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Brother Pt. 2
March 12th, 2020.
As another day drew to a close. I felt frustrated. Both mom and dad forgot to come to my quarterly awarding ceremony at school earlier. I got an award for getting straight A's in the semester.
The school bus stopped right in front of our porch. Adellyn was sitting on the swing she was playing with Quinn, our cousin. I called out for Adellyn and she waved hi. Quinn did the same. I smiled back and made my way to the house. I enetered the house, took off my shoes and placed my certificate on dad's desk. I then went upstairs. Mom was there sorting out the laundry. She looked haggard, it was obvious that she lacked sleep. "Hey mom.", I greeted. She did not seem to motice my presence. I did not mind and made my way to my room. I opened the door and I was surprised to see Andrew on my bed, sitting upright. I closed the door and went to mom.
"Mom, why is he in my bedroom?", I asked in a stern voice.
Mom explained.
"Your aunt Riley and her son Pete are staying over for awhile. Since our guest room is used for the laundry. They'll be staying in Andrew's room and you'll be sharing with Adellyn. Is that okay?", she said.
I got angry. But then I had to adjust. We ate dinner, dad came at around 9. Adellyn was already asleep. I could not sleep beacsue she was wobbling around. Taking my blanket and my pillow. It was at around 11 in the evening when I decided to get back to my room and sleep on the pull out under my bed. I did that. I slept at until 2am when suddenly Mom came in. She woke me up. "What?", I asked groggily. "He's burning up.", she said. "What?", I asked again. "Go fetch my phone and wake Adellyn up.", she ordered. "Mom, its just 2:15 in the morning.", I argued. My voice was loud and it woke Andrew up. "Mom, I'm hot.", he whispered. "Yes, you have fever. Aila, go ad wake Adellyn up. Please?", mom said again. I did not have a choice, I went to Adellyn's room and woke her up. I told her that we had to go to the hospital again. She woke up, she grabbed her blanket and stood up. I got her slippers for her and we both made our way downstairs.
We were all inside the car, I was sittibg beside Adellyn who was in the verge of falling asleep. Andrew was beside me, he looked really pale and uncomfortable. I let Adellyn lay her head on my legs then I turned to Andrew, the tube they use for his chemo was leaking. I knew for one second that this was already infected. It was swollen, red and wet. I grabbed the tissue, sanitized my hands and with no second thoughts I pulled it out. The puss came out. It smelled bad but I had to do something. I placed the gauze on top of the hole and placed pressure with my hands until we got to the hospital.
When we got there, he was directly brought to the ICU, the doctor said there was something wrong with his lungs and his gallbladder. Dad hugged mom, then mom was called by the nurse on the pager to go and see Andrew. We weren't allowed inside because he was placed into a medically induced coma. The next 5 days went hard for all of us. Mom barely went home, while dad took extra shifts at the hospital because of some sort of virus. Adellyn and I went to live with our grandma the week after.
During our stay with our grandma, we had lots of fun, it seemed like we totally forgot about the problems that had been bugging us until it was time to go home.
Our grandpop drove us back home. We weren't excited to come back home. Adellyn bawled when we got off the car. I took out our bags and dragged her inside.
We got inside, dad greeted us and gave us kisses. I hugged him back. Then I saw Andrew on the couch, he was now in bad shape. He was skinny, he was bruised, I went up to him.
"Hey.", I said as I sat on the couch I then stroked his hair. "I'm sorry for being mean to you the last time.", I added.
"You don't need to be.", he said. "I mean, I was mean to you guys sometimes too.", he added. I just nodded as a reply. "I think it won't be long til I go.", he sighed.
"What do you mean?", I asked but I knew what he meant.
"Me, dying. I think I can't do this anymore. Sorry.", he says his eyes meeting mine.
"Hey, you know what.This is like National's training.", I said trying to fight back tears. "It's tiring but we need to do it. But this time, we do butterfly and breast stroke 50 times. Beating McKay's 1.07 in 200m", I added.
He smiled. Then held my hand. "Okay.", he says.
"Were going to crush this thing together okay? Like what we did to the Splashers last year.", I said
He nods and takes one big deep breath.
I stood up and went to my room. I opened my closet and took out the present I got from Andrew during my birthday. I unwrapped the box. When I opened it. It was the bracelet he always wore, the one we got from our trip from Brazil two years ago. He won 5 championships with this bracelet in Swimming. I wore the bracelet then I opened his letter. It read.
National's coming up soon! I guess this year, I'll be just watching from the sidelines. Wishing you all the best. I know you can do it. This bracelet is now yours, may the lucky dolphin guide you to that champion trophy.
XOXO,
Andrew
I knew I had to get that Champion trophy , not for myself. But for my brother.
The very next day as I went back to training. I told my coach about Andrew. He was shocked and was worried that we couldn't get the championship for the mixed dicision this year. But I assured him that I could do it for the team. He was surprised.
"Those kids are 15-16. Are you sure about this?", Coach Grey asked me.
"It does matter if they're bigger than me Coach. I'll beat McKay's 1.07 coach. Promise.", I replied.
