Emma Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice by Coco Simon

pounding on the door.
    â€œSor ry ! Someone’s in here!” I singsonged back.
    He pounded the door once more, hard, and I jumped. Then I heard him trudging down the hall to my parents’ bathroom, calling “Unfair!” over his shoulder. I smiled at myself in the mirror as I brushed my teeth, but my smile faded as I pictured being back at the hospital. Mind over matter. The five D s. Mona. Diego. Divine. I took a deep breath to relax, but I was spitting out my toothpaste at the same time, causing me to nearly choke to death.
    Okay, deep breathing when I get there, I told myself.
    Down in the kitchen, Jake was on a new tirade because he couldn’t find his officer bear to bring with him. My mom had run up to look through his room and mine, but no luck. My dad was ready to explode and had dragged Jake off to the minivan to wait for us while my mom shouted after him with promises of new toys from the gift shop.
    My mom turned to me then and said, “Emma, we don’t have time to eat. Dad will get you something at the hospital, but I don’t think it’s fair if we eat in front of Jake, since he can’t. Why don’t you grab something quick, like a yogurt, and you can eat it in the bathroom there or something, where Jake can’t see you.”
    â€œOkay,” I said, and instead of the fridge, I went to the drawer my mom stocks with cereal bars, so we can just grab them when we’re heading out for sports or if we’re late for school or something. I pulled it open, and there was the officer bear lying in the drawer.
    â€œMom,” I called, and when she looked over at me, I wiggled the bear at her.
    â€œOh my goodness, Emma. What would we do with out you?” she asked, exhaling heavily. She put her hands palms down on the counter and bent her head for a moment. She was wiped out.
    I grabbed a couple of cereal bars and tossed them into my backpack, then I went over and rubbed my mom’s back.
    â€œThanks, honey. Let’s go,” she said, straightening up and grabbing her purse. “Oh, Emma?” She stopped in her tracks. “Are you sure this is a good idea? I don’t want you to feel railroadedinto something you’re not comfortable with. I mean, it’s generous of you and everything, but you’re not going to . . . ?”
    â€œI’m not going to faint, Mom. I promise,” I said solemnly. Inside, though, I hoped I could keep that promise. Gulp.
    â€œGood,” said Mom. “Because I can only handle one kid losing it at a time.”
    Out in the car, Jake was buckled into his booster seat in the back. His eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, but at least he wasn’t actively crying or shrieking for the moment. It seemed like he acted worse when he thought he had a chance to get out of something, but once he knew he was sunk for sure, he’d just kind of mellow out.
    â€œHey, buddy,” I said, climbing in. I handed him the bear.
    â€œEmmy! Where did you find him?” he asked, hugging the bear.
    I shrugged. “In the cereal bar drawer.”
    â€œBad bear, I told you not to eat anything before the hospital!” Jake scolded.
    My mom and I smiled at each other in the rearview mirror as my dad backed down the driveway.

    Even though the streets were quiet, the hospital was very busy. It seemed more like noon than six thirty in the morning in there. I focused on my breathing and just kept reminding myself that this day wasn’t about me. It was about Jake, so I owed it to him to remain calm and not steal the spotlight by fainting again. Nothing was going to happen to me as long as I didn’t look in any doorways or too closely at any needles.
    We checked in at the desk and were directed to the preop area. As we walked, Jake held my hand in one hand and clutched the officer bear in the other. His eyes were wide with fear, but he didn’t cry, and my dad began to relax a little. The nurses were