It was a bright, sunny Thursday that I chose to walk to school. In Washington State, we don't get many of those.

My day was okay, same people, same subjects, but the sun just made everything seem better.

I'd had a rough year, with school getting competitive in the run up to finals and my mom being ill, things were hard but it looked like everything was going to be much better soon.

I went to the beach straight after school with my friends, Jake, Quil and Embry. It made sense to make the most of the sun, we always do if we get the chance and the chance doesn't come around often.

We spent only two hours at the beach, surfing, splashing, having fun. Embry drove me home when the clouds started coming in. You could never hold the rain back for long.

The drive back to my house was short and cheerful, school was almost up and we were looking forward to the approaching summer.

As we reached my house, I invited Embry to stay for tea. I was cooking chicken with rice, I knew he liked that.

He went to the house first, letting himself in. I reached into the back to grab our bags and then followed him in.

Embry stood in the doorway of my kitchen, his face etched with terror.

"Evie, you don't wanna go in there. Go get my phone out of my bag."

I frowned at him, confused. "Why? Embry I don't understand."

"Please, just do it." He pleaded with me.

Worry struck me, what the hell was happening? Had we been robbed? I trying to dodge around him, I caught a glimpse at the scene his huge frame was blocking.

He clenched his eyes shut, but I barely noticed as I pushed past him and knelt down next to the limp body on the floor. My eyes filled with tears, Mom.

"Don't just stand there! Phone 911!"

He did so while I tried to piece together what could have happened. Blinking, tears fell down my cheeks as I stroked her hair.

"Ambulance please" I could faintly hear Embry in the background though he was in the same room as me.

Was she trying to reach something? Did she take her meds?

"It's my friend's mother. She's collapsed or fallen over. She has Late Onset TSD, Tay-Sachs disease."

When did this happen? I should have been here. I should have been here two hours ago.

"73 Maple Terrace, La Push."

Embry knelt down, feeling Mom's throat and checking for breathing. Why didn't I do that? Why aren't they here yet?

"Not breathing, there's a pulse though."

This was my fault. I didn't even know how to help. I should have been here, it wouldn't have happened. This shouldn't even be happening, my mom was young, 34. Why was this happening to her of all people?

"Thanks, hurry."

"Embry, if I'd been here... This is my fault…" I voiced my fears

Embry turned to me and grabbed my shoulders. "If you'd been here, nothing would have changed. It was not your fault, Evie, don't think that." He pulled me into a hug, my tears wetting his chest, his face in my hair.

He pulled away suddenly, "Isn't Katrina meant to be here on Thursdays?"

Katrina was the nurse who attended to my mother, everyday except for Monday and Wednesday. Anger replaced the guilt. Where the hell was she?! "Give me your phone." I forced through clenched teeth.

I punched in the number I knew by heart and impatiently waited for her to pick up. And where the hell was this ambulance?

"H-hello?" A breathless voice answered.

"Where the hell are you?!" I yelled down the phone, venting my anger so I didn't get a stomach ulcer or something. At least that was my excuse.

"Err, who is this?"

"This is the daughter of Anna Wheeler, you know, the person entrusted to your care? You're meant to be here looking after her – where the hell are you?!" I could swear I could hear a man in the background.

"Oh, Evelyn right? Give me ten minutes, I'll be right round." She chirped, too cheerfully.

"It's too goddamn late for that! The ambulance will be here before then." I could hear the ambulance in the distance. "You won't be working much longer, lady. I'll make sure of that." I ended the call as Embry ran outside to make sure they got the right house.

Seconds later, three EMT's were surrounding my mom, asking questions, doing checks, tests and then bundling her into the back of an ambulance.

"Evie, go get your insurance details - I'll lock up. Meet you back in the truck okay?"

I was glad he told me what to do, it helped me get my brain into gear. I went into Mom's room and got our insurance details and started packing an overnight bag. I didn't know what she'd need - how long was she going to be in there? Would she need her meds or not? I wished there was another adult around, they could help me with this.

I decided to bring her meds, they probably needed to know what she was taking, I probably should watch more medical dramas, Quil loved Grey's Anatomy... I mentally kicked myself at my internal monologue, still stuffing a selection of Mom's things into a bag, I did a mental recap of what I'd packed for her. If I'd forgotten something, I could come back.

On my way out, I glanced at myself in the mirror. I was a mess, mascara ran down my face, I didn't even wear that much. My eyes were puffy and my nose was red. I wiped my tears away and ran out to the truck, locking my front door behind me.

For the first time in my life, I was glad my friend drove like a madman. Right now, we weren't where my unconscious mother was, so we were in the wrong place and we needed to get moving. Even though the ambulance had a head-start, we were right behind it in minutes. It was weird to think that just metres ahead, my mom was in an ambulance, heading to hospital.

It was like a weird déjà-vu, this time seven years ago, me and my dad were in the same position. Later that day, she was diagnosed with the very same illness that had her in the ambulance again.

A year after that, my dad decided he couldn't cope with a small child and a wife with a degenerative illness. He did the only thing a cowardly man like him could, he left us both without a backwards glance. Six years on, I still haven't heard from him. I think about him sometimes, wonder why he thought a kid could cope better than him. Sometimes, briefly, I wish he'd taken me with him, but then I realize that I need Mom just as much as she needs me. She's my family, along with the boys. Given the chance, I'd never leave her.

I was still lost in these thoughts about 25 minutes later when we started passing signs for Forks Community Hospital. Weird how this journey was the polar opposite to the one I shared with Embry earlier. It's strange, the things you think about in times like these.

Once we passed subway, I knew we were close so I grabbed Mom's stuff from the floor and put my shoes back on. "Em, is it okay if I hop out and-"

"Yeah, I'll park up, you sort everything out. I'll find you okay?"

"Thanks," I placed my hand on his quickly and got ready to open the door and do ... god knows what.