Hi, everyone! I realize it's been two and a half years since I last updated and I apologize for that! So much has happened since Jan. 2020. A pandemic, ICU training at work, I became a certified pediatric nurse, and now I'm in a pretty serious romantic relationship. Life looks much different than it did, but I am still committed to finishing this story. I don't know when it'll be finished, but I've got a few more stories to edit and post, so we'll see! Enjoy the end of the trip to Disney and I'll see you the next time I post, which will hopefully be sooner than two years from now :)
The first night in the hotel went as good as it could have, I think. We played in the pool until dinner, Dada anxiously watching as I helped Al out of the pool. There's a restaurant at the resort as well as room service, so as we got all wrapped up in towels, Dad asked what we wanted. We were all really tired from the drive and being at the pool all afternoon, so we all agreed to order to the room. All six of us went back up to the room together and ordered food. It got to the room, we ate, and we watched Disney movies while we ate. Since we were all so tired, we all took showers after the movie and were in bed before ten thirty. Al and I slept okay last night, especially compared to the hotel in Georgia. Dada was worried I'd try to sleepwalk, so instead of sleeping on the edge of the bed like I did in Georgia, Dada had me sleep in between him and Al. I remember being in the living room last night and Dad walking me back to bed, so I guess I did sleepwalk. I don't know. Anyways, everyone slept well and now we're getting ready to actually go to the park. We're going to the Magic Kingdom today. I think we're planning on spending the whole day there. I'm a little nervous about going, but I'm mostly excited. I'm sitting on the bed, watching Dada finish packing Al's backpack. Al's watching, too, sitting next to me on the bed.
"Where are we going?" Al asks.
"The Magic Kingdom," Dada answers with a grunt, putting the backpack on. "Isn't that exciting?" Al nods.
"Yeah," he agrees.
"Did you pack Alphie's autograph book?" I ask. Dad nods.
"I sure did," he answers. Dada pauses and takes something out of Al's backpack. My brow furrows and I look at it. It looks like a ring box.
"What's that?" I question.
"Do you two remember the conversation we had a little while ago about how I wanted to ask Lucy to marry me?" Dad asks. I nod. Oh, I remember that conversation. Let's say it didn't go well at first. When he first brought it up, I got scared. I was angry. All I could think about was how the last time he got married, Al and I got abused. I was scared that we would somehow forget about Mom if Dada married Lucy. I snapped at him. I screamed at him for ten minutes and stormed up to my room. After I calmed down, I actually thought about it for a while. I really like Lucy and I had thoughts that I wouldn't mind if Dad married her. I think she's a good fit for our family and I think she'll be a good stepmom for me and Al. I told Dada that and he hugged me. He said he wasn't gonna do it unless Al and I were okay with it. That made me feel better 'cause to me, it means he's learned from his mistakes. We didn't want him to marry her but he never asked us before he got engaged and never made sure we were really okay with it. The fact that he did meant a lot to me and Al. I nod, Al shaking his head next to me.
"Yeah," I answer.
"I don't," Al says.
"I talked to you two about how much I loved Lucy and wanted her to join our family," Dada explains. "You were a little upset at first, but you both said that you were okay with it. I remember you told me how much you loved her, Al."
"Hmm," Al hums, "I think I remember now."
"I want to show you both something," Dada says, opening the box. I gasp, leaning far over to get a better look at it.
"Oh, wow," I breathe. Inside the box is an engagement ring. It's silver with two bands that cross over each other near the big diamond. One of the bands that crosses over the other has smaller diamonds all over it, each one catching the light of the hotel room and shining brightly. The center diamond is a big one, cut into a circle shape. Al and I stare at it for a second before Al looks up at Dad.
"Did you pick this out yourself?" Al asks.
"I did," he replies warmly. "What do you think?"
"It's really pretty," I comment. "I think Lucy will like it a lot."
"Yeah, a lot," Al agrees.
"I didn't know you had such good taste in rings," I tell him, looking at him. "Mama's ring was so plain. Pretty, but simple, you know?" We keep Mom's ring in a shadow box in our living room. The shadow box has pictures and some other stuff in it that meant a lot to her. When I was a kid, I'd look at the shadow box all the time. I loved looking at the ring the most. It was like a physical memento of Mom and Dad being married or something.
"Well, I was pretty broke when I proposed to Mom," Dada chuckles. "I was still in grad school back then. Your mother loved that ring, though."
"Yeah, but she loved you more, Daddy," Al comments cheerfully. Dad smiles warmly and kisses Al's hair.
"She sure did, Alphie," Dad replies.
"Are you gonna ask her to marry you, like, today?" I question excitedly.
"I was thinking so," Dad replies. "I was hoping to do it after dinner, in front of the castle. I just hope I don't chicken out."
"You can't chicken out!" I cry. "I won't let you, Dad. If you chicken out, I won't talk to you ever again." Dad laughs at me and I glare at him. I mean it, you know.
"Ever again?" He questions lightly and I roll my eyes, crossing my arms.
"Fine," I grumble. "The rest of the trip, then."
"Can you boys promise to keep this secret?" Dad asks.
"Uh, duh!" I cry. "Of course we can!"
"I won't tell anyone, Dada, promise," Al adds.
"I don't know how I can focus on the park now, though," I inform him lightly. "All I'll be able to think about is you getting on one knee. How are you gonna ask her? Better not be anything generic or cliché."
"Now you're going to rate my proposal?" Dad chuckles. "I didn't realize you were such a critic."
"I'm the biggest one there is," I tell him. "D'you know what you're gonna say?"
"I do, but I think I'll kept that to myself since you're a big critic," Dada says and I pout.
"C'mon, please?" I beg, Dad putting the ring box back in Al's backpack.
"You'll find out," Dad says, and I groan. Ugh, how does he expect me to have fun today with that hanging over my head? I just wanna know, damn it! I don't know why I do, but I do! Guess I'll have to let it go. I don't know how to do that, but I'll have to figure it out 'cause I don't think Dada's gonna tell me.
"Fine, fine," I mumble. "You win. But you better ask her today or I'll seriously never talk to you again."
"That's fair," Dad laughs. I roll my eyes again, a smile on my face and Dad goes on, "Ready to eat breakfast? Granny ran to the store last night and picked up some things."
"Sure," I say, getting off the bed. I help Al and hold his hand, walking him out of the bedroom. Winry, Lucy, and Granny are already eating, Winry looking out the big window in the living room. I wanna tell Winry so bad that Dada's gonna propose to Lucy today, in Disney World! I honesty can't think of anything cooler. I am so excited that my anxiety is actually quiet for once. I'm sure once we get to the park and I see all the people my anxiety will come back, but right now I'm just excited for everything that's gonna happen today. I just can't tell anyone what Dada has planned. It's kinda cool to keep a fun secret that like, though. It feels like it's just me who knows since Al probably won't remember by the time it actually happens and that's also kinda cool.
