Make a Wish || Rhett and Link

Chapter 53 - Mourning

***** Cooper's Point of View *****

"But Dad! You promised that when Cooper came home we could go out and get some ice cream!" Shepherd whined.

"I know bud. If Cooper wants to go, then we'll go, okay?"

Shepherd turned to me. "Do you want to go?"

I shook my head slightly. "N-no. I just want to stay here."

"Aww! Please!"

I glanced up at Rhett. "Can y-you just take him?"

He shook his head and smiled. "Come on Cooper, come with us."

I sighed. "I j-just want to stay here Rhett."

"Please! Please come get ice cream!" Shepherd begged.

I gave Rhett a look. "Why are you making me do this?"

He sighed and sat down next to me. "You're all sad. I don't want you to be sad Super-Cooper. I want you to be happy. How can I make you happy? And don't say by leaving you here, because that's not making you happy at all. It's just leaving you be sad by yourself, and I don't think anyone wants that to happen."

I glanced up at Rhett. "I don't know how, Rhett. I just want to rest for a bit. I'm a bit tired."

He sighed. "Alright. Fine. Tomorrow though, tomorrow we're going out. No arguing."

"B-but Ice cream!" Shepherd butted in.

"There's some in the freezer. Come on." Rhett sighed, taking Shep's hand and they left my room together.

I sighed and flopped back on the bed, exhausted. No matter how many days I spent in hospital, I was always tired when I came out. Probably something to do with the drugs that they pumped me full of.

Jessie walked up to the door and smiled slightly at me. "What's up honey?"

"Nothing." I mumbled.

She walked in sat down next to me. "You're lying. What's wrong?"

"How do you know?"

"Mom instincts, I guess. Come on, you can tell me."

I sighed. "I-I, um, i-it's my s-sister's birthday."

Jessie nodded in understanding. "I can see how that would upset you."

I looked down at my hands. "I-I really m-miss her..."

"I know honey. I know." She soothed. "It's okay. You can just rest today if you want. I'll talk to Rhett and get him off your back, okay?"

I sniffled. "I-I don't w-want him to think I'm j-just being silly."

"You're not though. Cooper, if there was ever a reason for you to stay home, this is it. I think Rhett has just assumed it's because of what happened with the needle."

I sighed, not thinking fondly of the first home injection I had had this morning. It had hurt, a lot.

"N-no, it's not that."

"I'll tell him that and make sure he knows." Jessie assured.

"Thank y-you J-Jessie." I smiled slightly.

"No problem sweetie." Jessie grinned. "If you need someone to talk to, I'll be in the kitchen, okay?"

I nodded slightly. "Thanks."

She ruffled my hair slightly before leaving the room. I lifted my phone off of the bedside table and flicked through the contacts, before pressing call. The phone rang a few times, before Uncle Randy answered.

"Hey Cooper!" He said in a cheerful tone.

"H-hi." I mumbled.

"What's wrong?"

"I-It's H-Harper's b-b-birthday..." I stammered.

"Oh." He gulped. "Are you alright?"

"I-I-" I tried to say, before bursting into tears.

"Oh Cooper. It's okay sweetie, it's okay." He tried to assure through the phone.

"I-I r-really m-miss her!" I sobbed.

"I know. I do too." He said nervously.

"S-she w-was sup-posed to o-outlive m-me!" I cried. "T-that's the w-way i-it was s-supposed t-to work!"

"Cooper, do you want me to come over?" He asked. "You sound really upset. I'm not doing anything, I can come if you need."

"N-no, i-it's okay." I sniffled, wiping the tears off of my face.

"Are you sure?"

"Y-yeah. I-I'm o-okay."

"You don't sound okay."

"I'm fine. I promise." I assured.

"Alright." He said unsurely. "Should I call Rhett?"

"J-Jessie's talking to him..."

"Okay Cooper. Take it easy today, okay? Watch a movie or something. Don't push yourself too hard."

"O-okay. Thanks f-for listening."

"It's fine Cooper, it's why I'm here. Talk soon, okay?"

"Okay." I nodded. "T-talk soon."

I hung up the phone and after washing my face in the bathroom, I sat down on the couch to watch a movie. Harry Potter caught my eye, and I quickly tried to ignore it, the Harry Potter movie marathons with my sister popping back into my mind.

I selected some kids movie, as Shepherd had joined me on the couch, and it started playing. I spotted Rhett and Jessie in the kitchen, quietly conversing. Rhett shot a worried glance at me, but I looked away before our eyes met as to avoid awkwardness. Eventually Locke joined us on the couch too, and as the final end credits rolled down the screen, he followed me back to my room.

"Is everything okay? You look upset." Locke asked.

I sniffled. "Everything's fine, sorry for bothering you."

Locke sat down next to me. "Come on. You're my sister. Trust me."

"I-I had a sister." I admitted. "She was older t-than me."

"I didn't know that."

"Well, i-it's her b-birthday." I cried.

Locke pulled me into a hug. "Oh man. That sucks. I'm sorry."

"I-It w-wasn't y-your f-fault." I whispered.

He hugged me tighter. "I'm still sorry Cooper. I'm sorry you have to go through this."

I sighed. "I-it's okay. T-tomorrow it will all be o-over."

He smiled weakly. "Well, to take your mind off things, do you want to go play monopoly or something?"

I smiled at his offer. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."