*1 Month Later (2 1/2 Weeks Till Shot)* Tia's POV Niall: Where are we going again, exactly? I kept my eyes on the road. Me: Somewhere Dr. Robert told me about. Niall: And you can't tell me what it's called...why? Me: I said it's better if I just showed you. Niall responded by cracking his knuckles and leaning back. Niall: Fine. Is it about Shrimp? Me: You'll just have to see. Niall's POV Me: I don't want to be here. She squeezed my hand. Tia: Come on. I shook my head vigorously, trying to back away from the door that read, 'Learning Center.' But Tia wouldn't let me. Tia: Twenty minutes. She pleaded, shooting a furtive look over her shoulder. Me: Ten. She nodded and we entered the small room, instantly immersing ourselves in the soft buzz of the room. Teachers sat at tables with groups of two, maybe three children. One end seemed to hold only kids ages eleven and down, while the other held boys and girls of at least fourteen. They were sat in front of books, feeling them. Not reading. Feeling. They would occasionally cough or sneeze. Their hands moved across the pages at a relatively fast pace. RNIBS Sunshine House School and Children's Home. RNIBS stood for Royal National Institute for the Blind and Sick. Woman: Tia. One woman said, getting up from her chair to greet us. Woman: It's good to see you. T smiled and gave her a quick side hug. Tia: I figured it was time to bring Niall and N and N in for a visit. By the way. She said, stepping aside to introduce us. Tia: Julie, this is him and my kids. I weakly shook her hand, so did N and N, unable to tear my eyes away from the two boys in wheelchairs she'd speaking to prior. She must have noticed my discomfort. Julie: Tia looked the same as you, the first time she came here. This is only her fourth, but I can honestly say I still get emotional. Me: Fancy that... My hand found Tia's and gripped it hard. Julie: Well, I do need to get back to the kids, but Tia...some new ones came in last month. A girl, Sally-Blair, and two boys- Noah and Kelsey. They just got infected with chlamydia last year. Natalie: Mummy, what are we doing here? Tia: To see some friends. Can they...talk? She asked, already tearing up. N and N's eyes were wide, having no idea what was going on. I realized this place probably brought out all her maternal instincts and just a lot of hormone-related emotions in general. Coming here was probably harder for her. Julie nodded, sitting back down across the two boys. Julie: Yes, but only Noah can only talk partially. They're in the next room, with Penny. You might catch them before they have to leave for hydrotherapy. Tia: Thank you, Julie. She turned to the left and slowly led me towards the doorway on the far side of the room. I tried to turn out the sounds of children no older than five that would suddenly start screaming at the top of their lungs. N and N covered their ears. Tia stumbled a little when a girl particularly close to us was set off. Julie: They get frustrated. She explained. I didn't reply, instead kept my gaze on her feet as they walked. It didn't take a genius to understand why she'd brought me here. She was trying to show me what Shrimp's life would be like, if what we worried would happen...happened. Julie: Um, Penny? We entered the room and I paused to take it in. The walls were a simple shade of blue and the several empty tables were stacked in the back, along with chairs. The woman I assumed was Penny looked up from her spot on the floor. A girl- Sally-Blair, was sitting cross-legged with a pair of over-the-ear headphones on. A boy was sitting on her right doing the same thing. Occasionally they'd put a hand up, then lower it. At one point Sally-Blair started to giggle. Penny: Hey, T. She greeted, waving us over. Penny: They're just listening to some tapes I brought. Part of their music and art therapy-slash-education. Tia nodded and started to crouch between them. Halfway down she got 'stuck' and I had to support her back and arms the rest of the way. A/N: Please forgive me for making so many emotional chapters today. ;0 xx

• published: 17 May 2014
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