Amy Abbot walked into her brother Bright's hospital room. As she watched
him sleep she couldn't help but feel shamed. Why had she been such a
bitch? The thing that hurt her the most was that she couldn't even
remember what Bright had done to get her so pissed. All Amy could think of
was last night seeing him look so weak and helpless as he was carried out
on the stretcher. Of course Bright was fine but what if he hadn't been
what if on her brothers last day on earth she had spent it not talking to
him. Amy pulled up a chair by Bright's bed she just sat there for a few
moments watching him sleep. It was hard to believe that the peaceful
looking young man could at times be a huge asshole. But regardless of who
he was he was her brother. A thousand childhood memories ran through Amy's
mind. She thought of all the boys Bright had beat up in Elementary school
for her and all the times that he let her go first in the bathroom. While
meditating on these things something inside of Amy began to hurt. She
continued to meditate on her guilt as she began to cry.
Bright began to stir. His eyes fluttered open as he looked over at Amy.
"Hey" he said groggily.
"Hey, how are you?"
"Hmm lets see I was cut open and they played around with my insides so about as well as can be expected." said Bright with a weak smile. He began to cough and reached over for his water glass. Amy reached for it first and brought the straw to his cracked lips.
"Thanks"
"I need to apologize" Amy said.
"For what?"
"You know what for, for being a really big bitch."
"Amy..." Bright interrupted
"No. Let me finish. I was a jerk. What if you would have died last night? I would have had to live the rest of my life knowing that the last day I had with my brother I spent mad at him."
"Oh I see this is to make you feel better." said Bright laughing
"Come on do you have to try to make me feel worse." said Amy on the verge of tears
"Amy really its no big deal you've been having some bad days lately I should have just left you alone."
"Yeah but you were going through the same things I was going through. The whole time Colin was in a coma all I could think about was how much I hurt. I knew you had lost your best friend but you always acted like it was no big deal. I hated you for not caring. And when you finally came clean about what you did, which probably took more courage than I'll ever have it was more than likely a cry for help that I allowed to be idle. Maybe you needed me just as much as I needed someone and I wasn't there for you."
There was a moment of silence. Then Amy began to cry "Bright I love you so much I don't think I've ever told you that and when you needed me I wasn't there. I'm such a terrible person I only think about myself."
"Hey come on don't cry I'm fine and I love you too. And as far as this terrible person garbage you better watch what you're saying. No one talks about my little sister like that."
Amy began to smile "Really?" she asked smiling slightly through her tears she was starting to feel better.
"Yeah now that I know you forgive me."
"Who said I forgive you?"
Bright looked up startled and hurt
"Gotcha" said Amy laughing
"Ouch" yelped Bright grabbing his stomach.
"Bright what's wrong?" asked Amy frantically "Should I call a nurse?"
"You're not the only one with Gotcha's" said Bright smiling.
"That wasn't funny."
"It was just as funny as yours"
"Yeah, well I don't want to sound cheesy but I am so thankful you're ok. I don't think I could ever go through what I went through with Colin again. This is one of those important lessons that doesn't have too many consequences but makes enough of an impact to make you remember"
"Well give up on your hopes it was very cheesy. What exactly do you mean about that whole lesson thing?"
"I mean I need to remember that blood is thicker than water. Siblings are very important. What if I needed blood or a kidney or bone marrow? You would be the person who would most likely give it too me, therefore I need to appreciate you."
"Wow Amy." Said Bright looking touched. "That's a lot. I just lost my appendix now your taking my blood and kidney's" Bright said grinning at his own joke.
"Bright" Amy groaned in a frustrated tone.
"Calm down it was just a joke but I know what you mean. I never thought of that."
"Wondering if you might loose your brother makes you think about a lot." said Amy as she took Bright's hand.
"Alright now don't go Drama Queen on me but I get what you're saying and thank you for coming I'm glad you're here." Bright said managing a weak smile.
"Well now that all the mushy stuff is over. Is there anything I can do for you." Amy asked while fluffing his pillows and tucking him in tightly.
"Stay awhile" said Bright
"Of course I will. Well now that all that's over how are you feeling?"
"Hmm in all honesty a little tired." Bright said yawning
"Then go back to sleep."
"I can't do that I just asked you to stay. Its only basic but turn on the TV there maybe something on cable"
"I'm not here to be entertained by you. Seriously go to sleep. I'll see you when you wake up."
"No it's no problem you can go home. You'll be so bored."
"Don't think you'll get rid of me that easily plus I've got books and a lot to think about." Amy said
"Your sure?" Bright asked yawning
"Positive."
Bright was already sleeping soundly before the word was out of Amy's mouth. Amy sat there thinking about how much time in the last year she had spent thinking about herself. She also thought about Colin, her parents and especially Ephram. She sat there so long she had lost count of the time. After a few hours a nurse came in and said "Visiting hours are over."
"Ok" said Amy as she began to gather her things. The indistinct noises woke Bright.
"What time is it?" he asked rolling over looking at the clock.
"You're still here" he asked
"Yea but I'm on my way out." said Amy gathering up her things"
She gave Bright a hug and a kiss."Go back to sleep. I'll be back tomorrow and everyday until you come home."
