A/N: This is dedicated to Wendy and her sister Mattie. I have two sisters and I can't imagine almost losing them, or losing them. So to those of you who have sisters, you know what I mean. They can be a pain in your tail at times, but in the end they're your sisters. And that's something that will never change. I feel like in an after school special! Yeah I had to include Wendy somewhere in this story, so if you can find where I included her, cookies for you!
I walked down the street holding my boyfriend's hand.
He was nodding his head as I continued my rant about my sister Brittany.
"And she spends money like there's no tomorrow. But not her money nooooo, she spends my money." I was about to continue when there was a buzzing noise from my pocket.
I pulled out my phone and noticed that is my younger sister Eleanor calling.
I held out one finger to Simon and he nodded showing me he understood.
"Hey Ellie what's up?" I asked.
My little sister was sobbing on the other end. "Brittany is in a coma" She said between sobs.
I dropped my phone in shock. It fell on the wet pavement and Simon looked at me concerned.
I didn't even glance at him; I didn't even pick up my phone; I just started running.
I had been running for a while when I had to stop to catch my breath.
The hospital wasn't far from here.
I was about to start running again, but something caught my eye.
I looked into the flower shop window and saw a single pink rose in a vase. It was sitting all alone on the checkout counter.
I walked into the store and saw a gruff looking man behind the counter.
"Excuse me, is this rose for sale?" I asked as I pointed to the pink rose.
The man looked at me like I was crazy. "You want a single pink rose?" He asked.
I felt like a young child as he looked at me. "Yes. You see my sister's in the hospital…"
The man shook his hands like he didn't care. "Just take it. No one wants a single pink rose that's close to dying." He grunted.
I felt my face lit up as I grabbed the rose out of the vase. "Thank you!" I nearly yelled as I ran out of the store.
I clutched the rose close to my heart as I began running towards my elder sister once more. "Hang on Brittany. I'm coming."
I looked into the room that a nurse told me was my sister's.
I immediately saw Miss Miller sitting in a chair staring at Brittany; tears were in her eyes.
I looked at the bed and saw my younger sister. Tears fell from her green eyes and streamed down her cheeks.
I looked at the bed and felt tears come to my eyes.
There was my elder sister Brittany. She was lying there helpless.
I wiped the tears out of my eyes, took a deep breath, and then walked into the room.
My mother and Eleanor looked at me.
"You came!" Eleanor exclaimed.
"Of course I came" I told her harshly.
She looked hurt that I used that tone with her.
I was about to apologize but Eleanor seemed to cheer up quickly. "What's that?" She asked me as she pointed to the rose.
I held it out for my family to see. "I got on my way here. It's for Brittany."
"That was very sweet of you Jeanette. I think I'm going to go find a vase for it." Miss Miller said as she got up from her seat and left the room.
I saw tears threatening to fall from her eyes as she left.
I walked to the side of the bed opposite form where Eleanor was sitting. I grabbed Brittany's other hand. "This is my entire fault." I whispered.
Eleanor looked up at me shocked. "What do you mean?" She asked.
I bit my bottom lip. I didn't know if I should tell her what happened earlier that day or not. "We had a fight; a huge fight." I finally said.
Eleanor looked shocked. "But you hardly get into fights Jeanette."
"Yeah but I blew my top. It's my fault she's here." I said. Salty tears were streaming down my face.
Eleanor didn't know what to say.
I avoided her gaze and kept my eyes on my elder sister. My beloved older sister. The one who could drive me crazy, or make me want to yell. My elder sister, Brittany Wendy Miller.
Miss Miller came back into the room; breaking the awkward silence. "I found a vase" She announced as she held up a crystal vase.
I reluctantly put the rose in the glass. I felt connected to Brittany somehow when I was holding that rose.
Miss Miller set the glass on the table beside Brittany's bed.
We stayed there for about thirty more minutes before Miss Miller told us we needed to leave, even though I knew we all just wanted to stay.
We ran into the hospital room only to find a doctor taking notes and my sister still unconscious.
"You said she was awake!" Miss Miller exclaimed.
The doctor looked at her. "I said she almost woke up. Her heart rate is going faster and her brain activity is up. But no, she's not awake." He said before he left.
Miss Miller sat down in the chair she was sitting in earlier. She ran a hand through her gray hair and began muttering to herself.
Eleanor and I walked over to our unconscious sister. We stood by her side and watched her silently.
Miss Miller stood up. "We better get going girls. I'm sure the doctors will call us if there are any changes."
Eleanor nodded and walked over to our mother. Miss Miller walked out of the door with Eleanor trailing behind.
I didn't go as quickly.
I looked over to the table and saw the single pink rose.
I picked it out of its vase.
I gently tucked it in one of Brittany's hands then gave the other one a small squeeze.
I was about to leave when I felt a small squeeze back.
I looked over at my sister and gasped as I saw her sapphire blue eyes slowly open.
"Netta is that you?" She asked.
Tears flooded out of my eyes. I couldn't help but shout out to the whole hospital, "Brittany you're okay!"
Eleanor ran into the room and looked at Brittany. "Miss Miller she's awake!"
We both hugged our sister and were crying like maniacs.
"Guys you're hurting me" Brittany groaned.
We both quickly let go as Miss Miller walked into the room.
She gasped as soon as she saw Brittany trying to sit up in the hospital bed.
Miss Miller hurried to her side and gave her a gentle hug. "I was so worried dear."
"Why what happened?" Brittany asked confused. She glanced at the rose in her hand and her face became more confused. "What's this?" She asked.
"It's a single pink rose." I said.
Brittany stared at the rose. A smile finally appeared on her lips. "Thanks Jeanette" She said.
There was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry!" We both blurted out at the same time.
We looked each other in the eyes and couldn't even remember what we were fighting about earlier.
Our whole family shared a hug trying not to hurt Brittany.
Miss Miller went to go get a doctor leaving the three of us alone.
We sat in silence. Brittany was staring at the rose, Eleanor was glancing around the room, and I was looking at my sister.
"Hey Jeanette, do you know how to press flowers?" Brittany finally asked.
I nodded my head. "Yeah"
A grin appeared on Brittany's lips once more. "Good because I don't want to keep this flower as long as I can."
That's exactly what we did.
I pressed the flower and then put it in a picture frame.
It currently hangs in our bedroom.
Sometimes I just stare at it and think, other times I break down crying.
I don't know what is about that rose that means so much to me.
Maybe it's because it was all alone-which is the way I felt with my sister unconscious, or the fact that it's lasted this long, or maybe it's because it was free. But I think the main reason is that it saved my sister's and mines relationship.
Part of me believes that the rose helped wake Brittany up, the scientific part of me knows that isn't possible, but the last part of me says it was God's doing.
I couldn't imagine my life without either of my sisters. And I never want to almost lose either of them again, or really lose them.
All sisters have their fights, but they always find a way to make up.
Sometimes all it takes is a single pink rose, to make everything right.
