"Mom, are you sure? I mean, are you well enough to go?" Indiana asked her mother worriedly. She sat in the chair next to the bed, the older woman resting on the soft mattress across from her daughter.
Jessica smiled. "I called Melissa. She said that everything was normal - well, as normal as my health could be when I'm already dying - and that it was a wonderful idea."
Indiana grimaced at her words, "Don't say that, Mom. I-" She shook her head. "I just don't want this to make things worse."
"Ana, it's just dinner! We're picking it up and then coming back here. I just want to get out of the house, all right? It's going to be fine." Jessica reassured the girl for what was probably the millionth time.
Standing up with her lip between her teeth, Indiana let out a deep breath. "I'm just scared."
"I've had this my entire life, Ana, just because it's gotten worse with age, doesn't mean I'm gonna drop like a fly." Jessica laughed.
"Yet, you still haven't gotten new lungs! I can't believe you've had this since birth and you're still sick. It's not fair! You've been on the transplant list for forever!" Indiana complained, throwing her arms out in frustration.
Jessica looked up at her daughter with soft eyes. She knew she had a point, but the woman had accepted her death a long time ago. She didn't know when it would happen, but that didn't matter to her. All that mattered was getting the one person she loves to prepare for it.
"I know, hon, I know. I think that every day. But I also think of how lucky I am to see you grow up." She tells her.
Indiana deflates and meets her eyes. They soon flicker down to the floor and everything's quiet for a little bit. "Fine." She speaks up after a minute or so.
Jessica raised an eyebrow, "Fine?"
"Dinner, we'll get some. I'll drive, yeah?" Indiana proposes.
"You don't have your license yet. You're fifteen."
Indiana purses her lips with a nod. "Fair point. Uh, I have my permit! You can be my adult supervision. Besides, if I drive perfectly fine, then we probably won't get pulled over."