"You can totally see the pool from our room," Winry comments, forcing me out of my thoughts.
"Nice," I say, rummaging through what Granny bought 'til I find something I want. I'm trying not to obsess over what Dad told me. I wanna have fun and enjoy Disney and not get hung up on one detail. I tend to do that, though. I always get hung up on small things, good or bad, and I hate that my brain works that way. I can never see the big picture. Well, I can, but it's hard for me when I'm obsessing over little things. That's my OCD. I have OCD anxiety disorder and I've had it for a long time. At least, I think I have. Even as a little kid, I'd obsess over small things and get so anxious and upset until I'd do something repetitive to calm down. I got diagnosed after the abuse, but I really do think I've had it along time. It sucks, maybe more than my generalized anxiety does.
"Want some oatmeal with strawberries, Al?" Dada asks. Al shrugs.
"I'm not really hungry," Al replies.
"You need to try to eat something," Granny tells him from the couch. "We're going to be in the park all day. You'll need your energy."
"The park?" Al questions, forgetting where we're going.
"The Magic Kingdom," Lucy answers.
"Oh, wow," Al says excitedly. "Okay, I'll try to eat so I can go." Dad pats his head and I grab a muffin. I start eating it, Dada microwaving Al's oatmeal. He waits for it to cool off before putting the fruit on top and giving it to him. Al feeds himself a few bites before deciding he's full. Dada manages to feed him a couple more bites before handing him his cup with a shake in it. We all put sunscreen on, and Al gets in his wheelchair, sipping on his shake. I'm practically vibrating with excitement. It almost doesn't feel real. I don't think it will until I'm actually standing there.
We walk to a bus stop and get on. So far, Disney sorta feels like its own little town. There's Disney Springs, which is a place with restaurants and shopping, the resort and apartments where the college kids in the college program live, the parks, and the transportation system. The bus is taking us to the monorail station and the monorail is this huge train-thing that connects all the parks. It's pretty incredible. It takes a few minutes, but we make it to the monorail station. People and families are everywhere. It's getting really crowded and loud and I'm starting to feel anxious. I swallow hard and follow everyone off the bus, Dad helping Al back into his wheelchair. People are staring. I can feel their eyes on us. I know they're looking at Al, but I know my leg is drawing some attention. I inch closer to Dada and he pats my back. We walk up toward the monorail, waiting for the next train. I feel someone bump into me and look over. It's a little boy. He smiles at me, his eyes drifting to my leg. His eyes widen and he loudly says,
"What's wrong with your leg?"
"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry," a woman says, hurrying over to us. She grabs the kid, so I figure this is his mom. I blush a little and look down at the ground.
"No harm done," Dad replies lightly. I glance at the kid who looks upset. I sigh and squat down in front of him.
"My leg's fake," I explain. "I lost it when I was younger 'cause it got so hurt that it wasn't gonna get better. It helps me walk and stuff."
"Oh," the kid says. "It's kinda cool."
"I think it's pretty cool, too," I tell him with a grin, standing up. His mom smiles at me before guiding him away.
"You handled that really well," Dada comments. I shrug.
"He's a little kid," I reply. "He didn't mean anything by it." I glance around, adults staring at me and I mumble; "I could do without the grown-ups staring, though." Al tugs on my arm and I look down at him.
"What are they staring at, Brother?" Al asks me. I sigh; it's not just me people are looking at. They're definitely starring at Al, too. A skinny kid in a wheelchair draws eyes. It's gross and people shouldn't stare, but they do. Al's oblivious to that stuff right now for the most part, but he'll get really embarrassed when I tell him it's us they're all staring at. A couple of freakshow kids getting on the monorail.
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart," Dada says gently. "All that matters is we're getting on the monorail to go to The Magic Kingdom." Al's brow furrows. He looks at me, eyes drifting down to my leg, before glancing down at his lap.
"Oh," he says simply. "I, uh, I guess… I guess they're staring at us, huh?" I grimace and nod.
"Yeah," I answer. Al sniffles a little, Dada patting his head.
"Try to ignore them, Al," Granny tells him. "Your father's right. What matters is how much fun we're about to have."
"Where are we going?" Al asks, the monorail pulling up.
"We're going to The Magic Kingdom today," Winry says eagerly. "We made it to Disney World, remember?" Al shakes his head.
"No, but that's really exciting!" Al replies excitedly. "I sorta wanna go to Epcot."
"We're going to Epcot tomorrow," Dada tells him. "How does that sound?" Al nods.
"It sounds good," he answers. "The… The, uh, The Magic Kingdom is the one with, um, with the castle and Space Mountain, right?"
"You got it," Lucy confirms. Al looks around, confusion on his face.
"So, ah, where are we now?" Al asks.
"The monorail station," Dada explains, pushing him on to the monorail train. "We have to take the monorail to get to the different parks while we're here. Disney World's a pretty big place."
"It is," Al agrees. We all get on the monorail, and I sit by the window so I can see the castle as soon as we're close enough. Lucy told me you can see the castle from the monorail when you get close to The Magic Kingdom. I wanna see it. It still doesn't feel real. Like, yeah, the hotel has Disney characters everywhere and we're on the monorail, but the actual parks feel like they aren't really out there for some reason. I don't know how to explain it. It's like this whole thing is some distant dream. It sorta is. When I was a little kid, I always dreamed of doing this. I always wanted to go to Disney World or anywhere, really. I wanted to do all the things I was missing out on. It went deeper than that, though.
It wasn't the fun places or experiences that I really wanted. What I really wanted was to feel safe and loved. I didn't want to get hurt at home. I didn't want to be called names and beaten. As a kid, I equated presents and going fun places with a healthy, functional family. Now that I'm older, I realize it isn't so much about that stuff as it is about just being nice and loving each other. That other stuff usually follows. I'm not saying every healthy, loving family goes to Disney World or anything like that. I know it's expensive and not everyone can afford to do stuff like that. But they can afford to go to the park and play or see a movie or do other fun things together. That's the stuff that matters – just doing stuff together and loving each other. That's what I wanted as a kid. And this all feels like some surreal dream to me. Like, if I look away or don't see the castle that she's gonna show up and tell me we aren't really going. Yeah, it's stupid, but I can't help how I feel. I sigh, trees zipping by as the monorail rushes passed them. I glance down at my lap, anxiety creeping up in me. What if this all isn't real? What if when we get there, Dada doesn't let me go with them? I swallow nervously, staring at my hands when I hear Al gasp.
"Oh, wow," he breathes. My head snaps up and I look out the window again, my breath getting caught in my throat. There it is. I can see it! The castle is both small and big at the same time. It seems like the spires almost touch the clouds, the pretty blue roof tiles catching my eyes. There's so much to look at, I don't think I can take it all in. I press my face up against the window, trying to somehow take all this in. I want this image to be burned in my brain forever.
"Holy cow," I say softly, Dada chucking behind me. I turn back to look at him, a big smile on my face. "It's actually real!"
