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" What does he look like Ryan?" Noel asked as she lay on the recliner in her families living room. " He sounds like he's tall, his voice is always coming down to me."
It was midnight and Noel was grilling Ryan for as much information as she could. The television was on but set at a low volume, and reruns of "Saturday Night Live" were running on Comedy Central.
Ryan sighed. " Nani, I'm not a very good judge on guys' looks. Ask me what I thought of the girls I saw at the mall today." He was sprawled across the middle of the floor, his head facing the television set but with his eyes closed.
Noel kicked a leg at him, not really hoping to hit him, more out of frustration. " Please Ryan? Give me a description?"
Ryan rolled over, smiling. " You like him, don't you?"
" No." came the answer, a little too quick.
Ryan got up and started to dance around the room. " Nani's got a crush! Nani's got a crush!" He continued dancing until Noel poked a leg out and tripped him.
" Your mouth is too big for your own good." She said after he fell to the ground with a loud thud. " It's so easy to figure out when to stick the leg out to knock you down."
" What was that?" a voice floated down from the top of the stairs.
Smothering a giggle, Noel answered since Ryan was still groaning in pain from the floor. " Sorry Mom, it was nothing. Ryan just forgot he wasn't a bird when he tried to fly. Tell Daddy we're sorry for waking you guys up."
" Night." Came the weary answer. A door clicked shut and a creak was heard as Leilani settled back into bed.
" Ryan!" Noel hissed. " Can't you be quiet for five minutes?"
" You tripped me!" he whispered back.
Noel shook her head before settling back into her chair. " Whatever. Now what did he look like?"
Ryan was silent as he got up and resettled on the couch. Then, being the nice big brother he was, he proceeded to list off the best qualities of Pee-Wee Herman. " He was short, shorter than you, and he had a buzzed head… and his nose was huge, and he wore a lot of make-up."
" Ryan!" Noel kicked the end of the couch. " I'm serious."
" So am I."
Noel closed her eyes, mentally kicking Ryan before she started sucking up to him. " Please Ryan? Please tell me. You're the nicest, most handsome, most charming person I know! Will you please tell me what he looked like?" Inwardly she was seething. She hated having to beg him, it only massaged his ego and made it even more difficult to get answers the next time she asked.
" Okay," Ryan relented. " But on one condition. You have to tell me honestly if you like the guy. Okay?"
" Fine. I like the guy."
" He's about 6'1" or so, blond hair that comes down to his chin, decent tan, decent body… doesn't look like the guy lifts but he's not flabby either, and blue eyes. Good night Nani, I'll see you in the morning."
She lay silently listening as Ryan climbed the stairs to his room. " Thanks big bro, but I'm going to make you pay for the begging session."
She sat there for a long while just thinking about her day before getting up to go to her room. She had a room on the ground floor since lots of stairs were potentially dangerous for her, and the downstairs full bath was hers alone. Once she got to her room, she changed into her nightshirt and boxers, completely unaware of the way the full moon shone down through her window, caressing her dark tanned skin and setting her hair into black flames.
She was also unaware of the piercing blue gaze that watched her as she settled in to sleep and closed her eyes.
* * *
The examination table was cold on Noel's legs as she sat patiently waiting for the doctor to finish. She'd been through this hundreds of times and nothing had ever changed so she didn't expect anything to change this time.
When the doctor was done she sent Noel out and asked for her parents to come in. Noel left the examining room silently and closed the door behind her.
The doctor stood by the table leafing through her notes for a moment before breaking the silence. " Well, I know she's been through this routine before, but I think it's almost over. There was a change today."
Leilani and Jake stood in shock, registering the news. Finally, Jake managed to utter one word, " What?!?"
" When I was checking for dilation in her right eye, her pupil dilated." Dr. Sheldon smiled in honest happiness. " And when I used the penlight on her left eye it dilated also. We have some serious progress. To be honest, I was going to recommend that after today's examination we cut them back to every six months instead of once a month. But in light of today's happening I think I want to make it once every two weeks."
Leilani's face lit up. " You mean Noel's getting her sight back?"
Dr. Sheldon's smile faded slightly. " I don't know for sure, but I think it will come back fully. I think," she amended, " that we shouldn't tell Noel about this. But if we make more visits a necessity she'll know something's happened."
" Why don't we keep it normal and if she starts to see things we'll come then?" Jake asked. " That way she'll have no clue unless it's really true."
" Good idea. We'll do that then, if it's alright with you." The Sands' nodded their assent and Dr. Sheldon closed Noel's file. " Then I'll see you in a month or, I hope, sooner." She smiled and opened the door. " Call me if anything happens."
Dr. Sheldon left with Noel's parents following soon after. They gathered Noel and started for home, with Noel once again clueless to the truth.
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