Sincerely, Emily ✓

24 • Silent Scream

"ARE YOU SURE?"

I nodded weakly. "YES."

Mrs. Grant began dialling the numbers while Oliver asked again. "Are you really, really one hundred percent —"

"Oh, little brother," Andre tsked. "Leave her alone."

Oliver glared at him. "You don't know what she's been through, Andre, so you either shut up or mind your own —"

"Young boy!" Mr. Grant chastised. "That's enough."

I had a feeling Oliver didn't get along well with his older brother. Why? I didn't know. I mean, there was nothing to hate, really, about Andre. He seemed like a mix between Raph and Jake, and that was either a perfect combination or a horrible one. I guess the latter only applied to Oliver, because all the others seemed to be "charmed" by Andre.

Me? Meh.

Andre had come back from university to stay with the family for two weeks. Even though he attended Seattle University, he wanted to live in his own apartment instead of with his own family. I guess some of that made sense, with him wanting freedom and independence and all.

He was on a holiday, so he had plenty of time to waste. Apparently, they were expecting his visit — they just didn't tell me much because they were too busy worrying about me.

"Hello?" Mrs. Grant called from the phone. "This is Elizabeth. Hello, Maria."

I froze. She did it. She got a hold of her, and. . . she really did answer.

"Yes, well, enough of that," Mrs. Grant seemed to snap, and I swear I could hear Mom's frenzied voice over the phone. "I'd like to discuss a different matter, concerning your daughter as well."

Mrs. Grant went out the room after that and left, Mr. Grant following her trail.

"Out of all people," Oliver grunted. "Why you?"

Andre rolled his eyes. "Jake is in a job interview, Tom is in his friend's house, Jessie is in a college interview, and Raph needs to catch up with homework. Tough luck, bro."

Mr. and Mrs. Grant came in before Oliver could throw himself at him.

They smiled at me.

"She'll be here in less than four hours," Mr. Grant stated. "Just be ready, Emily."

________

Take a deep breath, Emily.

You could do this.

No, you couldn't.

Oliver and I were playing Monopoly but I couldn't concentrate on the game while my mind was somewhere else. Mom was coming back in one hour. She's. . . she's coming back.

I wasn't sure if I should be happy or not.

"You're going to be fine," he reassured. "If there's somebody that needs to be worried, it's your mom. You don't need to apologise for anything."

It was true, though. Why should I be worried? My ALS had stopped, hadn't it? I should be great. Overwhelmed.

Trust me, I was. But there was one question that was in the back of my head.