"Of course it is," Dad laughs. I don't even care that he's laughing at me. I'm just too excited that this place actually exists! I really had my doubts for a second.
"Awesome, awesome!" I cheer. Our monorail car is buzzing with excitement as everyone starts eagerly talking. We're almost there! It's actually happening! My eyes stay glued to the castle in the distance as the monorail train takes a big bend in the track. It slows to a stop and I'm basically vibrating with excitement. I wanna get off this train so we can get in the park. There's so much to see! I wanna see and do it all! The monorail car opens and we file out, the crowd nearly suffocating me. I freeze, my lungs struggling to work. There are so many people. I don't know if I can do it. I'm excited. I wanna go, but I'm so scared. Everyone's staring at me. I know they are. I don't think I can do it.
"Ed, sweetheart, c'mon," Dada encourages. "We need to get off the monorail." I shake my head.
"I-I can't," I say, my voice shaking.
"Sure you can," Dad tells me. "Take a deep breath and take a step. You can do it."
"They're all looking at me," I inform him shakily. "I don't want them to look at me."
"I know they're staring," Dada replies. "I wish they wouldn't, but that's just what people do. They don't know how strong and brave you are, though. You can do it. Do your best to ignore them and focus on me." I swallow hard and take a shaky step out of the monorail. I walk toward Dad, anxiously shaking. I can feel everyone's eyes on me. Not just the strangers, but Granny, Winry, and Lucy. I wanna tell them to stop it, but I don't wanna snap at them. I don't wanna ruin anyone else's time. I make it off the monorail, Dada pulling me into his side. I hide in him for a minute, Dada rubbing my back gently.
"You're okay," Dad says softly. "You're doing so well."
"I'm really anxious," I tell him. Dada nods.
"I know," he replies. "You'll be okay. Focus on the castle or all the things we're going to do today." I nod, glancing down at Al in his chair. He's looking around with wide eyes, thumb-sucking thumb in his mouth. I wish he'd stop sucking his thumb. That's making people stare at us more. I won't say anything, though. If I do, it'll set him off and he'll be crying for hours and I don't want that. I'll keep my mouth shut.
"Daddy," Al says anxiously. "What are we doing?"
"We're going to The Magic Kingdom," he answers.
"You three ready?" Granny asks, arms crossed.
"Yes," Dad answers. The six of us walk out of the monorail station and to the main entrance. Dada's backpack has all of Al's stuff as well as our hotel keycards, sunscreen, wallets, and stuff like that. It gets checked before we go in and someone in our group, I'm honestly not sure who 'cause I'm so overwhelmed, anxious, and excited all at the same time, mentions how it's me and Al's first time visiting Disney World. The staff are super friendly and give us buttons that go on our shirt that say it's our first visit. They even gave Dad one since he's never been, either. We walk through the main gate, a pretty garden with Mickey Mouse's face greeting us as we walk in.
"Stand over there for a couple quick pictures," Dada instructs. We do, Al getting up out of his chair to stand with us. At first, the adults take pictures with just me, Al, and Winry, but soon all of us are standing together, a Disney World employee taking a couple pictures for us. After that, we head to the guest relations building to get our disability passes. Since Al's in a wheelchair, we get special accommodations like using the exit to enter for rides and stuff. Dada gets all that paperwork and once he's done, we actually are finally ready to go into the park.
Our morning in the Magic Kingdom is busy. We started off walking down Main Street USA, which is, like, the first area of the park. It has lots of shops and stuff to look at, so we took our time looking at everything, trying to take everything in. There's so much to see here and I'm scared I won't be able to see everything. Dad got a map and we looked at it, Al's eyes glued to the castle standing behind us the whole time. Lucy was snapping pictures and Granny made suggestions on where to go first and what to ride. We decided to go to Adventureland first and just make our way around the park. It's essentially one giant circle, so it's easy to go from area to area. Granny also felt like Adventure Land has some easier rides that will make it easier for Al and me to get into. Al and I haven't been to a theme park since Dada took us to Six Flags when we were little, the rides did make me a little nervous at first. We walked to Adventure Land and rode some gentle rides, my favorite being Pirates of the Caribbean. Al was having a lot of fun, too, which was awesome to see. We took a bathroom break and now, we're in Frontierland.
Frontierland has a rollercoaster and Splash Mountain. I'm a little nervous to ride both of them 'cause they're really tall and seem fast. The only rollercoasters I've ever been on have been pretty gentle and small since I was so little when I went to Six Flags. We walk to the entrance to Splash Mountain, Al leaning over in his chair to see it. Winry talks to him about the ride as I look nervously up at the part where the boat goes crashing down the waterfall at the end. It looks scary. I'm not sure I wanna ride the big rides after all. Dada's talking to Lucy and Granny about some thing and I walk over, grabbing Dad's arm.
"Ready to ride, Ed?" Dada asks me, Winry pushing Al back over to us. I swallow nervously and shake my head.
"I… I don't know," I answer anxiously. "That's a really big ride."
"It's really fun," Winry encourages. "You'll like it." I eye the ride nervously, shaking my head and twisting my shirt in my hands.
"It looks sorta scary," I comment.
"It's not scary," Lucy tells me. "It is tall, but the ride itself isn't scary. It has cute animals everywhere and it's slow at first. You'll like it, I promise."
"Maybe Al and me will skip this one," I suggest, Al gasping loudly.
"No!" Al cries instantly. "I wanna ride! It looks fun. I wanna sit with you, Ed." Oh, great. My baby brother's braver than I am. That's embarrassing. I blush and swallow hard.
"Um, okay," I agree reluctantly.
"We're doing Big Thunder Mountain Railroad next, right, Granny?" Winry asks as we all head to the exit.
"Sure," Granny answers. "Then we can do Tom Sawyer Island." I listen nervously, Dada adding in,
"Are we going to make it to Fantasy Land in time for our lunch reservations?"
"I think we should," Granny says. "It's not quite eleven yet and our reservations are for twelve thirty."
"Are we doing the Royal Table or Be our Guest?" Winry asks and I'm totally lost. I look at the map and realize they're talking about restaurants, not rides. I feel really dumb. I've never been here before, so I don't always know what they're talking about. I also feel like a big baby 'cause I'm scared of the big rides while Al is all excited to try them. I wonder if Al didn't have the TBI if he'd be this excited to ride. Part of me thinks he wouldn't be. I don't know. We walk through the exit, people looking at us but mostly at Al. I think if Al were walking, all eyes would be on me 'cause of my leg. Since he's in his chair, though, everyone looks at him as they walk by. I get more and more nervous as we get closer and we finally get to the ride. The attendant lets us in and helps us get on the log boat thing, Dada lifting Al up and putting him next to me.
"Hold on to him," Dad instructs. I nod and wrap an arm around Al's.
