Page 16 of Rescuer

“Can I talk to you about something?”

“You sure as hell better not be pregnant!” my father yelled. I jumped back in shock.

“You're not allowed to move out either!” Charlie said.

“Are you getting married?” Renee asked excitedly.

Jesus, what was it with everyone?

“Sure, honey. What’s wrong?” My mother was the only rational one out of the entire family. I mean, why does my dad assume I’m pregnant, and why would I want to move out during my last year of high school? The last suggestion, I wasn’t even entertaining. Only Renee would think shit like that.

“Can you all sit down?” I asked, trying to keep my voice from shaking as I felt my nerves fighting within me.

“We are, honey,” my mom said. Her hand caressed my leg a second later.

“So, the other day when we were in the car, we heard an advertisement that could change Noah’s life forever,” Halt started. “She immediately told me there was no way and not to get my hopes up, but she’s decided to think about it again.”

Charlie was the first one to speak. “What is it?”

“A surgery to cure my blindness.”

There was silence as I said this, and then laughter.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Renee burst out into giggles. “There’s no cure for being blind!” I felt my heart sink at her cruel words.

“Renee!” my mom barked at her.

“Here’s the advertisement,” Halt said, playing it on his phone. They were quiet as they watched and listened.

“Do it,” Charlie said first.

“I think you should do it, Lee honey,” my dad said next.

“This is absolutely amazing. You have to do it!” my mom said.

“I don’t know. It sounds like a long shot,” Renee said after everyone had spoken. “What happens if it doesn’t work?”

“I won’t lose anything—well, at least, I don’t think I will.” I drew in a deep breath. “Halt wants me to talk to the doctor first, find out all the information, and then make a decision.”

“Okay, then I say you must do it,” she said, agreeing with the rest of the family. I was a bit shocked because she’d been the one a bit against it at first.

The next day, we drove to Duke University Hospital. It was a half an hour drive, but what we learned in the hour we were there was well worth the drive.

“You have a very low chance of anything going wrong, and when I say that, I mean one percent. If this surgery goes well—which it should—you’ll be up and seeing in a day. It’s a three-hour-long procedure, and after that, you have to sleep off the medications.”

The doctor’s words stuck with me on the drive back and as I relayed the whole story to my family. The following day, we booked the surgery, and it felt as if everything sped by at an unnatural pace.

“I’ll see you in a couple of hours,” I whispered to Halt, trying to be brave.

“I’ll be here waiting for you the entire time.” He gripped my hand tightly. “Don’t be scared. Soon, you’ll be able to see me and Angie and your family!” He was so excited for me. I was pretty sure he was excited enough for both of us.

“I’ll be able to see you,” I whispered.

“And I’ll see your eyes,” he said softly. “Together, we’ll be unstoppable.”

“I love you, Halt.”

“I love you, Noah, with all my heart.” He kissed my forehead, and then, I was rolled away. A feminine voice replaced Halt’s.

“Don’t worry, honey. Soon, you’ll be normal again.”

“Maybe I don’t want to be,” I whispered as I slowly lost consciousness.

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