Nicholas Overwhelmed [Published Version]

Chapter 1: The Email

"Oh no!" Mom said, "Grandpa Frank is not doing so well! I just got an email. We need to go to him! NOAH!!! Come!! Frank's not doing well!"
I went and grabbed my sister, Julia, who's in second grade, and I did not even worry about my older brother, Brayden, who's in middle school, and is always rude to me! I'm Nicholas, I'm in fifth grade.
    "COMING!!!" My dad yelled from upstairs.
     "Is grandpa ok..ay?" Julia said slowly. My parents nodded, but my stupid brother had to say, "No...he's probably going to die tomorrow." I bumped Brayden with my elbow. We got in the car when my parents said, "Okay, probably now's a good time to say this...we're going to move to Arizona."
WHAT!! I can't leave my friends here! Well...uhm...maybe I can...I don't know yet.
    "Is grandpa...really going to die??" Julia said. I nodded no. She gave me a
thumbs up.
    When we arrived at grandpa Frank's nursing home, Julia and I ran straight up to grandpa. He said, "My little monkeys." Then, all of a sudden, he stopped. We heard a beep go off, it was just an announcement for bingo. He had all these weird things attached to his hand. "Oh dad!" My mom started crying. "Is grandp-" I stopped Julia from saying another word. "Don't worry. Grandpa is going to be fine." I gave Julia a hug. Grandpa put his hand around Mom's cheek and I took Julia to the lobby. I gave her my phone so she can play a game. I asked one of the workers for some pudding for my sister, but it was only for the patients.
"I hop-" I stopped Julia again.
"Look, it's the circle of life. Don't worry, if we lose him, we know he'll be in our hearts. We can never forget grandpa. I promise." I gave her a big hug and sat down. In my head though, I am kind of freaking out about moving. I asked my sister, "Hey, did you know we were going to move?" My sister was attached to the game. I walked up to grandpa's room and took a peek inside. I saw my dad sitting with his hands to his face. I heard mom talking to him.
    "I don't know what we should do! We can't just leave my dad here and move! Look Noah...it's going to happen soon." My mom said.
What? What's going to happen!? Brayden saw me. "Get out of here, it's none of your business sensitive Nicholas." What does he mean by 'sensitive'? I started crying. Julia saw me. "What does Brayden mean when he calls me sensitive?
Julia looked away. Am I a problem in the family? I saw a sign where it said there's a therapist here. I signed up to meet with Ms. Ben on Monday. I went to go hear mom again, "Okay, we can't tell him he has it. We just need to make sure he feels part of the family. If this does happen, I don't know what we should do." My dad said. None of what my dad just said made sense to me. But of course, I had to blurt out, "Am I a problem?" Everyone looked at me. It was so quiet in the room, I felt like I was being attacked by a giant grizzly bear and started fighting back and everyone looked at me like I was different. I had to blurt out again, "Brayden, am..I..different?" Brayden looked at my parents. They put a thumbs down. "No monkey, now go get your sensitive self out of here!" I walked away. I heard mom, "BRAYDEN! STOP! I TOLD YOU DON'T SAY ANYTHING!" I never heard mom yell so loud. I went back to Julia and I got my phone back. All I need to worry about is moving. I never got my answer though, was I a problem?