TRUE, Beau signed. BUT EASY IF I HAVE YOU.

SAME, I signed after a second of thought.

My life definitely wasn’t easy, but it was significantly better when I had Beau next to me.

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

ONE YEAR LATER

I dropped the bag of soiled towels into the laundry chute and slammed the lid shut, feeling rather proud of myself.

I’d gotten through the first day of my internship at Mountain View Rehabilitation Clinic with little to no difficulty despite the worrying I’d done leading up to it. There had been an interpreter this morning to walk me through orientation, and right after lunch I got to go on my first rounds through the clinic.

It helped that all the staff here were incredibly kind, excited to have a new face around. One of the older nurses—her name was Liz—had already started carrying around a little notebook she kept tucked in the pocket of her scrubs so she could write notes to me. She’d already filled about three pages asking me questions over lunch.

This internship wasn’t respiratory therapy, but I would be getting six months of experience in a medical setting, which my college guidance counselor assured me would look fantastic on my resume. I was already into my second semester of college and I was miles ahead of where I’d been this time last year. High school was long behind me and I had no desire to look back, even if what was currently ahead of me were exams and more exams for the next couple years.

“Done for . . . day?” Liz asked as I walked out of the laundry room.

I peeked at my cell phone in the pocket of my scrubs to check the time—almost five in the evening.

“Think so,” I said. “Thanks for all your help today. This has been great so far.”

Liz gave me a perky smile and thumbs up, setting off down the hallway with me. “How . . . think . . . went?”

“Good,” I said once I’d pieced together her question. “A lot to take in, but . . .”

“Good,” Liz repeated, and then she signed, YAY!

I had to laugh at this and signed, YAY! back at her.

Probably the next time I came in for a shift, Liz would have a few more signs in her arsenal. I was looking forward to it.

“Walk . . . out?” Liz said, nodding toward the clinic entrance.

“Sure, thanks.”

Liz leaned over to the receptionist still at her post and said something that made the receptionist give an eye roll, and then we were off.

The sun was shining when we stepped outside, a pleasant breeze rustling the trees that lined the parking lot. Not a day you’d want to spend cooped up inside, but there was still plenty of daylight left to enjoy.

Liz put a hand to my shoulder, and when I looked her way she said, “Do . . . have ride?”

“Yeah, my mom is supposed to . . .”