fifty-six | it's only been two years

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Two years.

That's how long it had been. 756 days since he'd last seen his mom— since cancer had ravaged her body and taken her from him. What hurt the most was that he felt like he was losing her. With every day that passed and new memories that were made, he felt like she was becoming a mere page torn out of his storybook.

It also didn't help that he was the only one who truly remembered her. Sarah had only been five, Logan had been four, and Wheeze had been just over a year old when it'd happened. But him? He was eight. He remembered all of it.

Every last detail. He remembered when his mom and dad had sat him down; they had decided that, as the oldest, he would be the first to know. Then they told all of his younger siblings. And after all this time, Sarah only had a few memories of her. Logan had none, neither did Wheezie.

Rafe remembered all of it though. And he hated that his dad had already forgotten her.

"Lift me up! Lift me up!" Logan shouted, his six year old voice pleading with his older brother.

Rafe turned to him in the water, locking onto his big brown eyes. They were full of life and love, strikingly similar to their mom's. That also made him angry— the fact that his younger brother and youngest sister looked like her. It wasn't fair. None of it was fair.

"Pleaseeee, Rafe!" Logan repeated, jumping up in the water.

Despite everything they'd been through, he loved his little brother. And his sisters. He loved them more than anything. He turned back to Logan, a smirk flying onto his face. "Okay. Are you ready? You gotta hold on tight, remember?"

Logan eagerly nodded his head as Rafe turned around, back facing him. He submerged himself in the water just long enough for Logan to climb onto his shoulders. At just ten years old, he could easily carry his little brother. He was only six and light as a feather on top of him.

Laughter instantly spilled from Logan's mouth as Rafe stood, water dripping off of his body. Pure happiness filled the air, causing Rose to lift her gaze from the magazine she held between her fingertips. She lowered her sunglasses, concern filling her gaze.

"Be careful, Rafe. Careful with him!"

Rafe didn't say anything to her, instead rolling his eyes. He lifted his hands up, grabbing onto his little brother's small hands to steady him. More giggles fell from his lips as he swayed back and forth on his older brother's shoulders.

"Rafe, it's 2:15. Can you go check on your sister? She's supposed to be up soon." Rose asked, leaning forward.

Rafe turned to her, keeping hold of Logan's hands. "You're not my mom. I don't have to do what you tell me."

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