He gave me a pat on the back and told me to start warm-up.
As another day drew to a close. I felt frustrated. Both mom and dad forgot to come to my quarterly awarding ceremony at school earlier. I got an award for getting straight A's in the semester.
The school bus stopped right in front of our porch. Adellyn was sitting on the swing she was playing with Quinn, our cousin. I called out for Adellyn and she waved hi. Quinn did the same. I smiled back and made my way to the house. I enetered the house, took off my shoes and placed my certificate on dad's desk. I then went upstairs. Mom was there sorting out the laundry. She looked haggard, it was obvious that she lacked sleep. "Hey mom.", I greeted. She did not seem to motice my presence. I did not mind and made my way to my room. I opened the door and I was surprised to see Andrew on my bed, sitting upright. I closed the door and went to mom.
"Mom, why is he in my bedroom?", I asked in a stern voice.
Mom explained.
"Your aunt Riley and her son Pete are staying over for awhile. Since our guest room is used for the laundry. They'll be staying in Andrew's room and you'll be sharing with Adellyn. Is that okay?", she said.
I got angry. But then I had to adjust. We ate dinner, dad came at around 9. Adellyn was already asleep. I could not sleep beacsue she was wobbling around. Taking my blanket and my pillow. It was at around 11 in the evening when I decided to get back to my room and sleep on the pull out under my bed. I did that. I slept at until 2am when suddenly Mom came in. She woke me up. "What?", I asked groggily. "He's burning up.", she said. "What?", I asked again. "Go fetch my phone and wake Adellyn up.", she ordered. "Mom, its just 2:15 in the morning.", I argued. My voice was loud and it woke Andrew up. "Mom, I'm hot.", he whispered. "Yes, you have fever. Aila, go ad wake Adellyn up. Please?", mom said again. I did not have a choice, I went to Adellyn's room and woke her up. I told her that we had to go to the hospital again. She woke up, she grabbed her blanket and stood up. I got her slippers for her and we both made our way downstairs.
We were all inside the car, I was sittibg beside Adellyn who was in the verge of falling asleep. Andrew was beside me, he looked really pale and uncomfortable. I let Adellyn lay her head on my legs then I turned to Andrew, the tube they use for his chemo was leaking. I knew for one second that this was already infected. It was swollen, red and wet. I grabbed the tissue, sanitized my hands and with no second thoughts I pulled it out. The puss came out. It smelled bad but I had to do something. I placed the gauze on top of the hole and placed pressure with my hands until we got to the hospital.
When we got there, he was directly brought to the ICU, the doctor said there was something wrong with his lungs and his gallbladder. Dad hugged mom, then mom was called by the nurse on the pager to go and see Andrew. We weren't allowed inside because he was placed into a medically induced coma. The next 5 days went hard for all of us. Mom barely went home, while dad took extra shifts at the hospital because of some sort of virus. Adellyn and I went to live with our grandma the week after.
During our stay with our grandma, we had lots of fun, it seemed like we totally forgot about the problems that had been bugging us until it was time to go home.
Our grandpop drove us back home. We weren't excited to come back home. Adellyn bawled when we got off the car. I took out our bags and dragged her inside.
We got inside, dad greeted us and gave us kisses. I hugged him back. Then I saw Andrew on the couch, he was now in bad shape. He was skinny, he was bruised, I went up to him.
"Hey.", I said as I sat on the couch I then stroked his hair. "I'm sorry for being mean to you the last time.", I added.
"You don't need to be.", he said. "I mean, I was mean to you guys sometimes too.", he added. I just nodded as a reply. "I think it won't be long til I go.", he sighed.
"What do you mean?", I asked but I knew what he meant.
"Me, dying. I think I can't do this anymore. Sorry.", he says his eyes meeting mine.
"Hey, you know what.This is like National's training.", I said trying to fight back tears. "It's tiring but we need to do it. But this time, we do butterfly and breast stroke 50 times. Beating McKay's 1.07 in 200m", I added.
He smiled. Then held my hand. "Okay.", he says.
"Were going to crush this thing together okay? Like what we did to the Splashers last year.", I said
He nods and takes one big deep breath.
I stood up and went to my room. I opened my closet and took out the present I got from Andrew during my birthday. I unwrapped the box. When I opened it. It was the bracelet he always wore, the one we got from our trip from Brazil two years ago. He won 5 championships with this bracelet in Swimming. I wore the bracelet then I opened his letter. It read.
National's coming up soon! I guess this year, I'll be just watching from the sidelines. Wishing you all the best. I know you can do it. This bracelet is now yours, may the lucky dolphin guide you to that champion trophy.
XOXO,
Andrew
I knew I had to get that Champion trophy , not for myself. But for my brother.
The very next day as I went back to training. I told my coach about Andrew. He was shocked and was worried that we couldn't get the championship for the mixed dicision this year. But I assured him that I could do it for the team. He was surprised.
"Those kids are 15-16. Are you sure about this?", Coach Grey asked me.
"It does matter if they're bigger than me Coach. I'll beat McKay's 1.07 coach. Promise.", I replied.
He gave me a pat on the back and told me to start warm-up.
