IV.

"Angelica, my love, please slow down," Alexander said, running up the stairs to try to catch up to her. She did eventually stop, but only for a moment when she reached the top of the stairs.

"What is it?" Angelica said, a gitated. Her eyes were wandering like an insane person, the only thing on her mind being her sick, ailing brother down the hall.

Alexander had to take a deep breath before saying, "Angelica, my dear please don't take that tone with me." Her father's voice seemed to bring Angelica back to reality. When she finally made eye contact with him, he continued. "Your brother is sleeping. Please talk with me for at least a few minutes." Angelica nodded her head and sat down on the top step, Alexander taking his place next to her. "Does your mother know that you're here?"

"Of course she does. Grandfather's driver escorted me as well," Angelica patiently said. She knew that her father was just worried about her safety. "But how is my Phillip?" She quickly added. Alexander tenderly grabbed his daughter's hands, for once in his life struggling to find the words to say.

"Phillip is having a difficult time, but I have no doubt that he will be well soon enough," Alexander said, obviously slightly uncomfortable. Angelica nodded; she believed everything her father said.

"For him to be okay, that would certainly be enough," Angelica whispered, leaning on her father and gripping his hands a bit tighter.

"That would be enough?" Alexander chuckled, "It is obvious that you truly care for him." Angelica picked up her head in order to give her father a proper confused look.

"He is my brother, it would be wrong for me not to care for him," she said kindly. Alexander just smiled. He knew that Angelica and Phillip had a more special bond than most brothers and sisters, and everyday he prayed to God that it would never be broken. Everyday, he noticed that Angelica became more and more like her mother. After the few seconds of silence she suffered through, Angelica couldn't hold her words back any longer. "May I please see my brother now?" Alexander nodded and lifted her up by the hand, then trailed behind her as she made her way to Phillip's room. When she entered the room, she audibly gasped at the sight of her dear brother.

"Shh…" Alexander warned, but her noise woke Phillip anyway. She rushed to his bedside when she realized her mistake. He grunted a bit as he worked to sit up, and then Angelica took her rightful seat next to him on the bed while Alexander still watched by the door.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Angelica choked as tears brimmed the edges of her eyes. Suddenly, Phillip was the one who looked concerned instead of Angelica. Alexander did his best to restrain himself from running over to her because this was one of the times in his son's life where he needed to learn to be a man and deal with a woman in distress. Luckily, it worked.

"Angelica, why are you crying? Everything is okay," Phillip said softly. This only made the tears continue to fall down Angelica's cheeks.

Through her sobs she said, "I should not be the one to cry, Phillip, you are the one in pain. But, when we received the letter that you were ill, I became so incredibly scared. Now that I see you are truly okay, something has just come over me." Phillip frowned. He hated to cause his sister so much worry and pain. On the rise and fall of his chest Angelica continued to wipe away her own tears, and for a moment Phillip felt at peace. His sister was finally beside him.

"Shh… I know, I know. It's okay," He whispered into her ear and Angelica laughed quietly. She thought it was ironic that her brother was comforting her in a time of his need. It wasn't long before the two of them fell asleep in that same position.

Alexander then left the room more proud of his son than ever before, and that was saying something. If there was one thing for sure that he wanted to raise his son to be was a man who could take care of others. Today, Phillip had shown that. For the next couple of hours, Alexander retired to his bedroom to work while his son and daughter slept. He became lost in his words, and it wasn't long before his presence was needed once again.

"Dad?" Angelica called out from down the hall anxiously, "Dad! Please come quick!" Alexander wasted no time, running down the hallway and into Phillip's room. When he reached it, Angelica was no longer sitting on the bed but rather standing by Phillip's side, gripping his hand. "Daddy, Phillip is coughing up blood and I don't know what to do. Has he done this before?" She asked nervously. Alexander did not answer because he had not done this before. Instead, he responded by sitting his son up and bringing a cloth to his lips, trying not to look too worried in attempt to assure his daughter of Phillip's health.

When Phillip finally stopped coughing, Alexander looked down at the hankerchief to see spots of blood. This worried him more than any previous notions of his sickness had, but he tried to remain calm in the prescse of his children."I'm sorry, Pop," Phillip gasped, obviously out of breath.

Alexander cracked a smile, "My son, you have nothing to be sorry for. I will tell it to you again and again." Then, turning to his daughter he said, "Please watch your brother for me, his medicine is in my room. I need to visit the doctor downtown to get a renewal on his prescription." Angelica nodded, then immediately turned her attention back to her ailing brother. Alexander was lucky that both of his children were too preoccupied to see how frantically he left the house. He didn't need to get a prescription renewal; he needed a new medication. Phillip's illness was getting worse by the hour and Alexander would be damned if he didn't do something to stop it.