"Rachel!" Her older brother yelled. 'I'm not gonna let him get me this time I found the perfect spot and I'm not gonna leave until I die.' She thought.

"Rachel come on, it's been thirty minutes we need to go now!" She stared at him from the cupboard above the stove. She opened the cupboard wider to see him better and it creaked! She could hardly believe it, such a good spot gone to waste! He whipped around and saw her giggling on the inside.

"How in the world did you get up there rachel?!" He said, surprised at the giggling monkey that was his sister. She swung the cabinet open. 

"I climbed!" She exclaimed.

"Well no wonder you climbed!" She jumped down and her brother caught her and squeezed her tight. She squealed and tried to get away but he wouldn't let her go.

"No no you made me seek you for thirty minutes it's only right I get to hug you just as long."

"But you said we need to go." She said with a sneaky little grin.

"Ah fine." He let her go and she scurried off to get her shoes on. Her brother went along and did the same. She got them on quickly and went back to her brother but didn't find him. He must already be outside, she thought. She looked out the window and saw him talking with their mother. Being curious She snuck around and out the back door and peered at them from behind the fence and listened.

"Just for the last day, please."

"Michael, you need to spend time with the rest of us." She couldn't see her mother's face but she sounded upset.

"Listen, I need Rachel to have this day. I love her to death mom. Would you please listen to me?" He pleaded. Rachel sat confused.

"Is your stuff packed?" She resigned.

"Yes, yes it is." Now Michael looked upset.

"You may take her out to dinner tonight and after that you have to go." Michael tried to hug his mother but she stopped him.

"Call me immediately if something is off." He put his arms down. And his face was shocked.

"I will.." He said defeated. Rachel couldn't make sense of any of it.

"I'll go get Rachel." Michael said. Rachel ran quietly to her window and slipped in and fell on her toys. She stifled a yelp.

"Rachel?" Michael came into his little sister's room.

"You ready?" He asked. She nodded her head. Michael smiled and motioned for her to come hold his hand. She ran to his side and clutched his hand. Michael smiled a wholehearted smile. The one that made Rachel feel so wonderful. His face was a rosy red color when he smiled like that. She giggled when she saw his smile. He rolled his eyes.

"My smile is not that bad." She giggled more.

"Oh whatever." They walked outside to his car.

"Hey baby girl." Her mom said as she kneeled down to hold her baby.

"I love you mom." She said.

"I know you do, baby." Her mother responded. She stood up and met Michael's eyes.

"I love you mom." He said. She nodded her head and didn't step closer. Michael, realizing he would get nothing more, stepped into his car with Rachel. Their mother stepped up to the car window.

"Remember Michael." He nodded at her, returning her coldness. She backed away from the car and let them go. As soon as she did they sped off. They were headed to Rachel's favorite restaurant. It was a small place sandwiched in between a gym and a trampoline park but it always received so much business from the returning duo. They walked in and the owner's daughter smiled at Michael. As she saw them walk in.

"Hey guys! I've got your booth ready and everything for you." Rachel ran off to claim her prized corner. Even though she wasn't competing with her other brother's this time.

"Hey, Melody." He kissed her.

"Where's the rest of your family?"

"I only took Rachel."

"Michael, it's one of the last days."

"Be quiet, don't let Rachel hear you." Melody disapproved. She took his hands and looked him in the eyes.

"Your family needs you Michael." He returned her stare.

"I've never been more aware, Melody." He kept his gaze. Melody's eyes began to water.

"Don't look at me like that right now." She let go of his hands.

"Listen, I have to go, my dad will take your orders." Michael was shocked.

"What do you mean but Rachel loves the way you talk to her when you take her order."

"Listen I'm sorry Michael but you have to understand you need to help everyone not just her." She hugged Michael tightly.

"I love you Melody and trust me I know what I'm doing." He kissed her goodbye. With one last look she left the restaurant. Michael, amazed that she didn’t respond, went and took his seat across from Rachel. No one was here except the owner and his son, the cook.

"Now what would you like, little lady?" The booming voice of Andrew came through the doors from the kitchen.

"I want the noodles with the red sauce." Michael smiled and laughed at his sister.

"The what?"

