Rosalina's last wish
Nat went to bed that night feeling tense. He hated the fact that he'd let one incident with the press cause him to quit. E.T snuggled close to him and whimpered Nat petted her head and said "I'm ok girl. Just go to sleep I know you are trying to help but you're just a dog. I wish mom were still here she always knew what to say."
E.T brought Nat a picture of his mother in her mouth. Nat looked at it and smiled a sad smile. In the photo Nat and his mother were sitting on the couch holding Alex. E.T barked softly and climbed onto Nat's lap.
Nat said "a picture is a thousand words. Look how happy we were together as a family. Dad just never could find the heart to get married again."
Then the phone rang Nat answered it on the first ring. Rosalina said "Nat I heard that the band was breaking up. How could you do this to your brother? You know how much the band means to Alex."
Nat said "the band isn't breaking up Rosie. I'm just not coming back for a long time. I'll come back when you're out of the hospital."
Rosalina said "Nat if you were told you only had a year to live what would be the first thing you'd do?"
Nat said "what kind of question is that Rosie? We're just teenagers we shouldn't even need to ask ourselves that question. If you really want to know I would play every concert I could with the guys and then the last thing I would do is kiss you Rosie."
Rosalina said "I'd look through old pictures and spend time with my dad. The band is nice but it's not my family."
Nat was starting to get worried he asked "are you ok Rosie? Did the doctors find something while you were in surgery?"
Rosalina started to cry Nat sighed and waited for her to calm down. Then she sniffed "Nat I don't want you to worry about me but they're saying I have cancer. The doctors are saying that I have a year to live if treatments are successful. My dad managed to convince the nurses to let you spend the night in my room. I really don't want to be alone tonight."
Nat choked "you have what? Rosie I'll be right over just please don't leave me."
E.T whined when Nat ran downstairs and left the house. When Nat reached the hospital room Rosalina was in his heart broke. Tears fell down his cheeks and he couldn't stop.
Once he had himself under control he went into the room. Rosalina was lying down on the bed with her hands over her face. Nat went over and set his hands on top of hers. Then he said "guess who Rosie."
Rosalina didn't say anything she just laid still. Nat removed her hands from her face and kissed her cheek. Nat blinked back the tears that were welled up in his eyes. He didn't want Rosalina to worry about him.
Rosalina said "Nat can you promise me something? Promise me that even if I don't make it you will still have the band. I know how much the band means to you and I don't want you to give that up."
Nat said "Rosie don't talk like that. You're going to be fine doctors make mistakes. Here I know something that might cheer you up. Let's watch the band perform the first concert of the tour."
Rosalina just shook her head and handed Nat the remote. Nat turned the TV on and saw that it was already on the channel that the band was on. Nat saw his father was going to be playing the keyboard. He told Rosalina that he'd be right back. Then he stepped outside and called his dad.
Mr. Wolf answered his cell phone and said "Nat we're in the middle of getting ready for a concert. This isn't the time for idle conversation."
Nat said "dad this is about that song I gave you the music for before I quit. I need you to play that. I'm at the hospital with Rosalina now she's sick please."
Mr. Wolf said "alright Nat but tell me what's wrong with her. Is she going to be ok?"
Nat said "dad I don't know. Just please play that song for her tonight."
Nat hung up the phone and went back into Rosalina's room. His dad took out the music for the song far longer than forever. Before he started to play he said "this is a song that my son Nat wanted me to play for his girlfriend. It's called far longer than forever."
Rosalina started to cry and Nat hugged her. Then he began to sing the song to her. Nat sang "far longer than forever I'll hold you in my heart. It's almost like you're here with me although we're far apart. Far longer than forever as constant as a star I close my eyes and I am where you are. Sure as the dawn brings the sunrise we've an unshakeable bond destined to last a life time and beyond. Far longer than forever like no loves ever known and with your love I'll never be alone."
Rosalina said "thank you Nat. How did you know that song would cheer me up?"
Nat said "you're scared because you think we won't still be together. I thought this song would make you see otherwise."
Rosalina said "Nat I'm fine now can we just listen to the rest of the songs please?"
Nat was silent for a while and then he noticed that Rosalina had fallen asleep. She was shaking uncontrollably Nat pulled her close to him. Nat fell asleep with Rosalina in his arms. It took him a minute to realize where he was in the morning when she was sleeping in his lap.
Rosalina stretched and said "Nat the nurses said you had to leave when I fell asleep. If they find you here I'm in so much trouble."
Nat said "I'll just slip out the back no one will even know I was here. I promise Rosalina everything will be fine. You just get some sleep ok I love you."
Nat left the room and called the rest of the band. He had to tell them about what was going on with Rosalina. He wasn't sure how to tell any of his friends so he prayed that Copper or his dad would answer. Alex answered the phone Nat didn't want to tell his little brother that Rosalina was dieing so he just said that the concert went really well last night and that they should be proud of themselves.
Alex could tell that something was bothering him though. Nat said "Alex could you please put dad or Copper on. This is really important it's about Rosalina."
Alex said "Nat is she ok? I know how close you two are I'll talk to dad and see if we can head home early so we can be with you."
Nat said "Alex Rosalina is going to be fine just let me talk to dad."
