The Other Side of the World

“Kaylin.” At first everything was blurry. I was awakened by an unfamiliar voice, and yet I’ve heard it before. “Kaylin.” The voice sounded distant. I rubbed my eyes clear to find myself in my room. Not my room at the Porter’s, but my room at my own home.

I looked around confused and overwhelmed. I was surrounded by things from back when I was 12. My room hadn’t been touched. My dolls still in the same place, the furniture exactly the way it was, nothing was different. I walked around remembering where everything was; softly tracing every picture frame with my fingertips. All the memories came rushing in at once.

“Kaylin.” There was the voice again. Still unfamiliar, but something inside me told me to follow it. So I as did, the calling of my name came closer and closer. It took me around my house, the exact house I grew up in. From my bedroom, down the stairs, past the dining room and into the kitchen; it was all the same.

I didn’t know what to feel. I was scared and confused, it was all so new, but accustomed to me. I stepped outside to my back porch. The calling of my name was closer than ever, but quickly stopped.

“Hello?” I called out to an empty place. I looked around to the beautiful scenery of my backyard. I smiled at myself remembering how hard my dad worked to get it perfect for my mom. He built in a pond full of little fish and rocks. There was a water fountain just in the middle of it. He installed little hanging lights to make it even more beautiful. I remember my mom crying the day she saw it. This memory warmed me up inside.

I walked over to the tire swing my dad had also put in for me and Zach to play on every day after school. There were so many memories made in this backyard. I realized I had almost forgotten it. I guess I never wanted to think of it, because it hurt so much.

“Kaylin…” A deep voice caught my attention. I looked up to find my dad standing at the end of the porch steps.

“Dad?” I said confused. “What?”

“Come here.” He held out his arms out for a hug. I ran into them as he embraced me with a tight long squeeze.

“Daddy.” He let go holding me out to get a good look at me.

“Wow. I knew you’d end up looking like your mother.” He smiled at me as he pushed the strands of hair out of my face. I couldn’t find the words to speak. I was in shock and completely lost, but it was nice to be in my dad’s arms again. “Oh kiddo.”

The moment I heard him call me by that name, I broke down crying. He led me to the bench and sat me down. “Kiddo. It’s really good to see you.” He put his arm around me and just held me.

“I haven’t heard that in a real long time dad.”

“And I haven’t heard that in a real long time either…” Things got quiet. I was crying and I just couldn’t hold my composure.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah, kid?”

“What is this? What is all of this?” I looked around knowing it was all too good to be true.

“This is all in your head of course.” He looked down at me smiling.

“What do you mean? Like I’m dreaming?”

“Something like that.”

“But…” Then my arms caught my eye. They were scarred up, even my legs too. “Dad… I really miss you.”

“I miss you too, kiddo. Your mom misses you too.”

A subtle smile came across my face. “How is she?”

“She’s good. Really good. Hoping the best for you.” I looked down at my scars, embarrassed at what I’ve done. “How are the Porter’s? Taking good care of you?”

“They’re perfect daddy, just perfect.” Things kept getting quiet, like we didn’t know what to say to each other. But for some reason it felt better with the silence.

“So…” He finally spoke up. “Are you going to explain yourself?” He pointed at my arms.

“I can’t tell you, I can’t explain myself.”

“Sure you can, kiddo. I’m your dad. I’m always here for you.” He grabbed my hand and squeezed it to reassure me that everything was going to be okay.

“I made a mistake. I made lots of mistakes. I’m messed up dad. I’m not 12 years old anymore. I don’t even know that little girl anymore. Daddy, I’m scared. I’m lost. I just need you. I need you and mom. I can’t do this anymore.” I broke down crying harder and harder into his shoulder. He held me like he used to.

“Shhhh. Kaylin, shhhhh. I’m here, I’m always here.”

“No you’re not dad!” I pushed him off me. “You’re not there. No one’s there. And it sucks. I hate it. I hate being there. I don’t want to be there.”

“There? You mean alive? Oh Kaylin. The world, everything out there, it has so much more to offer you.”

“No it doesn’t dad. It doesn’t. It hurts to be alive. It hurts to not have you and mom there, my family. It hurts to be so alone.”

“That’s the thing Kaylin, you aren’t alone. Zach, the Porter’s, they are your family. And they have loved you unconditionally since day one. Kaylin, your mother and I wouldn’t have left you with them if we knew they weren’t going to love you as much as we do.”

I looked up at him with wet cheeks and tear filled eyes. “Then why do I feel so helpless and alone?”

“Kaylin, you have such a strong head on your shoulders. And you are just absolutely amazing, but you can be pretty thick sometimes. Stop shutting everyone out. Stop pretending and let people in. You are better than what you have been and I know you know that. Let people love you. Let those people help you. Just let them in, and they will accept you for every flaw and imperfection. But you gotta be real with them. Kiddo, be the person I know you can be. And no matter what, your mother and I are very proud of you. Don’t you ever forget that.”

He lifted my head and wiped my tears away. “So now what dad?”

“It’s up to you. You either stay here or you go back out there. You gotta do this on your own.”

I sat there thinking of what to do. We both kind of sat there embracing the time we had together. “But if you do go back, you gotta promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Stop smoking. It’s disgusting.” I raised an eyebrow at him. “I’m watching over you, kiddo.” He winked at me and taped my nose as I scrunched it up smiling at him.

“I promise.”

--
Liam’s POV
--

Waiting felt like a lifetime and we were all growing impatient. The doctor said there wasn’t much progress and that he still wasn’t sure when or if she will be waking up. The lads and I decided to let Zach and Cameron have as much time as they needed with her, it only seemed appropriate.

The doors of the hospital waiting swung open as Cameron walked out. “Liam, Harry, can I talk to you guys for a second?” Harry and I look at each other in confusion before following Cameron towards the cafeteria area of the hospital.

--

“Here.” Cameron handed both of us cups of tea as he sat in front of us at the table. “Thank you, for taking care of her. I mean…” He struggled to find the right words. “Just thank you.”

“How’s Zach doing?” Harry asked after taking a sip of his tea.

“Not good. He hasn’t stopped crying since he got the call.” He paused and started playing with the ring on his thumb. “Uhm, anyway… Yeah he isn’t good.”

“I’m sorry.” That was all I could say.

“I know you guys think he’s over protective and crazy sometimes. And maybe he is, but it’s all out of the good of his heart. Kaylin means the world to him.” Harry and I stayed quiet as he continued. “Kaylin is the only thing he really cares about. To be honest with you, if he had to choose, he’d give up his entire career to take care of her. He loves her, she’s just really important to her.”

“We don’t want anything to happen to her either. We didn’t want this to happen.” Harry said quietly.

“I know. And this situation is unfortunate. But this is one of Zach’s worst nightmares, seeing her in a hospital. Because the last time…”

“…was when they got into that accident when she was 14.”

They both looked at me with surprise. “Right.” Cameron answered.

“She told me about that. She told me how hard it was for him.”

“And that’s why this is all so much harder for him; it reminds him of that night. He hates hospitals. It’s all just bad memories. Kaylin’s parents, the accident, and now this; it’s all just really hard for him. We appreciate everything you guys have done, but just stay away from Zach for a little. He’s just really upset right now.”

Harry and I both nodded in agreement.

“You think she’s going to be okay?” I asked the both of them.

“I hope so.” Cameron said quietly under his breath.

I think we were all trying to figure out what to say next. But suddenly we were interrupted by Niall. Out of breath he struggled to speak, “Kaylin… She’s….”

“What is it Niall?” Harry said as we all stood up.

“She’s awake. Hurry!”