"The red sauce!" She said confidently. Andrew began to laugh as well his large hearty laugh.

"You will get your spaghetti." He laughed again.

"And you Michael?" Michael looked at Andrew.

"My usual meal."

"As you wish." He left into the kitchen. Michael looked at his sister.

"Is there anything you want to know about me, Rachel?" Rachel stared at her brother confused.

"But I already know you." He smiled at her with the same rosy smile.

"No, I know. But anything else? Like music. I know you love music. What music do you think I like?" She thought for a moment and quickly she responded.

"My music!" She said triumphantly. He laughed.

"Yes I do love your music." Andrew came out of the doors.

"Here are some waters I almost forgot." Michael went for a drink, and Rachel yelled.

"Boo!" He coughed. And spat out his water and coughed more. Andrew and Rachel laughed. But Michael continued to cough.

"Andrew… call now… I can feel it." Michael said between coughs. Andrew panicked.

"Alright I'll get your mother."

"No… 911. Now." Rachel began apologizing when she heard 911.

"I didn't mean to! I didn't think I hurt you!"

"No! It's nothing you did." He wheezed. Andrew picked up a call and an ambulance was on its way. When it arrived Rachel was crying and Michael was still coughing violently. They rushed him onto a stretcher, and into the ambulance.

“Rachel…” He coughed. The emt’s told her to come along with, and she very quickly hopped in.

“Put this on.” They gave Michael a mask and it eased his coughing. But the pain still reached every corner of his chest, tightening his lungs until he felt every breath go weaker each time. Rachel was still crying but Michael grabbed her hand.

“I will be fine Rachel.” The emt’s looked away as to not show Rachel their faces. Rachel calmed down, and squeezed his hand. Michael smiled but his color was fading. But Rachel wasn’t phased. All she needed was those words.

“I love you Michael.”

“I love you too Rachel.” They arrived at the hospital and they quickly rushed him through the doors and into the operating room. A nurse sat Rachel down in the waiting room. 

“Your mother will be here soon okay.”

“Okay.” Rachel responded pointedly. The room was quiet for a moment. Rachel thought to herself about what Michael meant when he asked if she wanted to know anything about him. She understood at that moment why. But she did not cry, she instead sat there and smiled. Her mother arrived with her brothers and Melody.

“Rachel baby are you okay?” She asked. Rachel just smiled and said.

“I was crying but Michael said he will be okay.” Her mother and Melody broke down in tears when they heard this. Her brothers, older and younger, cried along with them. But Rachel just sat there confused. Why was everyone crying? She asked herself. Hours passed and Rachel found sleep but not even the little boys found sleep, especially not their mother.

“I didn’t tell him, Melody… I didn’t tell him.” Melody clung tightly to her.

“I scolded him… I wish I had just not been so stubborn.” Her voice broke. Melody and the mother cried with each other for hours soft;y and quietly. After they had given into exhaustion the entire family. Fell asleep. When they woke up Rachel was gone.

“Where is Rachel!” Melody yelled. A nurse came by and told them.

“They’re in room 103 don’t that hall she’s…” without care or concern for the nurse’s words Melody and the mother sprinted to the room. They found Rachel beside a bed. Holding onto Michael’s limp hand. They fell down in tears. It couldn’t be possible… Her son. Melody’s love. And Rachel’s big brother laid in that bed. Minutes passed and all that was heard was heavy breathing. They all were exhausted. The white room had a window and light was beginning to shine through. Right onto Michael’s face. Morning had come and they looked as the window wafted a soft breeze through the cold and silent room. Until Rachel stood up. And placed Michael’s limp arm back in his bed. Melody and her mother looked at her. But she was smiling?

“Why are you smiling?” Rachel saw Melody’s face as she said that. She hugged her tightly.

“He’s only sleeping.” They were at a loss for words.

“He wanted you to know that he loves you. Melody and you mommy. He also said he knew he would be okay. And so did i.” Melody stood up and walked to his bed and knelt down looking at his face. It was true the heavy breathing was his and not theirs. His mother joined Melody at his side with Rachel. Rachel walked up to Michael’s ear and whispered ever softly.

“They say they love you too.” And Michael smiled that rosy red smile.

Proverbs 27:1 “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”