"I will," I say. I have no plans of letting go. I'm holding on to him 'cause I'm scared. I feel Dad get into the boat behind me and glance behind me. The boats hold lots of people. Dada and Lucy are in the seat behind us, the Granny and Winry behind them. Winry smiles at me and I grin weakly at her, turning around and facing the front. The attendant tells us to stay seated and all that shit and I gasp as the boat moves. We're in a dark tunnel, moving toward the light from outside.
"Look, Brother, water," Al says, looking over the side. I look, water rushing against the side of the boat-log.
"Uh-huh," I reply nervously. The boat turns and I swallow as I see us coming toward a hill. I didn't think the drop was happening already! I start breathing heavy, bracing myself, when the boat gently drops off and splashes. I look around and see we're not going down the big hill, but gently floating forward. Okay, this isn't so bad. I hear people screaming and look to my right, a boat full of people plunging down the big hill.
"Oh, geeze," I mumble, Al looking, too.
"Wow," Al comments, "That's fast."
"Yeah," I say as the log climbs another hill. I know we're not gonna be on the big one for a while, so I let myself relax a little. Banjo music is playing as we float along, and I look at the scenery that's lining the ride. It's pretty impressive. The rock work and stuff is really nice to look at.
"There's a little hill, Ed, coming up," Dad says behind me. "It's practice for the big one." I nod and tighten my grip on Al as the little hill gets closer.
"Are you scared?" Al asks me.
"Uh, yeah," I admit.
"Don't be scared,' Al tells me. "This is a fun ride, I think." I nod, my stomach dropping as we start to go over the hill. I yell a little, holding on to Al as we go down. The yell turns into a laugh, though, as the log reaches the bottom and splashes. This isn't so bad, actually. We get sprayed with water and it feels nice since it's hot outside. Al giggles next to me, pointing at the animatronics as we pass by them. The music is calming me down and the ride is actually really gentle and fun. I think by the time the big hill comes, I won't be so scared.
"These characters are from a movie called Song of the South," Dada tells me. I turn around and make a face at him.
"What's that?" I question. I've never heard of that movie before. "Is that a Disney movie?"
"Sure is," Dada answers. "It's never gotten a home video release, though."
"How come?" I ask.
"Well, it's considered to be pretty racist nowadays," Dad explains. I blink.
"Oh," I reply. "Have you ever seen it?"
"Once," Dad tells me. "They released in in theaters when I was a child. My parents took me. It's fairly cute, but it's definitely has a lot of, well, racist elements to it. I understand why they've never released it." I nod and feel the boat jerk a little. We're climbing up a big hill and my heart's beating fast. I'm scared, but in a good way. It's not bad scary, but fun scary. Is it already time for the big one? We reach the top and I know it's the big one as soon as we start to go down. My stomach drops and Al and I scream as we fly down the hill. It splashes down and we get hit with water, my hair getting soaked. I laugh happily, Al still freaking out a little.
"Hey, it's okay," I tell him. "It's over. Did you get scared?" Al looks at me and nods, his lip trembling.
"Yeah," he whimpers. "That was a big hill."
"I know, but it was a fun ride, wasn't it?" I ask him. Al sniffles and nods, starting to giggle again.
"Yeah," he agrees. "I, uh, I liked the fox and the bear."
"Me, too," I say, Al resting his head on my shoulder. We make it back to the beginning, our stuff waiting for us. Dada picks Al up and puts him in his chair and I get out, Winry hitting my arm.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" She asks me. I give her a look, but I'm smiling.
"Nah, it was fine," I say. "I liked it."
"Then you'll love Big Thunder Mountain," Winry says cheekily.
"That's a rollercoaster, right?" I question.
"Yup, and you're gonna love it," Winry replies confidently. "Let's go!" Winry darts ahead of us, Granny calling,
"Slow down!"
We fit in a lot of rides before stopping to eat lunch. We rode Big Thunder Mountain, which I did like even though I was a little scared at first, went to Tom Sawyer Island, did something called the Country Bear Jamboree (like, what even was that?) which Al liked a lot, went to the Hall of Presidents, did the Liberty Square Riverboat, and Haunted Mansion which was super fun. We also found some characters, like Mickey and Goofy, for Al's autograph book which he was happy about. Now we're in Fantasy Land for lunch, then we'll keep doing rides. We're eating at a restaurant called Be Our Guest for lunch, then we'll come back to eat at Cinderella's Royal Table for dinner. Dad told Al that a lot of the princesses hang out in Fantasy Land, so he's excited to get more autographs. I hope Rapunzel's around here. She's my favorite princess. I like Belle a lot, too, but Rapunzel's my favorite. Dad decides we all should take a bathroom break before lunch, so we do. I finish and wait, trying to sort through my thoughts. I still can't really believe I'm here. Like, yeah, I've ridden the rides and seen the shops and met the characters, but it still doesn't feel real. That and Dada's planning on proposing to Lucy today, so none of this feels real. It feels like a really vivid dream almost, I don't know.
"You okay, Ed? Need some water?" I hear Lucy ask me. I shake my head and look at her, a smile on my face.
"Nah, I'm good," I assure him. "Just zoning out a little. This still doesn't feel real to me. I can't believe I'm actually here."
"Are you having fun?" She asks and I nod.
"Yeah, a lot of fun," I reply, hugging her from the side. She chuckles at me and I hug her tighter. I love her so much. I'm really excited for Dad to ask her to marry her and for her to become part of our family.
"I want to get you and Al something," Lucy tells me. "C'mere for a second." I nod and let go, Lucy guiding me to a stand. I gasp, seeing the Mickey Mouse ear hats that are on every commercial for Disney World that I think every kid dreams of owning.
"Are you serious?" I question excitedly, Lucy nodding.
"I am," she laughs. "How about I get your dad a pair, too? What do you think?"
"Yes, do it," I say eagerly. "I want him to wear them the rest of the trip, even at Sea World." Lucy laughs again and buys us all Mickey Mouse ears. She buys pairs that say the year and that it's our first visit for me, Al, and Dada while she gets some pretty ones with sequins for herself. I put mine on and smile at her, Lucy probably taking an embarrassing picture of me that I'll regret later. I don't really care, though. I'm so happy about these stupid ears that I don't care how many embarrassing pictures Lucy or Dad or Granny take of me. We head back to the bathroom, Winry outside of it.
"Nice ears," she compliments. "I really like yours, Lucy. Can I get a pair, Gran?"
"Sure," Granny replies. "You outgrew the pair we got last time we were here. Let's run and grab some while we wait for Uncle Victor and Al." Winry nods and they hurry over to the shop we were just at. As they walk away, Dada comes back out with Al in his chair, Al looking exhausted. Al usually naps after lunch, but it's gonna be basically impossible for him to nap today.
"Al, guess what?" I say excitedly.
"What?" Al replies in question. "Did you see Belle? I wanna meet her."
