Chapter Seven: Suddenly I See
That night Addison was in her hotel room when her cell phone rang. She glanced at the clock and picked up her phone.
"Hello?"
"Aunt Addie?"
"Natalie? Sweetie, are you okay?"
"No I'm fine," She reassured her, "I guess. Were you asleep?"
"No. I just got back from the hospital."-She paused-"Did you need something?"
The line was quiet for a minute and Addison guessed that Natalie was trying to put her thoughts into words.
"Can we talk for awhile?...I mean you said I could call you, and I couldn't sleep…It's just that, I'm kind of tired of being around my friends and family and everyone else all the time. I feel like they don't know what to say to me. Or that they're too worried about me to think of anything else besides the fact that I'm sick…"
Addison's heart went out to her niece. "Oh Nattie, of course. I'm all ears. Um, how's your schoolwork going? Have you finished Catcher in the Rye yet?"
"Yeah. I liked it. My school won't let me get a tutor so Kristin's been bringing homework for me."
"Really? Why?"
"I don't know, something about having to miss so many consecutive days before they'll give you one. I haven't been to school since the week before my surgery! Plus I've missed a lot of days already."
"Wow, that's stupid. At least you're trying to keep up."
"Yeah, I get so bored just sitting around by myself all day while my parents are at work."
"Sure," Addison said sympathetically. "So, how are all your friends?"
"They're good. I feel so out of the loop though. I have no idea what's going on. Kristin's birthday is in a couple weeks and I have to get her something. Everyone's too busy though, I feel bad asking."
"I'll take you."
"What are you talking about?"
"I don't have any surgeries tomorrow and as long as you're up to it, I'll take you shopping. You can get Kristin a present and you won't be alone all day."
"Seriously? That would be fabulous!" Natalie said excitedly.
"I'll pick you up at 12 okay?"
"Okay. I'll call you in the morning if my mom says no."
"Alright. You should get some sleep."
"Yeah, probably. Thank you so much Aunt Addie!"
"Anything for you, Nattie. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye."
"Good night," Addison said and hung up the phone.
At the hospital the next morning, Addison sought out the Chief to tell him that she was talking a few hours off. She found him looking over the OR board.
"Chief," she called to him.
"Addison, what can I do for you?"
"Sir, is it alright if I take a few hours off, from like 11-5? I'm taking Natalie shopping. I think she's been lonely being at home alone during the day, and I wanted to spend some time with her."
He glanced up at the OR board. "As long as you don't have any surgeries today, that's fine. Have one of the interns keep an eye on your patients."
"Thank you, Sir!"
"Have a good time."
Addison managed to convince Bailey to put George in charge of her patients. They gave each one a quick check up and Addison got ready to leave. She grabbed her purse from her office and headed out to the parking lot.
The Giambattistas' home was about twenty minutes outside the city. Unnerved slightly by the silence, she flicked on the radio. The first thing she heard was Tim McGraw's "Live like You Were Dying." She immediately changed the station. She really didn't need to hear that song right now. She heard the familiar beginning chords of "Piano Man" by Billy Joel and was satisfied.
The radio lasted until she pulled into the Giambattistas' driveway. She turned off the ignition, got out of the car and walked up the front steps. Natalie answered the door.
"Hi!" She said stepping aside so her aunt could enter the foyer.
"You seem bright and shiny today," Addison said with a smile.
"I am so excited! I haven't gone anywhere besides church or the hospital in so long! Not that I mind seeing you and Uncle Derek and Meredith and Dr. Karev and Dr. Stevens, but I obviously wish it was for a better reason. You have to see the giant card my friends made for me! It's in my room, come on!" Natalie was talking a mile a minute and for a moment, Addison was reminded of the energetic little girl who couldn't sit still at her and Derek's wedding. She laughed to herself as she followed Natalie up the stairs and down the hall. When they entered Natalie's bedroom, Addison immediately spotted the card. It was a folded piece of lime green poster board with blue lettering that read, "Firefly, You Light Up the World!"
"You have awesome friends," Addison remarked as she read the messages on the inside.
