The Boy Who Cared

Anna Mae

I was sitting in the baby blue hospital room where my mother lay fragile and broken in the hospital bed. Beads of sweat glistened on her head as she twitched uncontrollably in her sleep. The cancer had really taken its toll on her. Abruptly, my mother awoke and continued to shake as she quickly grabbed my hand and looked up at me. "Mom! Mom it's okay I'm right here," I said. "Anna. Oh darling. You listen to me okay?" she said. "Mom your scaring me, what's wrong?" The bed shook as my mom continued to quake like an aspen leaf, the cold sweat continuing to appear on her bald head. The shaking soon got worse. "Nurse!!!" I cried out frantically. "Anna Mae look at me." my mom said. "What mom?" I said. "Anna, my time is almost gone. Now you listen to me okay? I want you to take care of your father for me. He may not always show it, but he loves you more than life itself. Please Anna, don't be sad because of me okay? Live your life. Go to homecoming! Hang out with your friends! Be a normal teenager okay? I love you so, so..." mom never finished her sentence because she was shaking too much to do anything. "MOM" I said. "Someone, please help me!!!!" I screamed as my mom looked at me with those emerald green eyes one last time. My tears fell on her hand. The monitor flat lined. My mother was dead.
That was exactly 12 months and 11 days ago. The day my mother was called up into heaven by our lord and savior Jesus Christ. I ate my cereal involuntarily as I stared at the cherry oak of our breakfast table. I missed her so much. I love her so much. There will never be another Kelly Green quite like my mother. I looked at Cork, my sweet corgi, laying under the table, just waiting for some of my bacon to drop. I poured the soggy cheerio and milk mixture down the drain, threw the rest of the bacon to cork and stared out at the dead garden that my mother planted when I was 5. Every summer, we had the prettiest flowers around. Mother kept that garden as if her life depended on it, and now I see why: it was her distraction from the ovarian cancer she had been battling since she was 31. Lost in my thoughts, I barely heard the obnoxious screech of my text tone before looking down and seeing that it was aunt Amelia who texted me. That was strange. Dad was usually the only one who texted me, considering that I was a lame 17 year old who's only friend was a corgi. I read aunt Amelia's text. It read:

Hey sweetie! It's your aunt Amelia (you know just in case you don't already have my contact. Ha ha.) Anyway, I just wanted to offer a proposition. I know that this past year has been a struggle for all of us, to say the least. So, how would you like to live with me for a year or two in Douglasville? As you already know, I love my brother more than anyone could ever know, which is why I am offering to do this. I know how depressed he's been since Kelly died, and who wouldn't be? He just lost his wife of 20 years. Anna Mae, your dad loves you more than he can convey, which is why he has asked me to do this. He wants what's best for you sweetie, and so do I. I would absolutely love to have you, so please think about it and get back to me. No rush. I love you sweet pea, say hi to cork for me (oh and you could bring cork with you. My barn dogs need some company!) Best,
Your aunt Amelia

I had to read the text 5 times before it finally sunk in. Aunt Amelia wanted me to come live with her. In Douglasville. On her farm. In Georgia. In the middle of nowhere. WHAT??? I stood there in contemplation for what must've been 10 minutes, and then I realized it was Friday. I had to go to school.
"Bye cork" I said as I stepped out the door.
Dad was at work, and I had to lock our 5 locks before I could leave, which of course took 2 minutes. I started making my way towards school, my feet obliviously taking me places as I continued to ponder aunt Amelia's proposition.
"Hey, Anna Mae!!" Jackson screamed across his yard.
"Hey Jackson" I said as I forced a smile. I really needed to be alone right now.
"Excited for finals?" he said with a crooked smile. "You bet," I said sarcastically. I knew he could read right through me. Jackson and his family had moved to Charlotte when I was 11, and we had been friends ever since. If there was anybody who knew me well, besides my dad or cork, it was him. And he was there for me and held me when my mom took her final breath and my whole world came tumbling down.
"What's up? You okay?" he asked.
"Yeah I'm fine, I kind of just need to think right now. Can I talk to you later?"
"Sure" he said with a comforting smile. "I'll catch you later!" he yelled after me. I then proceeded to run to school because hey, anything was better than Jackson's sympathetic smile that has been on his face since my mom died a year ago.

Note: hey guys! It's me, the author! This is the first chapter of the boy who cared, and more are to come after I finish this load of homework. Thanks for reading, tune in for the next chapters!