sun blinding you when you're cooped up inside." She laughed softly, her voice a little shaky.
Lilianna chuckled as she loaded Carly's bags into the trunk of the car, then climbed into the driver's seat. She looked over at Carly as she settled in.
"Ready to go to your favorite pizzeria?" Lilianna asked, a grin tugging at her lips.
"Hell yeah I am!" Carly replied excitedly, her spirits lifting.
As they pulled into the familiar parking lot, both girls fell silent. They exchanged a glance, then turned their eyes to the pizzeria.
"It's not the same arriving here without Mom and Dad," Carly said quietly, her voice tinged with sadness. Tears welled in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away.
Lilianna's throat tightened, but she kept her voice steady. "You're right. Do you want to go somewhere else?"
Carly shook her head, taking a deep breath. "No... it's okay. I feel like they would want us to come here, to remember them."
They both got out of the car and walked slowly toward the entrance. Inside, the familiar vase of balloons on sticks stood by the door, a reminder of simpler times. The arcade games in the corner, just like when they were kids, looked almost foreign now. Everything felt like a memory they couldn't quite reach.
Their eyes drifted to the table their family always sat at. The grief hit them both at once—sharp and heavy. Lilianna took a deep breath before walking over to the table, her heart sinking. Carly followed her, and they sat down in silence. The waiter arrived and handed them a menu.
"We'll take the supreme," Lilianna said, her voice barely above a whisper.
The waiter nodded and walked away, leaving them alone with their thoughts. Carly's gaze wandered to the empty seats their parents once filled. The weight of their absence was suffocating.
"This was a mistake. I'm sorry I brought you here," Lilianna said quietly, her sadness echoing in her voice. "Let's just take the pizza to go, and we can eat it at the apartment."
Carly forced a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. She glanced out the window, trying to push down the swell of emotion threatening to overwhelm her. The memories were too fresh, too painful.
They didn't speak again until they were back in the car, heading toward the apartment.
When they arrived, Carly looked up in awe. "Can you afford this?" she asked, her eyes wide as she took in the sleek, modern building.
Lilianna grinned and winked at her. "Well, now that I've graduated and got that job at the law firm, let's just say we should be alright."
The apartment building was everything Carly had imagined—gleaming windows, a doorman holding the door open for residents, and a lobby that felt more like a hotel than a home. Carly followed Lilianna into the elevator, her gaze still fixed on the building's pristine interior.
After a few floors, the elevator came to a stop. Lilianna gestured for Carly to follow her as they walked down the hall to the last door. She opened it, revealing a space filled with light, sleek furniture, and modern touches.
"Welcome home, sis," Lilianna said softly, holding the door open as Carly stepped inside.
Carly stood still for a moment, taking in the view of the city through the massive windows. The room was beautiful, but there was a quiet emptiness about it too. She looked at Lilianna, who was waiting for her with an encouraging smile.
"It's perfect," Carly said, her voice a little shaky but full of gratitude. "Thank you."
Lilianna's heart swelled as she reached out and pulled her into a tight hug. "We're in this together. We'll figure it out, I promise."
Carly nodded, leaning into her sister's embrace, feeling the weight of everything settle—both the grief that clung to her and the possibility of their future. It wouldn't be easy, but for the first time in a long while, Carly allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, they could start again.
They walked into the apartment, and Carly took in the space with wide eyes. The sleek black quartz flooring reflected the natural light pouring in from the giant windows that stretched across the back wall. The living room, with its soft gray walls and giant TV mounted above an electronic fireplace, felt both modern and cozy. The kitchen was another world of elegance—an island in the middle with polished gray marble countertops, pendant lights hanging above it like art.
Carly's gaze shifted to the dining room, where a long glass table sat beneath a set of lights that highlighted the room's accent wall. It was beautiful—almost too beautiful to be real. She could feel herself breathing a little more easily in the space, the comfort of a fresh start beginning to settle into her bones.
Lilianna broke the silence with a smile. "Are you ready to see your room?"
Carly nodded, her excitement building. They walked down the hallway together, and as Lilianna opened the door, Carly's eyes widened. The room was everything she could have dreamed of—a perfect mix of calm and personality. Hanging lights illuminated a desk with a laptop and purple accents, and a chair sat neatly on a soft purple rug beneath it. A twin bed rested against the wall, its footboard equipped with a hidden TV that would probably make movie nights even better. The closet was already filled with clothes—new ones that Carly hadn't had a chance to wear yet.
"I love it," Carly said, her voice full of emotion as she wrapped her arms around Lilianna in a grateful hug.
"I'm so glad you like it," Lilianna replied with a warm smile. "I figured I'd leave the walls for you to decorate. Make it your own."
Carly pulled back slightly, looking around the room again. It was hers. For the first time in so long, it felt like she could breathe—like she was no longer just surviving, but beginning to live again. She climbed onto the bed, letting herself fall back into the soft blankets that welcomed her like an old friend. The comfort of the bed wrapped around her, and she let out a contented sigh, closing her eyes for a moment.
But then, her gaze landed on the nightstand. There, on top, was a photo of their family—her mom, dad, Lilianna, and herself—taken just a couple of years ago. Carly's heart tightened as she reached out and picked it up, the tears she had held back since the accident finally falling freely. She held the picture close to her chest for a long moment, feeling the ache of loss, but also a quiet sense of peace in knowing that, despite everything, she still had her sister.
With a soft exhale, Carly placed the photo back on the nightstand and sank into the softness of the bed, allowing the warmth of the blankets and the quiet of the room to envelop her. Her eyes fluttered shut, and before she knew it, she drifted off to sleep, the weight of the world momentarily forgotten.