Alex brought the phone over to Mr. Wolf. Mr. Wolf said "Nat is everything ok? Last night you said Rosalina was sick. Do they know what's wrong with her?"
Nat said "dad please don't tell the rest of the guys. Rosalina has cancer and she only has a year to live. Apparently she had it before and it went into remission."
Mr. Wolf said "Nat this isn't something you keep a secret. The others are going to want to say goodbye. Are you ok Nat?"
Nat said "yeah I'm fine dad. I just don't want the others to come home early from the tour."
Mr. Wolf said "it's ok if you're upset or scared. When your mom was sick I cried after I knew she wasn't going to make it. In light of what's going on with Rosalina I think we should come home early. The guys really don't feel like singing without you anyway."
Nat said "dad Rosalina made me swear to keep the band together. I promised that I would keep the band together. If you guys make the decision to come home early people are going to think we're breaking up. If Rosalina gets wind of it it'll break her heart."
Mr. Wolf said "do you think I'd tell the band that Rosalina is sick and dieing in front of a camera? The cameras are only in areas where we practice and perform. They're not allowed to be in the bedroom."
Nat said "dad I'm sorry."
Mr. Wolf said "Nat none of this is your fault. You had a bad experience with the press for the first time. I take particle responsibility for that. I'll call you when we get home ok."
Nat hung up and called E.T over to him. E.T saw tears in Nat's eyes and licked his face. Lucky barked and brought him her favorite ball. Nat petted them and said "not today Lucky not today. Alex will be coming home soon Lucky then he'll be able to play with you."
E.T whimpered and jumped into his lap. Nat said "girl I'm ok. I'm just really worried about our girl Rosalina."
Meanwhile Mr. Wolf and Copper were talking to the band. Mr. Wolf said "you guys all know that Rosalina is in the hospital. Nat just called and she has cancer. She has another year to live at most. I think that all of you want to see her so I've made the decision to cancel the rest of the tour."
Alex said "dad is Nat ok?"
Jesse put her arm around him and said "hush Nat will be fine. He'll just really need the band."
Alex burst into tears and Jesse pulled him into her lap. Jesse sighed and said "it'll be ok Al hush it'll be ok."
Mr. Wolf gently lifted Alex's tear stained face to look into his eyes. Then he said "every band has it's time in the dark and it's time in the sun."
Jesse sang "once there was the sun shining bright and wonderful. Shining like the love that's in my heart. Now there's no more sun winter has killed everything. Even though there's dark December forever I'll remember- I'll remember sun."
David said "Rosalina loved the sun. She never would want the sun to set. Nat loves the band so much it would kill him to see it fall to pieces."
Tomas said "it's probably the best thing for us to go see Rosalina. We need to show her she has a reason to fight."
Mr. Wolf said "so it's settled then we will leave a two am sharp. Then we'll catch a plane home and be outside our house by three pm."
Alex buried his face in Jesse's shirt and she rubbed his back gently and whispered "hush Alex its ok everything will be good again you'll see."
Tomas said "don't lie to the kid Jesse. Rosalina is dieing that's going to change everything. Nat isn't going to be able to keep singing when she dies. The band will probably break up."
Jesse said "Tomas shut up! Alex is just that he's a kid. I'm not going to tell a twelve year old boy that his friend is dieing. Alex needs to be loved and protected. He needs a woman in his life a motherly hand to guide him."
Alex sobbed loudly and Jesse rubbed his back soothingly. Mr. Wolf walked over to him and said "we're going home early to be with Nat. That's the only thing I can do right now."
Jesse said "David could you please get me a damp cloth and some warm milk?"
Mr. Wolf picked Alex up and laid him on Jesse's lap. Then he said "you don't have to do this. Alex is over reacting because he's tired. Why don't you go to bed I'll handle this."
Jesse said "I'll stay right here with Alex. He needs me Mr. Wolf."
David came back with the warm milk and the cool cloth. Jesse thanked him and then put the cloth over Alex's eyes. Then she waited until his sobs were less intense and handed him the mug of warm milk.
Alex yawned and said "Jesse thank you for cheering me up. I think I'll be ok now thanks to you."
Jesse said "that's good little man now go to sleep."
Alex lied down and asked "Jesse will you sing to me?"
Jesse said "yes Alex but what do you want me to sing?"
Alex said "anything you want to."
Jesse held Alex's hand and sang "when you're sad when you're feeling low when you're hurt and don't know where to go think of me there I'll be anytime you need a friend. When you're scared I will stay with you when you feel you're falling I'll lift you. When your heart breaks I'll be your wings what ever it takes I'm there anytime you need a friend."
Jesse smiled when she saw Alex sleeping peacefully. She wasn't being funny when she said "that he looked cute when he slept. She thought that he was the nicest guy she'd ever met besides Nat. Jesse had been in love with Nat for at least a year now.
She sat beside him holding his hand until Mr. Wolf and Copper woke everybody up. While she was packing her bags she wondered if she would ever be able to tell Alex that loved him. Alex came over and said "dad says I owe you an apology for last night."
Jesse said "hey don't worry about it. You needed a friend and I was there for you."
Mr. Wolf said "ok everybody when we get back to the house we're going with Nat to see Rosalina. It's important that no matter how upset you are you don't cry in front of her."
Jesse said "Alex I'm going to be right beside you the whole time just squeeze my hand.