One

"Lacey? Can you come down for a sec?" Lacey's dad called. He placed a hand on her mother's leg to calm her down. "Yeah?" Lacey answered with a bored tone like the almost fifteen years old teenager she was. "Come sit down". He instructed.

Lacey raised an eyebrow but sat down anyways. He cleared his throat, "I know how hard moving to Pennsylvania was on you", he started, "now before we talk, we wanted you to know that Granny would be just fine". "Yes!" She cheered with her fists in the air, "when is she coming? Is she really cured? Should I get her a present? Would she get me a present? I mean my birthday is coming up. I could..."

Her Mom coughed loudly. Lacey sank back into her seat. She rambled a lot. "Granny can't come to visit", her Dad sighed, "actually the doctors said she only had a few months or few years left". That was a bombshell. She couldn't make out any words so her parents took that as an encouragement to carry on. "We want to move to London so that we can spend her last moments together. She's the only parent left of your Mom and I".

What could be worse than a bombshell? Lacey's mind was spinning. She had just recently made friends in middle school and a  boy asked her to the dance and now, she was expected to leave everything and go to..."Honey? Are you okay?" Her Mom was worried since she had been staring in the air.

With one look in their eyes, she sighed. "I hate moving and I just started a life here. I also dislike London", Lacey said carefully,"but I love my grams and she's the only one we have". Her Mom attacked her in a hug. She planted kisses all over her face earning 'eww' with each one. She smiled too hoping that she wouldn't regret her decision.

*******

"Welcome to London, we hope you had a good flight. Please ensure to check..." The cold air slapped her face. Lacey wrapped her thick wool scarf around her neck. She loved the snow and she was used to it snowing on her birthday but this was on another level. 

"Breathe in that fresh air". Her Dad inhaled and exhaled. "It smells like coal out here". She grumbled. "Cheer up, dear", her Mom smiled, "this is your country too". "I know", she sighed, "but we stayed in Manchester. That place was normal". "Granny hates it, remember?" Her Dad chuckled, "she said and I quote 'London is the only city with its culture and the only place to get a decent cup of tea'". 

They all burst out in laughter. Her Dad made a terrible British accent mimic. They haled a cab and sat peacefully. Lacey had her head on the window. She was watching as they passed every street light. Internally, she was pleased with the city but it was too closed up for her taste. She would miss out on the chance to watch or do a keg stand at a party. Or the thrill of getting busted for underage drinking and receiving the responsibility speech at one in the morning. Or contesting for class president. Or egging the principal's car.

That was the life in America. 

She had no clue what activities in UK could measure up to that. And personally, their accent was overrated to her.

Suddenly, she felt the tires taking a sharp bend. Time seemed to have slowed down at the moment. She widened her eyes as she saw the bright headlights aiming for them. Her Mom pushed her head so that she would be ducked below from what was to come. 

The loud bang shattered the glasses and the car was flipped over. Lacey wasn't too lucky as the passenger seat clamped her leg to the floor. The ringing in her ears was getting louder by the minute and her voice was lost. She hadn't organized her thoughts properly.

She couldn't recall how she got out of the damaged vehicle but she remembered being in a separate ambulance from her parents. They were in critical conditions. All the sound in the world tuned back as her sobs filled the ICU.

"You have to help them!" She cried holding the first doctor she saw by the collar. "I'm extremely sorry, miss", he cleared his throat, "but we have a strict protocol for hours like this". "They are dying! Isn't that your job?!" She screamed. Her tears were flowing like a river at this point. "Do you have the money right now?"

She pushed him back. She had the strong urge to kill him on the spot. "Money? That's what this is about?" She asks scoffing bitterly. "Those are the rules, miss", the doctor said, "a royal edict cannot be disobeyed". "Screw the royal family!" She blurted. The doctor held a look of terror. He was tempted to help but his family was dependent on him.

Lacey took in deep breaths before asking, "how much is it?" "Let's settle that in my office". He turned around and she limped behind him. Two nurses charged at the doctor. Their medical terms meant nothing to her but she still trailed after when she realized that he was going in the direction of her parents. 

At the time she got there, the strollers were moving. "NO!" The ear piercing scream left her body. "They're not dead! They're not dead!" She lunged at the beds. She pulled the top of the white sheet to reveal her pale Mom. "Mom?! Wake up!" She was thrashing around and three nurses were forced to hold her down. 

She squirmed under their fingers. She was trying to reach for her parents that were being rolled away. The slam of the door matched the heavy crack of her heart. "Don't go" she whispered in a defeated voice.

The phone rang for the fifth time before she pulled out of the memory. "Hey Sydney" Lacey faked the excitement. "Are you ready for your big interview?" Sydney, her roommate asked.

Lacey smacked her forehead as she remembered it. She had gotten sidetracked again. "I'm almost done with the cooking", she said walking to check on the beef, "when will you be home?" "I don't know", Syd used her mischievous tone, "I have a certain somebody to get a birthday present for". Lacey frowned, "you know I don't celebrate my birthday", she said, "and you know why".

"Of course! But I would rather not be hunted by your beloved by allowing you to wallow in self pity on your twentieth".

"I'm not gonna convince you, am I?" 

"Nope!" Syd laughed, "catch you later and you'll get the job". Sydney hung up and Lacey sighed. For the first time in five years, she smiled at the photo of her parents that were in her hands. 

She placed it back on the mantle of the fireplace and walked to her room. She wore a black blouse with blue slacks. She coupled it with her coat and beanie. She stared at her thick wool scarf. She exhaled heavily as she wrapped it. She hadn't touched it since the accident. Once she had highlighted her face with mild makeup, she wore her boots and left the flat.