Blossoming Fates

Zack grabbed hold of my hand as we walked hurriedly into the hospital. I could see my mom and Elizabeth sitting on some uncomfortable chairs. I could remember the way they had felt the numerous times I had sat in them. They weren’t soothing and relaxing as they had appealed to look like. Elizabeth had a pale blue blazer covering her exposed legs. I was sure she was wearing a short summer dress that showed off her tanned muscular legs. Elizabeth had run track her all through middle school and was sent to a private school for it her freshmen year of highs school.

Her black heels clicked the ground as she bounced her legs. My mother sniffled and blew her nose in a tissue. I squeezed Zack’s hand helplessly looking for support when I was the support. I approach my mother and sister giving a small and weak smile. I couldn’t help but to feel bitter and cynical about Elizabeth’s sadness about Kylie. Elizabeth left when she was hardly sixteen and she hadn’t been close to Kylie either. It was like crying over a stranger.

“Have they said anything?” I ask them as an aching feeling settles over me.

“Not yet,” My mother replies and goes back to sniffling as she closes her eyes.

“Why don’t you and Zacky sit down?” Elizabeth chimed in and I felt my stomach drop

Zack waits for me to sit before following suit and sitting on my left instead of in between Elizabeth and me. I smiled before I mindlessly begin to rub a calming circle on my somewhat bloating stomach. I was sure no one other than me could see it, but when I made it clear to Zacky he cooed at me saying I was glowing again. I stopped when I felt eyes on me and when I looked up from my still petite waist I saw Elizabeth staring at me with an ice cold glare. I swallowed and tore my hand away from my stomach and squeezed Zack’s.

After a few minutes of squeezing his hand he asks if I would like to go for a quick walk around this dull and mourning waiting room. I was quick to oblige and stood up taking a small leap to start off our walk. I could hear Elizabeth commenting on wanting to join but I raced far away from hear shot of her and her bantering. Zack grabbed me by the bend of my elbow and brought me into his arms as we stood outside of the hospital where I had dashed off to.

“Emilee, breathe baby girl.” He says to me as he rubs my hair down my back

“I’m trying Zacky, she’s my baby sister and I can’t help her. I’m the oldest and I can’t protect them.” I mumble into his firm chest

“Let’s go get you something to eat,” He says gently tugging on my hand back inside the building, “None of this stress is ideal for the baby either Lee.”

“How will I be able to look out for this baby if I can’t even protect those who are here now?” I exclaim gently looking into his eyes pleading for an answer of wisdom.

“Emilee, you will take excellent care of this child. Kylie will make it through this. You will be able to handle this and when you can’t I will always be here to help you and be your support.” He says cupping my face in his hands

I lick over my lip as he stares at me with such adoration that I can find as my only excuse for the thing that happened next. I leaned up on my toes trying to match his height before coming to a stop a few inches of connecting with Zack’s pink and plump lips. I felt his hot breath land on my face and all I could think about was that I was seconds away from a sudden rushing moment that would make me feel like I were heaven. This pain I felt and this aching emptiness would be completely gone. All too quick though I was pulled away from Zack by my incompetent and rude young sister Elizabeth but the news she had made it worth losing the close embrace I had been sharing with Zacky.

“Kylie is okay.” My mother said smiling brightly at me.

“Yes she is, she had formed pneumonia which we hadn’t the chance to catch, but when she started having difficulty we quickly ran her through some tests and we found the infection,” The doctor explained to us

“Will she stay okay?” I ask worried.

“It’s rather hard to say due to her increasing rate of leukemia.” He said sadly before his beeper began and he had to depart from us

I felt a bit at ease knowing that today wasn’t Kylie’s last day with us. I was always well aware that one day she would no longer be and that she’d be with dad. I smiled lightly to myself as we all walked into the hospital room when Kylie was now lying awake and alert of everything that was going on around her. Zacky and I stand in the back view for her to visit with mom and Elizabeth first. I knew mom wanted to talk to Kylie before anyone else. My mother wasn’t as cruel as I tended to make her out to be.

My mother with her well-kept and styled hair that she made sure was dyed a dirty blonde. She wasn’t one for Botox, but she did believe in facial treatment and trying to stay young. She had her nails filed and painted and her clothes always matched. She wore her bright red lipstick and fake eye lashes everyday like she did her wedding ring and the necklace my father bought my mother the day I was born. She leaned forward with a joyful smile plastered to her face as she placed a gentle and soothing kiss upon Kylie’s young and unwrinkled skin. Looking at my sister’s fresh and hardly used skin made me realize simply how much youth has being wasted with this awful disease.

“You really gave us a scare there Kylie.” My mother frets about her

Kylie gave one hell of a fake smile, “I know mommy, but I’m just keeping you all on your toes.”

“Well how about you slow it down there kiddo,” My mother recalls back at her before squeezing her daughter’s hollowed cheeks.

She looks so thin it hurts me. I finally notice how bruised and battered she’s become. I look at her thinning wrists and see the IV’s and the various fluids hung up to be pumped inside of her. I see her eyes faded and her lips paled and cracked. She was holding a smile for my mother but inside I knew she was dying. I frown and soon my mother has to leave and she takes Elizabeth too before leaving Zack and me to be faced by Kylie.