Best Siblings Forever (I Love You to Paris & Back)

Chapter 22-Grandma Is Sick

The phone is ringing off the hook. People magazine wants to interview my little sister. Good Morning America invites her on the show. Reporters want interviews so they can write stories.

Elise is becoming a regular celebrity.

After her speech, a huge group of student went to their teachers, relatives, parents, and other people they trusted with stories of their hurts because of Elise-because she was willing to face her fears. For the whole rest of the week, most of the student body continued to meet in the auditorium after class to listen to the sessions about how to deal with abuse. Elise, who has decided that her major in college is going to be counseling, also attends these meetings to gain more knowledge about how to help an abused person.

Slowly, Elise begins to open up more. It's like her speech gave her an open window to start expressing herself and sharing things with people. More than ever before, she smiles and laughs and the old Elise begins to resurface. She also manages to balance her new celebrity status, school, and counseling sessions pretty well. I catch her studying harder and harder as midterms approach. Sometimes she falls asleep at her desk studying. Other times, she comes home pumped because she's getting ahead of the other students in class.

"The teacher thinks I might be able to finish earlier than December because I'm getting so ahead," she says excitedly, setting her book bag on the table.

"I'm so proud of you," I say, wrapping my arms around her and kissing the top of her head.

"Where's Liam?" she asks after I let go. "He's usually home by now."

"I think he said he had to work late," I say.

"Oh, okay. Well, I'm going to start dinner and then work on my homework," Elise says. "Any other people call today?"

I shake my head. "Nope."

"Good," she says. "I need to start concentrating more on my studies."

I roll my eyes. "Elise, if you concentrated any more on your studies, your head would be glued to those books."

She grins at me. "Well, if I'm going to get into college, I have to get my grades up."

"Well..." I grab my toolbox from under the table. "I have another apartment to work on, so I'll be back soon," I say. After I finished with the Miller's apartment, the building owner hired me as the full-time handyman. Now I do all sorts of work in and around the condos.

"Sounds good." Elise drops a few chicken breasts into a hot pan to fry.

Liam is walking up the stairs just as I'm heading down. "Hey, Chan."

"Hi! How was school?" I ask him.

"Oh, good," Liam says, sounding a little breathless, but carefree.

I stop. "What's going on with you?"

"Hmm?" Liam asks, his green eyes bright.

"You don't usually act like this," I tell him. "What's going on?"

A smile as big as all of Manhattan spreads across Liam's face. "Well, you'll find out."

Now my curiosity is peaked.

"Find out about what?" I ask impatiently.