"Yes I do," Natalie grinned fondly, "Come on let's go!"
She grabbed her purse and headed back down the stairs, closely followed by Addison. After Natalie locked the front door, they went out to the car, got in and buckled their seatbelts. Addison backed out of the driveway and drove toward the highway.
"You can change the radio station, if you want," Addison told her.
"Ooh! Do you mind if I hook up my iPod?"
"Go for it."
Natalie took her iPod out of her purse and plugged it into the stereo. Josh Turner's song "Your Man" began to play.
"Ah, I love this song! Do you know it?" Natalie asked excitedly.
"Indeed I do. Josh Turner is a fine specimen of a man."
"Here, here!" Natalie laughed, "Let me find something else that we can sing along to. What do you like?"
"I like everything. Do you have 'Our Song?"
"Of course!" Natalie found the song and turned the volume up.
She started to sing along with much gusto, and after a few lines Addison joined in. They sang with such great enthusiasm that Addison could hardly hear Taylor Swift over their own voices. She laughed to herself as the song ended.
"Whenever Lauren and I hear that song we always sing along at the top of our voices," Natalie explained.
Addison laughed. "You pick now."
Natalie thought for a moment before making her selection. When the song began to play she grinned at Addison and began to sing along, "Love and marriage, love and marriage. They go together like a horse and carriage. This I'll tell you, brother, you can't have one without the other."
Addison joined in for the next verse. "Love and marriage, love and marriage," They sang, "It's an institute you can't disparage. Ask the local gentry and they will say it's elementary. Try, try, try to separate them. It's an illusion. Try, try, try, and you will only come to this conclusion. Love and marriage, love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage. Dad was told by mother, you can't have one without the other. You can't have one without the other. You can't have one without the other."
"Why do I feel like you're trying to tell me something?" Addison asked when the song ended a few minutes later.
"I think you're being paranoid."
Addison ignored this remark and pulled into the mall's parking lot. "So, where do you want to go?"
"Um, Macys, I guess. Then maybe American Eagle or Aéropostle or something."
"You got it."
Addison parked in an empty space and they got out of the car and headed toward the entrance. Once inside, Natalie headed straight for the Juniors' department. When Addison caught up with her, Natalie was completely distracted by the dress display.
"Ooh, Aunt Addie, can I try this one on?" She asked, holding up a floor length blue prom dress.
Addison consented, knowing full well that dress shopping was a frequent pastime of Natalie and her friends, and that it would probably sidetrack Natalie for hours. "Go for it."
"Thank you! I'll be quick, I promise. I just want to try on this blue one and a couple others."
Together, they browsed the other dresses on the rack. Addison held up a pale yellow strapless dress with a full skirt. "Oh, Nattie, look at this one! You have to try it on. You'll look so pretty!"
"It's yellow! That makes me so happy! I'll definitely try it on. This green one too, I think," She said holding up an emerald green dress.
Addison followed Natalie to the dressing room and waited while her niece tried on the yellow. When Natalie emerged in the blue dress, Addison was taken aback at how thin she looked. Her collar bone protruded dangerously from her body and the dress hung loosely off of her body. Her skin looked washed out and pale against the yellow.
"What do you think?" Natalie asked. "I love the dress but it looks horrible on me. Plus it's strapless so I'd never be allowed to wear it."
"Yeah, I've got to agree. You don't have the right skin tone for it."
Natalie retreated to the fitting room. This time, she had on the blue dress.
"Ooh, Nat, you look beautiful. I love the color! It really brings out your eyes."
Natalie contemplated her reflection in the three-way mirror. "Maybe I'll get it for prom, if I go. Will you take a picture so I can show my mom?"
"Of course." Natalie handed Addison her cell phone and Addison took a shot of the front and one of the back of the dress.
After discovering that the green dress was too low cut for any prom, Natalie changed back into her jeans and sweatshirt and she and Addison went back out to the store. They headed back over to the Juniors' section and began to look through the clothing racks.
"What does Kristin like?" Addison asked.
"Something modest, nothing too flashy. Probably blue or green or pink or yellow."
Addison held up a yellow and white striped v-neck top. "How about this?"
