This Ordinary Life by Jennifer Walkup Read Free Book Online Page B

a little early?
    My stomach leaps. This is amazing. Can I come early? Of course! I have to. Mom will have to handle things with Danny in the morning.
    YES! I type back, unable to keep the smile from my face.
    I LOVE DRIVING Mom’s car. It’s an old beat up thing, a hatchback Civic from like decades ago. But it has a good radio and, hey, it’s a car. After mostly walking, especially now that I’ve lost Sebastian as my ride most places, I’d drive a rusted out jalopy if it meant getting around.
    Danny sits back in his booster seat, listening to his iPod. He bops his head and looks out the window, calmed as usual by hismusic. He’s quiet most of the ride and I navigate the roads that lead to his doctor’s office.
    â€œIt’s the Beatles, Jazzy!” Danny yells.
    I smile absently as I stop at a red light. “Don’t yell, I can hear you even though your music is loud!”
    â€œWhat?” He bobs his head and hums loudly. I wave away his question and watch him in the mirror. His blinks become slower, longer. He seems tired, like he almost always does after school. As long as that’s all it is. I turn onto the highway, distracted by my worry.
    He nods off and is asleep by the time we reach the doctor’s office. He grudgingly climbs out of the car, dragging the toes of his sneakers along the sidewalk and down the long hallway inside.
    â€œI don’t get why we have to come here again? Didn’t I just go to the hospital?” He crosses his arms and stops short in the hallway. “I’m sick of coming here.”
    I sigh and run my hands through my hair. Cranky Danny is no good for any of us. And he’s right. He shouldn’t have to be here. But I don’t think a Life Is Unfair lecture is going to do any of us any good.
    â€œSorry kiddo,” I say, resting my hand on his shoulder. “I know it’s only been a few weeks since your hospital visit, but Dr. Bee likes to check up on her favorite patients. Believe me, I wish you didn’t have to be here either.”
    It’s true, of course. Him having to be here at all just about breaks my heart. Best neurologists around—I’ll give Mom credit for finding good doctors—but damn I wish he didn’t have to be here.
    He bites his lip, eying up the receptionist with contempt. I steer him toward the fish tank in one of the waiting rooms.
    â€œTell you what,” I say. “You hang out here while I sign you in. If we get out of here in decent time, we can check out that new playground?”
    â€œThe pirate one?” His eyes light up.
    â€œYep. The pirate one. With the little adventure course?”
    He nods sharply. “Fine.”
    â€œBut you have to cooperate. No complaining, okay?”
    He scowls.
    â€œAnd no scowling, either.”
    A small smile quivers on his lips.
    â€œWhat is that I see?” I sing song, as his smile widens. He tries to keep a straight face, but can’t. I squeeze his shoulder again and make my way to the reception window, happy to have diverted a true tantrum. Danny is a mostly agreeable kid, but with tired Danny it could go either way. He watches the fish in the tank while I stand in line.
    â€œJazzy!” he calls as I hand over Mom’s insurance card.
    â€œOne second, Dan,” I mutter as I fill out the sign in sheet.
    â€œThe fish are bigger, Jazzy. Come see. There are new ones too!” My brother’s smile is genuine now, and I say a silent thanks to the heavens that his mood has shifted. When the receptionist hands back my card, I thank her and head over to the waiting room where Danny has practically pressed his entire skinny body against the huge glass fish tank.
    â€œOh wow.” I squat down to look at the fish from his viewpoint.
    â€œSunny?”
    Wait.
    I turn around and sure enough, Wesley, the boy from Danny’s hospital room, sits in a chair against the far wall.
    For real?
    â€œWes,