"No, not yet," I reply. "Look what Lucy bought for us!" I point to my head, Al now noticing the ears on my head. He gasps and says,
"Wow! I want some!"
"Ta-da!" Lucy cries happily, showing him his ears and putting them on for him. "What do you think, Alphie?"
"I love them," Al says, sounding like he's gonna cry. Lucy hands Dad his pair and looks worriedly at Al as Al starts to cry.
"What's wrong, sweetie? Why are you upset?" Lucy asks.
"I… well, it's just I always dreamed of this happening to me and Brother," Al cries. "It's finally happening and I'm crying happy tears because it's happening. I'm just so happy." Dada smiles warmly at Al and bends down to kiss his hair.
"I'm so happy you're having a good time," Dad tells him. "I'm glad they're happy tears."
"Thanks for the hat, Lucy," Al says happily, trying to dry his eyes. "I love it."
"I knew you would," Lucy replies fondly. "They suit you." Al grins, tears in his eyes, and Lucy snaps a picture of him and me wearing our ears. This still feels like a dream almost, but if I am dreaming somehow, this is probably the best dream I've ever had in my whole life. I hope it never ends if it is a dream.
We ate lunch and spent a lot of time in Fantasyland after. There were a lot of good rides there, like the teacups and small world. Al seemed to really like Fantasyland. We even ran into Rapunzel, which was awesome! The lady pretending to be her was super cool and she signed my ears since I didn't have anything for her to sign. After Fantasyland, we went to Tomorrowland. We've done basically everything in Tomorrowland except Space Mountain. We've saved it for last. After that, we'll take a bathroom break and head to Cinderella's Royal Table for dinner. But, before that, Dada's gonna ask Lucy to marry him. I'm really excited for that, but it's hard to be excited when Al's so whiny. He hit a wall and is tired and over it. He usually naps after lunch and that obviously couldn't do that today, so now he's really cranky. We're walking toward Space Mountain now, Al whining a little.
"It's hot," he whines. "Can we go home now?"
"Not yet," Dad tells him. "Do you want to ride another rollercoaster with us?" Al nods, rubbing his eye with his hand.
"Yeah," he replies. "I'm very tired."
"I know you are," Dada says.
"Tough it out, Al," Granny tells him. "I know you're tired, but we've got dinner and fireworks to do still."
"I don't like fireworks," Al whines loudly. "They're too loud."
"God, Al, shut up!" I snap. "We're in Disney World! Could you stop complaining for five seconds?"
"Edward," Dad sighs and I roll my eyes. Of course I'm the bad guy. Good Lord. I can't say anything without becoming the bad guy. "Take a deep breath for me. Al's tired, that's all. You're having fun, aren't you, Alphie?" Al nods, sniffling a little.
"Uh-huh," Al whimpers. "I am. Can I have a drink?"
"Yes, you can," Dada says, handing him the sports bottle we bought at the beginning of the day. I feel bad for snapping at him. I know he's exhausted. I shouldn't be mean to him. I pat his head and say,
"Sorry." Al glances at me and swallows what's in his mouth.
"For what?" He asks me and I smile at him. One of the only good things about his TBI is that when I'm mean to him, he usually doesn't remember. It's good 'cause I hate hurting his feelings, so if he forgets I was mean in the first place then his feelings aren't hurt for very long. It's sorta a double-edged sword, though. I always feel horrible 'cause it was like I know that I was mean to him and he has no clue, so I sorta shoulder it all on my own.
"I snapped at you and I'm sorry," I explain.
"That's okay," Al says. "It's hot, so we're all probably a little cranky." I snort a little.
"You could say that," I reply.
"There's Space Mountain!" Winry cries eagerly. I look, a giant white building looming in front of us.
"What kind of ride is this again?" I ask.
"Um, the best one in the Magic Kingdom!" Winry informs me. "It's an indoor rollercoaster and the whole thing's in the dark. It's so cool!"
"It's in the dark?" I ask nervously. I'm scared of the dark. I mean, not like Al is, but I sorta am. I don't know if I'll like this ride if it's in the dark. Is it too late to chicken out?
"Yeah!" Winry says happily. I swallow nervously and shake my head.
"Hey, uh, Al?" I ask. Al looks up at me and I go on, "Wanna sit this one out?" I hear Winry groan, but I ignore her. I don't really care if she's annoyed. Winry's been here before and knows the rides and stuff. But I've never been here, and I'm scared of some of the big rides. Al frowns, his brow furrowed, and he slowly shakes his head.
"Nuh-uh," Al answers. "I wanna ride this one."
"Oh, okay," I reply, my voice all squeaky. "I'll ride it with you." Al smiles happily at me and I feel Dad put a hand on my back.
"You'll be fine," Dada assures me. "I think you'll like this one."
"I'll be okay if I sit with Al, I think," I say.
"You can hold my hand," Al tells me seriously. I grin at him, Al smiling happily back at me.
"Thanks, Alphie," I reply. "You'll make me feel brave."
"Yeah an' you make me brave, Brother," Al says. "Um, what kinda ride is it again?"
"It's an indoor rollercoaster," Winry reminds him. "It's super cool, you both are gonna really like it."
"It's… it's inside?" Al questions with a furrowed brow. Winry nods and Al goes on, "Um, I didn't know they could build rollercoasters inside."
"Dude, there are rollercoasters inside of malls," Winry chuckles. "You can build them basically anywhere."
"Wow, that's cool!" Al cries excitedly. "Dada, can we go to a mall with a rollercoaster in it?" Dad chuckles at him and pats his head.
"Maybe someday," Dad tells him. "Lucy's been to a mall with a rollercoaster in it, haven't you?" Lucy nods, Al's wide eyes landing on her as we make our way through the exit.
"I sure have," Lucy replies. "Up in Minnesota. There's a whole mini theme park in that mall. It's the Mall of America and I've visited a couple times with my mom and sisters. We can go sometime, okay?"
"Okay," Al replies happily. We walk to the ride, my heart beating hard and fast. I'm scared of this one since it's in the dark. Does it go upside down? I've never been on a ride that goes upside down before.
"Winry," I say quietly, Winry looking at me. "Does this one go upside down?" Winry smirks at me and shrugs, my cheeks going pink.
"I don't know," she teases. "Guess you'll have to ride it to find out." I glare at her.
"I know you know," I state.
"I do know, but I'm not gonna tell you," Winry informs me. "I don't want you to chicken out."
"I won't!" I cry indignantly. "I just wanna, you know, know what I'm getting myself into."
"Can you two not biker for five minutes?" Granny asks sourly. "We're almost to the loading dock, so if anyone's backing out, do it now." I cross my arms.
"I'm not going anywhere," I tell her. "I'm riding with Al."
"Yeah, he's riding with me," Al agrees happily. We get to the ride and Dada flashes our papers that let us get on through the exit. We don't wait very long before they take us to a train, and we get on. I get in, Dad helping Al in next to me.