"Yeah! That's perfect! How much is it?"
Addison glanced at the price tag. "Um, fifteen dollars. Do you want to get it?"
"Yeah, and I want to look for a purse for her too."
"Okay."
They headed over to the purse department. While Natalie browsed the tables, she began to dance along to the music that was playing throughout the store. The song ended and the familiar chords of "Footloose" began.
"Come on, Aunt Addie! Dance with me!"Natalie said, dropping her purse and the yellow shirt on the carpet and grabbing her Aunt's hands. Addison laughed and spun her out and back in.
When the song ended, they both stopped to catch their breath. In the process, Natalie began to cough. She clutched the table for support while her coughing fit continued. Worried, Addison leaned over her and rubbed her back.
"Sweetie, Nattie? Are you okay? Can you breathe?"
Natalie nodded as the coughing subsided, carefully taking one shuddering breath after another. She looked weakly up at her Aunt.
"Aunt Addie, I don't feel well," She said, her voice trembling.
Addison's heart melted. "Oh sweetie, I know. Do you want to go home?"
"In a minute," She said, pointing to the purses, "I just want to pick one of these."
Addison silently watched as she chose a black leather one with cherries on it. Together, they walked over to the service desk. Natalie placed her purchases on the counter and protested when Addison tried to hand the cashier her credit card.
"Aunt Addie, it's for my best friend's birthday. You are not paying."
"Fine," She sighed, "but you have to get well enough to go to prom because I'm going to buy you that dress. Okay?"
Natalie gave her a small smile as they left the store. "Deal."
When they reached the car, Addison placed the shopping bag in the backseat and retrieved her stethoscope.
Natalie rolled her eyes when she saw what Addison was holding. "Why do you even have that in your car?"
"For times like these. Now be quiet, I want to listen to your breathing."
"Well?" Natalie said after a minute.
"When I get back to the hospital, I'm going to talk to the Chief and try to get your treatment started sooner."
"That bad, huh?"
Addison sighed and started the car. "Well, it's certainly not good."
Twenty minutes later, Addison pulled into the Giambattistas' driveway. She helped Natalie out of the car and into the house. Natalie immediately curled up on the couch.
"Nattie, what hurts?"
She made a face. "My chest mostly. I ate some breakfast earlier and it's kinda bothering my stomach, but that happens pretty much whenever I eat…I don't know, I just don't have a lot of energy, you know?"
Addison nodded. "Do you want a drink or anything?"
"Maybe some water."
"Okay," She said, heading into the kitchen. She filled a glass with water and brought it back to Natalie, who took a sip and placed it on the coffee table.
"Do you have to go back to work soon?
"Probably. Are you going to be alright?"
Natalie glanced at the clock. It was already 2:30. "Yeah, I'll be okay. I'm just going to lie on the couch. Camille and Allison will be home soon."
"Okay, I'm gonna let you rest."
"Thank you so much for taking me shopping. I had a blast."
Addison reached down to give her a hug. "Oh, you're very welcome. I'm glad you had fun."
Addison said goodbye and left.
Author's Note: Let me start off by saying how sorry I am that it's taken me so long to post this chapter. It is the longest so far and between school and work and life, I haven't had a lot of time to write.
Today is Natalie's 18th birthday! woohoo!! : ) I wanted this chapter to focus more on Natalie as a person and less on everything else. The title comes from the song "Suddenly I See" by KT Tunstall. I thought the lyrics described Nat perfectly. Most of the stuff in this chapter is true. Lauren is obsessed with "Our Song" and freaks out whenever it comes on. Natalie and her friends all love going to the mall and trying on dresses. Natalie's nickname is Firefly and Kristin's is Grasshopper. Natalie loves all kinds of music, from the Big Band/Frank Sinatra sort of stuff to country. The card Natalie's friends made for her is real. Natalie got Kristin the cherry purse for her 17th birthday (March 21st, 2007).
I don't know when the next chapter will be up. Hopefully within a few days. I figured it all out and there are going to be 14 chapters. So I'm halfway there. Check my profile page often. Keep reading and reviewing!
Thanks!! : )