LOVE IS 2 Revealing Riley

Chapter 1

Maybe if I close my eyes tight enough and wish really hard none of this will be true.

"Did you make a wish?" Mommy asks as I blow out my candles.

"If I tell you it won't come true." I tell her.

"You can tell me and I can wish it with you Mijo."

"Ok, I wished that Daddy wasn't sick and that he would not die."

" Oh honey I wish that everyday, you and Jack will see Daddy tomorrow."

  My dad has been sick for a year now with Stage 4 lung cancer. Mommy told us that his medicines stopped working and he was going to die. I think I cried harder that day than I have ever cried in all my 10 years. Jack is trying to be strong but when we first visited Daddy when he got switched to hospice care Jack had a very hard time. My Mommy said Jack had something called an anxiety attack and he passed out. Now he has to take a pill every time we visit with Daddy. Our Dad made Jack and I promise to never smoke cigarettes. He was a heavy smoker. He would smoke about three packs a day.

  Today we get to visit Daddy again, Mommy gives Jack his pill an hour before we head out. I have a sick feeling in my tummy and I am scared that this maybe the last time I see him alive. Ten years is not enough time to spend with your hero. I sit quietly on the couch and wait for Mommy.

"Are you ready to go Riley and Jack." Mommy asks.

"Yes." We both say as we grab our backpacks and place our baseball caps on our heads. We head out the door with Mommy.

  We get in a cab that is waiting and Mommy tells us that Daddy is not eating well so she wants to buy him his favorite chocolate milkshake at our favorite diner. We get to the diner and Mommy orders the shake and cokes for Jack and I.

"You have beautiful eyes." The lady behind the counter says.

"What do you say Mijo," Mommy says.

"Thank you." I say looking down at my feet.

  We are only a block from the hospital so we decide to walk the rest of the way. Jack is telling us about a boy/girl party that he got invited to, he thinks he is so cool because he is in Junior High and girl crazy. We get to the hospital and my nerves are going crazy but I try to stay quiet. I have a huge lump in my throat and my heart is beating hard in my chest. We go into the elevator and I push the button for the 11th floor.

  A man holding a big bunch of pink balloons is in the elevator he tells Mommy that his wife just had a baby girl. She congratulates him and smiles at him warmly. We finally reach our floor and we start walking towards Daddy's room which is all the way at the end of the hall. Mommy tells me to go in first so she can make sure that Jack is ready to go in. I open the door and head into the room.

"Hi Daddy." I begin and I see the look on my Dad's face is in complete shock and it confuses me. I look around and see a lady and three other kids.

"Did he just say hi Daddy?" The lady snaps which makes me jump. "Who are you? Paul who is this child?" Mommy and Jack walk in and I run over to her and hide my face on her side.

"Hi Dad." Jack says quietly.

"Hi boys." Daddy says weakly. Tears are flowing down his face as he looks at us.

"Paul, I will only ask you one more damn time! Who are these people!" The lady yells. Our Mommy looks at her very confused and angry.

"I'm his wife and these are his sons." Mommy snaps back.

"Excuse me? I'm his wife these are his ONLY children!" she says pointing at the other kids in the room. "We have been married for 20 years! PAUL TELL HER NOW!!"