"Hold Brother's hand if you get scared," Dada instructs Al, though I'm not positive he's actually telling Al that.
"Okay," Al replies and I nod along since I'm pretty sure that Dad was talking to me, not Al. He smiles at us both and gets in behind us, Al looking around.
"Looking for something?" I ask him lightly.
"Um, no, just looking," Al answers. "It's cool in here." There's a blacklight, cool colors all over the room. There's music outta some cheesy old movie playing, really keeping us in the "we're in space" mode. Disney's been really good at that. Dada says it's emersion and it's one of the things Disney's known for.
"Looks sorta like a space station, doesn't it?" I say. I'm trying to think about what's gonna happen after the ride's over, so I don't get too freaked about what the ride's gonna be like. After the ride's over, Dada's gonna propose to Lucy. I'm trying to think about that instead of the ride.
"When are we going to Epcot?" Al asks me.
"Tomorrow," I answer, Al nodding.
"Oh, good," Al says. "I'm very excited about that. What's the name of the golf ball thing again?"
"Oh, shoot, Space Station Earth, I think," I tell him. "I can't remember, though. I think that's right." The train starts to move slowly, and I hold my breath. I think my heart's gonna explode.
"Where are we going?" Al asks me like we're on a real train or something.
"We're on a ride, remember?" I prompt, Al nodding as we get to a tunnel with flashing blue lights.
"Oh, yeah," Al says. We aren't going fast, but I can feel the train slowly picking up speed as we make a turn. I hear the clicking of a hill, so I know we're going up the first big hill of the ride. It's dark and I'm scared, but I'm a little excited to. Is this how it feels to ride rollercoasters? You're scared but excited at the same time? I guess it is 'cause that's how I've felt all day. There's still music playing as the climbing stops and we drop. It's a smaller hill than I thought. The dark's playing tricks on me, but I get the feeling that's the whole point. I feel the train whip around another turn, Al laughing next to me. I'm glad he's having fun and isn't scared. I put my arms up and feel the train go all directions, planets and other projections zooming by. This is so cool! This might be my favorite ride so far. I laugh as we go down another hill, Al screaming next to me. It's a happy scream, though. A rollercoaster scream. Those are good screams. They don't sound the same as scared ones. The ride ends, and I start clapping. That was too cool.
"What did you think?" Winry asks behind me. I turn around and grin at her.
"That was freaking awesome," I laugh.
"How about you, Al?" Winry asks, Al nodding.
"I liked it a lot," Al says breathlessly. "Can we ride it again?"
"Maybe later," Dada says from behind Winry. "It's time to eat." I grin sheepishly to myself. That's not all it's time for. That's when the anxiety creeps in. What if she says no? What happens then? Well, I know what happens. Dada ends up alone. If she says no, I know why she'll do it. It's 'cause of Al and me. We're too much to handle. I know we are. Dada can hardly handle us and now that Al's sick, that only further complicates everything. God, I want her to say yes. I need her to say yes.
We walk away from Space Mountain together, walking back toward the castle. My heart's beating fast, my palms sweating. Dada's about to ask Lucy to marry him. All I can think about is her saying no. I honestly wouldn't blame her if she did say no. She keeps saying how she wants to be here and how she wants to be involved, but actually having to do it, like, forever, is a totally different thing. Does she know what being here actually means? It means dealing with all the appointments and breakdowns and school stuff. It means dealing with Dad's schedule and how much he works and how crappy of housekeeper he is. It means dealing with everything, good and bad. Can she really handle that? I hope she can, but I have my doubts. I just don't think she really comprehends how hard it actually is and once she realizes how hard it is, she'll bail. I hope that's not what happens, but I'm scared it will be. We get closer, Granny pulling her camera out of her bag.
"Let's get some more pictures of the kids with the castle," Granny suggests.
"I'd also like one of myself and Lucy," Dad says, Granny nodding. I swallow hard, Lucy putting her arm around Dad's waist.
"I'd love that," Lucy tells him, Dada smiling at her.
"Okay, gross," Winry groans, walking past them.
"Let them have their moment," Granny instructs. "Why don't the two of you go first since Winry's in a mood?" Dada chuckles, Winry glaring at Granny.
"I'm not in a mood," she insists. "I just don't like seeing old people PDA."
"Old people?" Lucy questions with a laugh, Winry turning pink.
"You know what I mean," Winry mumbles.
"Are we taking pictures?" Al asks, Granny nodding.
"Yes," Granny answers. "Your dad and Lucy are going take one together without you boys."
"That's good," Al comments. "Dada needs pictures of just him and Lucy, I think. He's got so many of me and Brother."
"I love pictures of you and Brother," Dad informs him, kissing his forehead. "You'll take one with me and Brother in a second." Al nods and Dada takes Lucy to the fence with a good view of the castle. I watch anxiously as Granny takes a picture, Lucy grinning ear to ear next to my dad. Oh, God, here it comes. I hope it ends well. I really do. Dada pulls the ring box out of the backpack, Lucy noticing.
"What are you doing?" She chuckles, Dad grinning at her. He gets down on one knee, Granny, Winry, and Al all gasping. I forgot Winry and Granny didn't know. Al did, but he forgot 'cause he forgets most things now.
"What's happening?" Al asks me excitedly. I smile at him and put a hand on his head.
"Watch, buddy," I encourage. "You'll see."
"No freaking way," Winry mumbles eagerly under her breath as Lucy puts her hands on her face.
"Lucy, there's so much I could say and would like to say to you," Dada begins, his voice shaking. "I've never been very good at saying the right things, but I'm going to do my best. You are the most amazing woman I've meet since I met Trisha. You are intelligent, funny, kind, and you are so good with my boys. You've stuck with us, accepted the good and the bad, and I can see us having a long, happy future together. You have made me happier than I thought I could be. You're the piece my heart was missing when I didn't even know I was missing it. I want to spend the rest of my days with you by my side, trying to make you half as happy as you've made me and my children." I can hear Lucy choke and start to cry as Dada says, "Will you marry me?" Lucy shakes her head and my heart stalls; is she about to reject him?
"You silly man," she cries, sniffling loudly. "Of course I will!" Lucy flings herself on to him, people clapping all around us. Al cheers happily, Winry hugging him from behind.
"Oh, wow," Al says happily as I pat his head.
"Heck yeah!" I cry happily.
"Smooth, Hohenheim," Granny teases, a smirk on her face.
"That was so romantic," Winry swoons. "Whoever I marry better know I have pretty high standards after watching them get engaged in Disney World of all places."
"Boys, come here," Dada invites, tears on his face. "Let's get our first picture together as a family." I nod eagerly and help Al up out of his chair. We walk over, both of us giving him a hug before standing in between him and Lucy.
"Big smiles, boys," Granny instructs, her face obstructed by the camera. I smile as big as my face will allow, Dad's arm around me.
"How was that?" Dada asks me. I look up at him, a smile on his face. "Good enough to keep talking to me?" I glare playfully at him, hugging him tight.
