White Hope

Chapter Three

"Life can either be accepted or changed.  If it is not accepted, it must be changed.  If it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted." - unknown

***

Dinner that night went by swimmingly.  The whole family was there, although everyone really had to squeeze to fit on the table, and we all enjoyed the amazing chicken enchiladas my mother had made.  In fact, by the time I actually got to bed, I was in a very good mood; we had spent the night playing cards and watching movies and the twins had apologized for being so rude to me earlier.  I fell asleep with a smile that night but, with my luck, that peace wouldn't last for long.

Shouts filled the air and I pulled myself out of the bed, annoyed at the rude awakening.  I started downstairs, wanting to see who was making so much noise at four in the morning.  A loud thud reverberated throughout the house, shaking the floors a little bit and I began to be a little worried.  Fights were a normal thing at our house, but this didn't sound good.

"Aaron!  Aaron stop this this instant!" my mom was screaming bloody murder, which wasn't a good sign.

"Why are you yelling at me?  He's the one that ruined everything!" 

"I didn't know Aaron! I swear I didn't know!" It was Ryan; he sounded like he was crying.  "It was just lying on the counter and it had the address on the top of it and it was already stamped and everything and I just thought tha-" a sick thud interrupted him and he groaned loudly.  I hurried downstairs faster and saw Luke and Jared running in front of me.

"Oh my goodness, Aaron! Stop it! Stop it!" 

A new voice roared, "AARON! Calm down!"  My father ran into the kitchen just as I did.  He grabbed Aaron right before he kicked Ryan again.  I whimpered when I saw how furious Aaron really was.  Luke turned and hugged me when he heard.

"He mailed the letter dad!  He mailed it.  She wasn't supposed to know.  I never wanted her to know..."  Aaron started crying. 

"Luke, what happened?" I whispered.

"I don't know, baby.  I don't really know," he said, squeezing me.

JJ and the twins had shown up by then and were now helping Dad pull Aaron out of the room and away from Ryan, who was still breathing heavily on the ground.  Pulling out of Luke's arms, I ran to Ryan and held his hand.  

"It's ok Ryan.  You'll be just fine."  Hesitating for a moment, I added, "You don't need to go to the hospital do you?"  I really hoped not; my family had been there way too many times for my liking.

Ryan looked up at me and almost smiled when he saw my expression.  "Nice to know you care about me, sis.  I think I'll be fine, though.  Just a little soooore ... oooooh..."  He tried to get up as he was finishing, but slumped back down as the pain made his muscles cramp up.  I know.  Delightful image, right?  He looked at me again and said, with desperation in his eyes, "Emma, I didn't know.  I really didn't! It was all labeled and ... I thought that I'd be helpful and mail it for him.  But I didn't -" he started coughing.  "I, I ... I don't even know what was in there that would make him that angry.  I'm so sorry."

"I know Ryan.  I know," I tried reassuring him, but even I wasn't sure what was going on.  "Just make sure Aaron knows it, too."

"I know, I know.  I know..."

The kitchen was filled with silence for a minute, but we all heard the murmurs coming from the next room.  Jared and Luke shared glances and started whispering furiously, occasionally glancing at the door or me.  I knew in an instant that they wanted me out of the room.  Feeling very annoyed, I ignored Jared when he first called my name.  

"EmmaLee," He was looking at me cautiously, watchfully and, when I didn't respond, he called me again.  Rolling my eyes, I glared at him as he continued, "We, um - Luke and I, that is - think that it, it might be best for you to ... go upstairs and watch Eric and Josh.  You know, to make sure they're ok and not ... destroying their room."  It was a pathetic excuse and he knew it.

"It's four in the morning, Jared," I hissed at him.  "They won't be awake for another three hours and you know it.  Just suck it up and don't try to protect me from nothing!  They're my brothers too,"  I said, referring to Aaron and Ryan.  "I have just as much of a right to know what's going on as you."  

I saw Luke heading over to us, his eyes hard and unrelenting.  "Emma, go upstairs."

Glaring back at him, I growled, "No."

"Emma-" he started to argue, but was cut off when our father trudged into the kitchen, head bowed and eyebrows creased together.  In unison, all eyes looked towards him and we realized that what he had to say was not good.  It was strange seeing my dad the way he was; he was always so cheerful - never had I ever seen him so serious.

He cleared his throat.

"I guess it's time to explain something to all of you.  Just keep in mind that your mother, Aaron, and I didn't tell you for our own reasons."  At that, he paused, sorrow filling his face and my heart dropped.  "Your brother, Aaron, is ... well, Aaron has been diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia."

***

A/N - I'm sorry it's so short... I've just been trying to find the time to update it and, well, this was the only time I had to do it.  I know I said that I would do it, like, last week, but, obviously, that didn't happen... lol

Aaron being sick does not hold any real importance in the story.  However, it will come up again later, just adding some....how do I say it? ... Intensity?  Sadness?  Excitingness? 

Anyways - I would still really really really appreciate getting some more votes (; ... If you enjoyed it even the least bit, please take the time to press that little orange button over on the side there.  It would be very appreciated ..... O.o