Forever & Always

Prologue

I woke up to a scream. Caleb. I ran to my brother's room. Dad was out tonight and left me in charge of Caleb. I ran down the hallway and burst into his room. He was laying on the ground crying. Terrible, painful sobs escaped his throat. Oh my God. He's been through this before, but this time it was different. "Lessie!" he screamed.

Tears were pouring down his face. I ran to him and knelt beside him. I put his head in my lap. My hands were shaking so badly and I couldn't see. I tried to grab Caleb's phone off the nightstand, but I couldn't hold it. It slipped out of my hands.

I grabbed it again and called our dad. He didn't pick up. I couldn't see anything. Caleb was laying on my lap crying out in pain. He grabbed my arm. "Les. Help me!"

I tried to call Dad again, but he wouldn't pick up the phone. I called again and again. On the fifth try, he answered. "Hello?"

"Dad?" I cried.

"Al? What's going on?"

"Dad," I sobbed. I didn't realize I was crying. "It's Caleb. You've got to come home. It's bad, Dad. Really bad."

"Al, get him to the hospital now. I'll meet you there." He hung up.

-

I got Caleb to the car and drove like a madman. My vision had cleared up now, though I was still crying. I got to the hospital and turned around in my seat. Caleb was laying in fetal position on the back seat. I got out and opened his door. He couldn't stand, and I couldn't lift him now. I have no idea how I got him out to the car in the first place.

I rushed into the ER and ran up to the front desk. "You've got to help me. Please! Its my brother. H-he's sick. And I can't get him in here and--."

"Hon, please go sit down and wait." The receptionist scowled at me.

"No! I can't! You've got to help me get him here. He's--." Dying. I couldn't say it. I wouldn't. "Please just help me." I whispered.

"Carl?" The receptionist called to a man in the back. "This girl needs help. She said something about her brother?" She looked at me. A man came to the front.

"Please. I can't get him in here by myself-- he's too heavy."

"Where is he?" The man, Carl, asked.

"He's in the car. Out here." I started running towards the doors and Carl followed.

I ran to our car and opened the back door. Caleb was laying there curled into a ball and still crying. "Caleb?" He looked at me.

"Lessie," Caleb said.

Carl put one arm under Caleb's neck and one under his knees. He carried him bridal style back into the hospital. When they got inside, the medics were already there and ready. They took Caleb into the back, leaving me stranded in the lobby.

I went and I sat down, putting my head into my shaky hands.

"Alessandra?" I looked up and saw my dad standing in the doorway. I ran to him and he caught me in a hug.

"How bad?" he whispered into my ear.

"10," I whispered back.

He pulled back, tears welling in his eyes, and looked at me. "I'm so sorry."