It was a sunny and warm April Day, but not for Danielle Elise Novak.
Lately, Casey has been staying home from work to take care of Danielle. Her sister was only getting worse as the months progressed and while the doctors tried to be optimisic, Danielle turned their treatment options down. Danielle just wanted to give up and die, which might as well be a symptom of AIDS.
When Casey was reading a book, she heard Danielle throwing up in the bathroom. Even though this happened often, Casey sensed that something wasn't right. She got up from her seat, walked to the bathroom and knocked on the door.
"Danielle?"
Casey heard a loud and painful gag from Danielle. Casey opened the door and saw her sister kneeling over the toilet.
"Geez Casey, do you have to watch me puke?" Danielle asked.
"You sound like you're in pain. I'm only checking up on you."
Danielle put her face in the toilet and threw up again. When Danielle looked up, she sat down on the floor.
"You know that I'm really sick of this?" Danielle asked "I just want this all to be over."
"I know, Danielle" Casey said as she flushed the toilet for her sister "That had to be the hundredth time you said that. Here, let me help you up."
Casey reached for both of Danielle's hands, grabbed them, and lifted her sister up. It was easier to help Danielle up from the floor this time, but that was only because Danielle lost a lot of weight in six months.
"Are you hungry?" Casey asked.
"Isn't that a stupid question?" Danielle snapped. Then she realized that being mean to Casey wasn't necessary.
"Geez, I'm sorry Casey..."
"Don't worry about it" Casey said "Just go back to bed and relax."
Danielle couldn't get out of bed to go to the bathroom. That's when the realization of her life close to ending came to her. She started crying loudly and a few seconds later, Casey ran into the room.
"Danielle, what's wrong?"
"I can't get out of bed!"
"What do you mean you can't get out of bed?"
"I can't move, Casey. It hurts to even move!"
"Do you need me to help you?" Casey asked
"Yes, but don't be surprised if I scream in pain."
Ever since Danielle's symptoms got worst, Abby never got to see her. They weren't dating anymore, but Abby was still a good friend. She knocked on the apartment door, wondering if she could handle seeing Danielle in the condition that she's in. Casey opened the door and looked at Danielle's friend.
"Abby, I'm glad you can come."
"It's not a problem at all" Abby said as she walked in "How is she doing?"
"She can't get out of bed without someone picking her up and bringing her to the bathroom" Casey said quietly "The doctors are giving her a few more weeks."
"This must be hard on you, Casey. How do you do it?"
"I have to do this, she's my sister."
Abby nodded as she walked into Danielle's room. She saw that Danielle was in a sickly state and she looked horrible from where Abby was standing.
"Danielle? It's me...It's Abby" Abby said as she walked closer to Danielle's bed and sat in the chair next to the bed. Abby gently grabbed her hand and held it.
"Abby..."
Abby didn't know what to say. All she could do is sit with Danielle and think about the good times they had. A few minutes later, Danielle fell asleep. Abby let go of her friend's hand and got up from the chair. As she walked out of Danielle's room, she saw Casey standing right next to the door.
"I can't believe that's her" Abby said quietly "I can't believe that this happened so quickly..."
Abby started to cry, and when Casey put her arms around Danielle's friend, she couldn't help but cry too.