"It was awesome," I inform him happily. Dada hugs me back, Al joining in on the hug. Lucy hugs all of us and I just bask in this moment. I never wanna forget how awesome this feels. We're in Disney World, having so much fun, and my dad asked Lucy to marry him. We're gonna be a real family and it feels so good. I don't think the rest of the trip can live up to this moment and honestly, I don't think I want it to.
We're going to Epcot today. That's the park Al's looked forward to the absolute most. We were exhausted yesterday after spending all day in the Magic Kingdom. After Dada got engaged, we had dinner, rode the rides we hadn't gotten to yet, and watched the fireworks at the end of the night. Al managed to stay awake for the fireworks but fell asleep way before we made it back to the monorail station. It feels like a dream, honestly. Everything that happened yesterday still feels like a dream I had, even though I know it actually happened. We had so much fun and I'm excited to go to Epcot today. I know very little about Epcot. I know about the Space Station Earth thing, and I know there are lots of areas that are like countries, but that's about it. I'm excited to see what Epcot's like. We're eating breakfast, Granny moving the pictures she took yesterday off the camera and on to her laptop. Lucy's watching, Dada helping Al eat.
"That's a good one of Ed and Al," Lucy comments. "Look how cute they are with their mouse ears."
"I like that one, too," Granny agrees. "And here's a good one of all three kids. I can't wait to add some of these to my corkboard at home. Hohenheim, you'll have to look through these and pick out any you'd like to have framed." Dad nods, wiping Al's face.
"I'll do that," he replies.
"Can I look at them, too?" Al asks.
"Of course you can," Dada says warmly, "I'd love your help. You and Brother can help me pick out the best of the best."
"I'd like that," I add.
"I definitely want one of those photos of Lucy's reaction to my proposal," Dad decides. "I'd also like one of the four of us."
"Those all turned out good," Granny says. "You'll have to remind me later because I'm going to forget after a couple hours in the park."
"Park?" Al questions.
"We're at Disney," Dada prompts, Al's eyes growing wide.
"Epcot!" Al cries eagerly, pushing his food away. "I'm done eating. We gotta get there! I've been waiting for, like, ever to see Epcot!"
"We know," Dad chuckles. "It's not open quite yet, though, so let's try to finish breakfast."
"I'm done," Al repeats. "Can we get on that train thing and wait? Please?"
"Hold your horses," Granny instructs with a laugh. "We can head to the monorail when I'm done moving these pictures over. How's that?" Al nods, Dad patting his head.
"That gives us time to get ready," Dad says. "We need to go potty and get sunscreen on."
"Yeah, I, uh, think I gotta go," Al says, struggling to get up from the chair. I blink at him – he hasn't said that since he got his brain injury.
"Wait, really?" I question, baffled.
"Yeah, uh-huh," Al answers. "Help me up, Dada, please."
"Here," Dad says, helping Al up. "Let's go, sweetie. Ed, while we're gone, put sunscreen on."
"Yeah," I say, taking a drink of my orange juice. "I will." Dad smiles at me and helps Al back to our room, Winry walking over to me.
"He's getting better," Winry comments.
"Slowly, but yeah, he's getting there," I agree. "I just hope he's better by the time school starts. Like, how's he gonna survive if he still needs to take a two-hour nap in the middle of the day?"
"He's got that IEP thing," Winry reminds me. "I mean, I don't think it'll let him take that long of a nap, but according to your dad and Granny, it'll accommodate him as much as possible."
"I thought that was just for tests and stuff," I say.
"It is, but there's more involved than that," Lucy tells me. "Because he's so physically weak, there's other things they have done to help him. Even if he doesn't need his wheelchair, they've given him access to the elevator so he doesn't need to take the stairs and they've allotted him some rest time during the school day should he need it."
"Oh, that's cool," I say. "I didn't know all of that was happening, too. Maybe school won't be so bad for him after all."
"I think the school part is gonna be fine," Winry comments, crossing her arms. I frown and she goes on, "It's the kids I'm worried about."
"Right," I sigh, standing up. "We'll just have to beat them all up if they say a word to him."
"I'm with you," Winry says seriously, Granny groaning from the couch.
"Don't you two start a fight club," Granny states. "Your father, Ed, doesn't want you getting into trouble and starting a fight with anyone who looks at Al funny would definitely get you into trouble." I glare at her, Winry rolling her eyes.
"We aren't gonna start a fight club, Gran," Winry argues. "We're just going to beat the crap out of anyone who tries to start anything with Al. There's a difference."
"Good luck convincing the school or Hohenheim of that difference," Granny mumbles, Winry handing me sunscreen.
"I'll just have to spend the rest of the summer coming up with differences, then," Winry says and I nod along.
"I'll help," I say, rubbing sunscreen on my arms. I hear Dada helping Al out of the bedroom and turn around. Al's smiling a little, Dada helping him sit down on a chair.
"Nearly ready?" Dada asks me.
"Still putting sunscreen on, but yeah," I answer. "Like, five more minutes."
"Hey, Brother," Al addresses, obviously excited.
"What's up?" I ask, indulging him a little.
"We're going to Epcot today," Al informs me like it's the first time I've heard that. "Dada told me. Isn't that awesome? I've wanted to go for, like, ever!"
"Wow," I enthuse. "That is awesome. What part are you the most excited for? The rides or what?"
"Um, gee, I don't know," Al replies thoughtfully, "I guess… I guess it's the countries. You, uh, you told me that Epcot's got countries to visit and I guess I'm most excited for that."
"I think that's the part I'm most excited for, too," I tell him. "There's rides, but I think the countries are gonna be the coolest part."
"You know, boys, every year Epcot has a food festival in the summer until about November," Lucy tells us. "It's Epoct Food and Wine festival. I've always wanted to go because they have food from all around the world."
"We can go together," Al chirps happily.
"Sure," Lucy agrees. "We'll go together someday. That sounds like a lot of fun."
"I didn't know that happened," Dad says, Lucy smiling at him.
"Oh, it's an annual thing," Lucy explains. "It sounds right up your alley, honey, considering how much international travel you do."
"We'll definitely have to go," Dad decides. "Sounds like fun."
"Can we go now?" Al begs, getting impatient.
"Brother, are you done putting sunscreen on?" Dada asks and I nod.
"Yup, all done," I say, Granny shutting her laptop.
"Let's get a move on," Granny grunts, standing up. "Park opens in half an hour." Al shakily gets up, Dada hurrying to grab him.
"Let's go!" Al cries happily. "We gotta hurry!"
"Hold your horses, kiddo," Granny chuckles. "Park's not going there if we don't get there when it opens."
"Yeah, but I wanna see them open it," Al tells her.
"Let's get in your chair, sweetie," Dada instructs. "Your bag's all packed, Ed just needs to put the sunscreen in it."
