Blossoming Fates

Zacky and I were currently lying on my couch watching T.V. I was resting my head on his chest while laying my stomach as he lay on his back. His arms were wrapped around me and he rubbed my back. He had to spend the day at the studio working on a few things with the rest of the guys. I had a hard day at work having to deal with my mother and her high list of demands. I had truly needed this for the evening. Zack had made me an Italian dish that his mother had taught him. He was often talking about his family he even wanted me to meet them.

“Hey Em,” I hear Zack say as I listen to his heartbeat, “Tell me about your sister Kylie.” He asks me

“Kylie, like her cancer or her in general?” I ask him adjusting myself to look up at him.

“Both,” He says kindly smiling down at me as he runs his fingers through my hair.

I begin explaining about Kylie. Kylie was sweet, loving, and giving. She had spent many of her younger years being vain and selfish. I took her to a shelter to see that not everything is as beautiful as she has thought it was. She had been stunned and soon I could see her changing for the better. She had always gone to church even when the entire family didn’t want to. Kylie said she felt better sitting and listening to someone as they speak about God. Kylie said she always felt uplifted and happier. She was the leader of every club at the high school. Kylie graduated in the top ten of her class and spent most of her time at my place. My sister Elizabeth had taken much of my parent’s attention when Kylie was in high school. I was nine years older than Kylie and ten years older than Elizabeth.

Kylie was almost a junior when Elizabeth was sent away to a rehabilitation center for her problems. So sadly, Kylie left after that summer and went back home to live with our parents. It was easy to say Kylie and I were close almost the closest in the family. She was in college but she was majoring in nursing. She was a bright girl and there was no doubt that she’d zoom through college. It had been me that insisted she visit a doctor. She was losing weight and was always weak or tired. Everyone thought it was just that our father passed away so suddenly, but it wasn’t. She came out to me as I stayed in the waiting room pacing. She cried when I wrapped my arms around her.

“Kylie, she has leukemia.” I say to Zack as his fingers still rake through my hair

“Is she going to beat it?” He asks me with a sad expression on his face.

“It’s hard to say honestly. Leukemia is cancer in the blood, which creates a high level of white blood cells that aren’t like regular ones. These ones don’t die like their supposed to. Instead, these white blood cells block passage of red and white blood cells.” I explain to him.

He nods his head not wanting to push the sadness of my sister’s fate any longer but I continued talking to him about her. I told him how for a few weeks she was perfectly fine it had looked like the cancer was gone. Kylie originally started out with a small brain tumor that needed an operation and then radiation and chemotherapy. She had that settled and seemed fine until she went back to the doctor’s and they checked her blood work. The chemotherapy and radiation plus the X-rays had all contributed to her leukemia. It was saddening but we managed.

“Leukemia sounds like a nasty thing,” Zacky commented to me and I gave a small chuckle before agreeing.

“She would like to meet you just so you know.” I admit and he smiles widely at me.

“I’d be honored to meet her.” He exclaims to me before bending down and kissing the top of my head.

Zacky showing me affection had become normal in our friendship through the days. There was nothing more to he and I, we were just friends. I hugged him and he would kiss the top of my head again. Zack was being the supporting friend I had really needed throughout this whole ordeal. I was thankful for having him and I hoped he knew that I appreciated him standing by my side always. He next asked me about Elizabeth, Grant, and Rachel. I told him I was the eldest out of them all and he looked at me as if that was crazy. I was three years older than Grant and five years older than Rachel. I had just turned twenty-eight four and a half months ago in late February.

I told him about how my dad had always wanted a huge family as well as my mother did too she was just less happy about having five children running around. She was happy don’t get me wrong, she was just a bit caught up in work.

“Are you happy you’re having the little one?” Zack asks me gently massaging my back

“Excited, I’m starting to feel like a mother already.” I say happily with a grin plastered to my face.

“When are you going to get prepared?” He asks another question and I’m caught off guard

“I haven’t really thought about it yet,” I chew on my lip gently, “I need to get a bigger place first.” I sigh

“You could move in with me for now.” He says and I look up at him with questions crowding my head.

I open my mouth to ask him all these ‘what if’ questions but my cell phone starts going off and I have to answer it. It read my mother’s name and I was sure if she was calling at eleven on a night where she had work in the morning it was important. I answer the phone and I can hear my mother has been crying. She sniffles and tells me that Kylie is having difficulty breathing and that I need to be there. She informed me she was already there, but in case tonight was it, I should go too

I promised I’d be there as soon as possible before we said our goodbyes and I hung up the phone. I sat up quickly and I could already feel the tears falling from my face. I was worried and I needed to see Kylie now. I had to. I tell Zacky everything and he ushers me to the door telling me to breathe and to be careful as he shuts and locks my door. We walk to his car and he takes off towards the hospital as I give him directions.

“I should’ve gone down there tonight,” I mumbled to myself

“She’ll be okay Lee.” Zack says comforting me as I freak out in the passenger seat.

I nod my head and stare out of the window as we head to where my sister lies in pain and agony. I had to be there for her. I promised her I’d always be there even when she’d been selfish. I would be there.