Hear You Me

Holland Vanderson was the girl who was always smiling, always laughing. Even now, sitting in a hospital bed with an IV in her arm and many different monitors surrounding her, she still had a smile on her face. She was never one to pout about life’s misfortunes. Life wasn’t fair but you just had to deal with it and live your life to the best of your ability.

Holland knew her time here on Earth was ticking away and she had accepted that. She wished her life hadn’t taken this path but there was nothing she could do about it; so she had come to terms with it. She was going to make her last days count. She was going to live them to the fullest and live them with a smile on her face. Holland refused to be sad and refused to be pitied. She didn’t pity herself, so why should she let others pity her?

Holland looked up when she heard the sound of shoes entering her room and rolled her eyes, “Finally. Could you take any longer?”

“Hey, don’t get sassy with me. I’m the one doing you a favor, remember?”

Holland smiled at the playful banter between the two of them, “I’m just saying we don’t have much time.”

“I really wish you wouldn’t talk like that.”

“Stop being such a pansy. I’m talking about how we don’t have much time before Joel comes back. Do you know how hard it was for me to get him away from me? He’s always here. Even when I’m asleep, he just sits there. I have to force him to leave me so he can go get some food. He’d probably starve if I didn’t.”

“He loves you.”

Holland sighed, “I know. It’d be easier if he didn’t. Easier for him at least. In any case, he does love me and that’s why I’m doing this. It’s going to be hard for him when I’m gone. It’ll be hard for Delilah too.”

“It’ll be hard for all of us, Holl.”

Holland gave a sad smile, “I know, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. This is in no way your fault. You didn’t ask for this to happen.”

Holland shook away the sadness of the conversation and picked up the stack of letters in front of her. “Ok, these are for Joel and these are for Lila. Don’t get them mixed up. Then this one is for you. It has all the instructions.”

“Holland, I’m not an idiot. I think I can handle giving some letters out.”

“Yeah, but they need to be handed out in a certain order and on certain days. These letters will help Joel and Lila remember to be strong without me. The last letter is the most important. I’m hoping it will change their lives. Actually, I’m hoping all the letters change their lives but the last letter could determine the rest of their lives.”

“Holland, you’re not God.”

Holland rolled her eyes as she said, “I realize that. I just know Joel and Lila so well that I know what they’ll need since they won’t have me anymore. They’ll get on fine without me; they just need someone to show them that they’ll be fine and that’s what these letters are for. Anyway, I may not be God but he better make me an angel once I get to Heaven.”

“I’m pretty sure you already are an angel. God just let you come down here for a little while.”

“Funny that you say that now. Didn’t you use to tell me all the time that I was the devil?”

“There are many things I should have said to you earlier. I’m trying to make up for that.”

“I know. Now, you better go before Joel comes back. He’ll wonder why you’re back since you were already here today. Thanks again for doing this for me. I love you.”

“I love you too, Holl.”

Holland smiled to herself. She prayed that her plan would work. It was probably selfish of her to still want to be a part of their lives even when she wasn’t with them anymore but she didn’t care. She knew this would be for the best.

Holland smiled throughout her time on earth and she was going to make sure Joel and Delilah remembered to smile after she was gone.