Luca's Challenge

Chapter 15. Pinky promise

"Alexa, my good girl." I hear my grandpa say.

"Hey grandpa I missed you. Where have you been?" I ask.

"To the doctors, hey Alexa I need to tell you something." He says.

"Yeah grandpa?" I say concerned.

"I'm sick Alexa, not very good. The doctors said that there is nothing to fix what I have." he says sighing.

"You know I love both you and Caleb."

"Yes grandpa."

"One day sooner or later I'm going to leave and I won't be back until a long time, I need you to know that this time that we spend together won't last for ever." He says. He doesn't want to say those words, those dreaded words.

"I want you to have this," he says while placing an object in my hands "I got it specially made for you." I look down at my hand and see a frosty like crystal that almost has a light blue haze to it in the shape of a dog paw. We both have a big passion for dogs.

I don't say anything, I just look at the paw in my hand staring at it.

"You are my strong little girl right? My only granddaughter." He says placing both of his massive hands on my shoulders while my eyes turn glossy, I know what he's talking about.

"How will I live without you grandpa? You're my best friend, you always said we are a team, that means we stick together, wherever you go I go. Together." I say confidently looking up from my hands. His eyes show so much remorse and pity, like I'm making what he's saying 100x worse to say.

"Not this place you can't." He says.

"I know." I say. While a tear slips down my face.

"Alexa, when I'm gone you will not hear me but I will always be here to listen, you may not see me but I will be here with you, you can always talk to me when I'm gone." He says.

"I will talk to you everyday grandpa." I try to say strongly "I'm sure you will, and I will be listening." He replies back.

"When I'm gone can you look after Cassie for me?" He asks. Cassie is his dog.

"Of course I will." I say nodding my head.

"Grandpa." I say chocking on my word.

"I'm going to miss you so much." I say hugging him.

"I'm going to miss you too, promise me Alexa you will look after this family. Keep us together while I'm gone, be fair with your brother and treat everyone nicely." He asks. I nod my head in response and see him reach for my hand opening it up to show the necklace, he flips it over to reveal letters engraved into it saying 'promise' I pull my pinky finger out.

"I pinky promise." I say while linking my small finger into his rough big ones.

"Pinky promise." I hear him say these words not knowing that they would be the last.

"Grandpa!" I wake up with tears streaming down my face clutching my necklace, I broke my promise with him. Cassie died not long after he did because of grief, that dog meant everything to him, he'd be disappointed in everything that I have done.