"Thanks for today Amy"
"I would say you're welcome but I have a lot to thank you for too. I'll see you tomorrow."
Amy got on the bus thinking of all the things she needed to do. She needed to change her attitude towards a lot of things. She knew exactly were to begin she was going to go home and call Ephram and tell him just how much she appreciated him. She then put it in the back of her mind to make sure that with everything he had done for her she was going to really be there for Ephram the next time he needed someone.
Bright began to stir. His eyes fluttered open as he looked over at Amy.
"Hey" he said groggily.
"Hey, how are you?"
"Hmm lets see I was cut open and they played around with my insides so about as well as can be expected." said Bright with a weak smile. He began to cough and reached over for his water glass. Amy reached for it first and brought the straw to his cracked lips.
"Thanks"
"I need to apologize" Amy said.
"For what?"
"You know what for, for being a really big bitch."
"Amy..." Bright interrupted
"No. Let me finish. I was a jerk. What if you would have died last night? I would have had to live the rest of my life knowing that the last day I had with my brother I spent mad at him."
"Oh I see this is to make you feel better." said Bright laughing
"Come on do you have to try to make me feel worse." said Amy on the verge of tears
"Amy really its no big deal you've been having some bad days lately I should have just left you alone."
"Yeah but you were going through the same things I was going through. The whole time Colin was in a coma all I could think about was how much I hurt. I knew you had lost your best friend but you always acted like it was no big deal. I hated you for not caring. And when you finally came clean about what you did, which probably took more courage than I'll ever have it was more than likely a cry for help that I allowed to be idle. Maybe you needed me just as much as I needed someone and I wasn't there for you."
There was a moment of silence. Then Amy began to cry "Bright I love you so much I don't think I've ever told you that and when you needed me I wasn't there. I'm such a terrible person I only think about myself."
"Hey come on don't cry I'm fine and I love you too. And as far as this terrible person garbage you better watch what you're saying. No one talks about my little sister like that."
Amy began to smile "Really?" she asked smiling slightly through her tears she was starting to feel better.
"Yeah now that I know you forgive me."
"Who said I forgive you?"
Bright looked up startled and hurt
"Gotcha" said Amy laughing
"Ouch" yelped Bright grabbing his stomach.
"Bright what's wrong?" asked Amy frantically "Should I call a nurse?"
"You're not the only one with Gotcha's" said Bright smiling.
"That wasn't funny."
"It was just as funny as yours"
"Yeah, well I don't want to sound cheesy but I am so thankful you're ok. I don't think I could ever go through what I went through with Colin again. This is one of those important lessons that doesn't have too many consequences but makes enough of an impact to make you remember"
"Well give up on your hopes it was very cheesy. What exactly do you mean about that whole lesson thing?"
"I mean I need to remember that blood is thicker than water. Siblings are very important. What if I needed blood or a kidney or bone marrow? You would be the person who would most likely give it too me, therefore I need to appreciate you."
"Wow Amy." Said Bright looking touched. "That's a lot. I just lost my appendix now your taking my blood and kidney's" Bright said grinning at his own joke.
"Bright" Amy groaned in a frustrated tone.
"Calm down it was just a joke but I know what you mean. I never thought of that."
"Wondering if you might loose your brother makes you think about a lot." said Amy as she took Bright's hand.
"Alright now don't go Drama Queen on me but I get what you're saying and thank you for coming I'm glad you're here." Bright said managing a weak smile.
"Well now that all the mushy stuff is over. Is there anything I can do for you." Amy asked while fluffing his pillows and tucking him in tightly.
"Stay awhile" said Bright
"Of course I will. Well now that all that's over how are you feeling?"
"Hmm in all honesty a little tired." Bright said yawning
"Then go back to sleep."
"I can't do that I just asked you to stay. Its only basic but turn on the TV there maybe something on cable"
"I'm not here to be entertained by you. Seriously go to sleep. I'll see you when you wake up."
"No it's no problem you can go home. You'll be so bored."
"Don't think you'll get rid of me that easily plus I've got books and a lot to think about." Amy said
"Your sure?" Bright asked yawning
"Positive."
Bright was already sleeping soundly before the word was out of Amy's mouth. Amy sat there thinking about how much time in the last year she had spent thinking about herself. She also thought about Colin, her parents and especially Ephram. She sat there so long she had lost count of the time. After a few hours a nurse came in and said "Visiting hours are over."
"Ok" said Amy as she began to gather her things. The indistinct noises woke Bright.
"What time is it?" he asked rolling over looking at the clock.
"You're still here" he asked
"Yea but I'm on my way out." said Amy gathering up her things"
She gave Bright a hug and a kiss."Go back to sleep. I'll be back tomorrow and everyday until you come home."
"Thanks for today Amy"
"I would say you're welcome but I have a lot to thank you for too. I'll see you tomorrow."
Amy got on the bus thinking of all the things she needed to do. She needed to change her attitude towards a lot of things. She knew exactly were to begin she was going to go home and call Ephram and tell him just how much she appreciated him. She then put it in the back of her mind to make sure that with everything he had done for her she was going to really be there for Ephram the next time he needed someone.