"On it," I say, shoving the sunscreen in the backpack and zipping it up as Dada helps Al into his wheelchair. I pick it up and hand it to him, Dada putting it on his back.
"Let's go," Dad says, Al cheering happily as we leave the room and head toward the monorail station.
The ride to Epcot feels like it takes longer than the one to the Magic Kingdom yesterday did. Maybe Epcot is farther away from our hotel than the Magic Kingdom is, I don't know. Or maybe it's the sheer excitement that's making it feel longer. I can't tell if I'm more excited today than I was yesterday. Now that I've seen the Magic Kingdom, actually set foot in a Disney park, I guess I just can't wait to see the rest of it. How could anything top the Magic Kingdom? It was so cool! I mean, I don't expect the other parks to show up the Magic Kingdom, but I'm really excited to see the rest. And, who knows, maybe Epcot is better than the Magic Kingdom. Guess I won't know until I see it. But for real, the monorail is definitely moving slower than yesterday. I can feel it. I shift a little, Al's face pressed up against the window of the train. He's clearly waiting to see the golf-ball thing at the entrance of the park. Lucy says it's actually a ride called Space Station Earth. I always thought it was just, like, a weird statue or something.
"Do you boys know the history of Epcot?" Dad asks, breaking the tense, excited silence. Al shakes his head, though he doesn't look back at Dada.
"Nuh-uh," Al replies.
"The name is an acronym," Dad explains. "It stands for 'Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow'. It was Walt Disney's passion project, you see."
"Really?" I question. "I thought that was Disney Land."
"Well, I suppose Disney Land was, but Epcot was a different kind of project," Dada tells me. "When he first came up with the idea, he wanted it to be a self-sustaining community where people would work and live."
"What happened?" Al asks, now looking at Dad. "People don't live there now, do they?"
"He died and the company wanted to honor him by taking the concept and making it into a second gate for the Florida project," Dada says. "So, while the original concept died with Walt Disney, the spirit of unity and connectedness he envisioned through the community lives on in a way through the world showcase."
"I didn't know that," Al comments, his brow furrowed. "Huh. It's kinda sad that he died b'fore he could make it happen the way he wanted."
"Yeah, but, like, it's still sorta there," I point out. "And, like, everyone goes to see it and enjoy it. So, yeah, it's not a city or whatever, but it still exists."
"I sorta wanna live there," Al tells us. "The Epcot Walt Disney wanted. That'd be so cool!"
"But you'd be in Florida," I say, sorta whining. "You can't live in Florida." Al makes a face at me.
"You'd live with me, Brother," Al informs me. "Like I'd move to Florida without you and Dada." Dad chuckles, patting my back.
"See? Al would have taken us with him to Epcot. No need to worry." Winry snickers at me and I blush, making a face at her.
"Shut up," I grumble, embarrassed.
"You and Al are just gonna live together forever, huh?" Winry teases, Granny elbowing her in the side.
"You leave Ed alone," Granny snaps, though there's no venom in her voice. Al blinks at Winry, a confused look on his face.
"Me and Ed are gonna live together forever," Al informs her. "Why wouldn't we?"
"Oh, don't mind me," Winry dismisses. "I'm just giving him a hard time."
"Al," Lucy addresses, "look out the window, sweetie." Al looks and gasps, giggling excitedly.
"That's it! I see it!" Al cries. "Look, guys! It's Epcot!"
"It sure is," Dada says warmly. "You excited, Alphie?"
"Yeah!" Al says happily. "I've been waiting to see Epcot for, like, ever!" Al's practically vibrating with excitement as the monorail slows to a stop. The doors open and we all hurry out, Al chatting happily about seeing the all the countries. We grab a map, Dada opening it up and looking at it.
"What shall we do first? Space Station Earth? World Showcase?" Dada asks.
"I think if we don't get to the showcase, Al will explode," Granny comments.
"I am gonna explode," Al agrees. "I've waited for, like, ever to see it!"
"Then let's get going," Dad says warmly.
"He's going to love it," Lucy comments. "I think World Showcase is the best part."
"It is, but we're gonna do Test Track, right?" Winry asks.
"We will, don't you worry," Granny assures her. "But Uncle Vic has already determined that Al's not riding that one. Too many sudden starts and stops." I roll my eyes.
"Dad," I groan. "Don't be that way! Al can handle it, can't you, Al?"
"Yup, huh-uh," Al answers, though I doubt he knows what we're talking about. Honestly, I don't either. I have no clue what Test Track is. Well, I know it's a ride, but that's only through context clues. I don't know what kind of ride it is. Al looks up at Dada and goes on, "I can handle anything 'cause I can do hard things."
"See?" I question, pointing at him.
"Yes, Al, you can indeed do hard things, but I don't think a roller coaster with several stops and starts is good for someone with a TBI," Dad explains gently. "It's not like the rides we did yesterday. I don't think it's safe for you to do right now, not that you can't handle it, that's all."
"Oh, okay," Al answers. "That makes sense. Are you gonna hang out with me, Daddy?"
"I sure am," Dada replies warmly. Dad looks forward and says, "Look at the lake, Alphie." Al looks and gasps, bringing his hands to his face.
"Oh, wow, it's so pretty!" Al cries. "Is the World Showcase around the lake?"
"I believe so," Dad mumbles, looking at his map.
"It is," Lucy answers. "All the countries surround the lake. There's a ferry that takes you around the lake, too. Do you want to ride it?"
"Yeah," Al replies. "That sounds like fun."
"Let's go then!" I say excitedly. "Al's been waiting for this for, like, ever! Since we learned we were going to Disney!"
"You're gonna love it," Winry tells him eagerly. "All the different countries are so cool to look at! The ferry is such a good way to look at them all before walking through them." Al nods excitedly and we head over to the World Showcase.
I'm trying to take it all in, but there's so much to look at. The people dressed up like people from the countries. The smells of the food. The sparkling water at the center. The little kids laughing and running around. My dad and Lucy holding hands. Stands of stuff to buy. It's all so much, I don't think I'll be able to see it all even if I spent the whole trip in Epcot. Disney is so much more amazing than I ever imagined and, if I'm being honest, I still really can't believe we're actually here. We board the ferry and it slowly starts to move around the lake. Dad wraps his arm around me and I rest my head on his arm. If someone had told me even a year ag that I'd be in Disney, having fun, I wouldn't have believed them. Going out in public has been such a struggle for me and Al since the abuse ended. It's so scary. There are people, everywhere, and who knows what they'll say. All eyes feel like they're on you, especially when you're a teenage with a fake leg or you're in a wheelchair. And, for me and Al, we're small and we're weird. I know people look at us and that's been so hard for us to get over. But here we both are, in Disney World, and we don't care. We're with our family and we're having fun. A lot of why I'm scared of being in public are pretty much all in my head. I psyche myself up so much and get in my own head way too much. But I'm here. I'm doing it. As silly as might sound, if I'm able to do this, it makes me think I can do anything.
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