Tree of Wishes

Pair of One: A Tom & Tam Perspective

Growing up with a twin is different from other siblings. You share the same toys, go to the same school, and more often than not get forced into wearing cute, matching outfits at the exact same time and rate as the other person. Because you go through the same experiences together, you understand each other more than anyone. Even if you're not identical, like me and my sister, you still get along well despite your differences. You might bicker, compete, and pester, yet you'll be two peas in a pod through thick and thin. Since we were paired up so much, we got used to everyone calling us Tammy and Tommy together more than separate. Practically attached at the hip, as our mom would say.

So when I found out my sister had stage two cancer, it felt as if I had been the one diagnosed. And honestly... I wish I did. I couldn't stand watching her sit in bed miserably as she started to wither away, putting on a good face for our parents when I knew better.

Her hair was the first to go, which was a shame since she loved her wavy, brown locks more than anything. I shaved my head so she wouldn't be alone, and she laughed for five minutes straight going on about how it didn't suit me. I swallowed my pride and accepted her remarks, happy enough to see her smiling again. Then she lost a lot of weight, slimming down to the point where her bones protruded from her skin. At first, she joked about it, saying that she'd been meaning to shed a few pounds anyway, but I could tell from how she stared at herself in the mirror that this was a bit much.

"Least this saves you the trouble of picking out a Halloween costume," I joked. "Just throw on some makeup and bam. Instant skeleton."

She frowned, not taking the joke well. "Might not need makeup at this point..."

"Then throw on another costume and make it original. Don't think anyone's tried a sexy skeleton witch yet."

That made her giggle. "Maybe, but I think being a thick sexy witch is in right now."

"Bah! You can start a new trend. Have a whole line up of sexy skeleton themed costumes. Fun for every occasion. Grandmas will love it."

She rolled her eyes with a crack of a smile. "You butthead..."

The doctors kept bouncing between giving us good news and bad news. One minute it seemed the cancer will go into a partial remission, then they're saying they have to double up on the treatments. Since I was biologically compatible with my sister, blood type and all, I was the perfect candidate for any needed transplants. Our parents assured me that I didn't have to force myself into doing so, insisting that we could always wait for a proper donor, but I really didn't mind. A little blood or marrow or whatever was worth the price of having my sister around longer.

Thankfully, my girlfriend Sandra was very supportive throughout the whole process. She was a cute redhead with glasses I kept passing notes to during history class and we really hit it off. She could be very sassy with her witty remarks, but also a total dork, especially when it came to manga and anime. Her recommendations introduced me to some of the best shows I'd ever seen, moving me from laughter to tears with each one. She also got along with my sister really well, and I often caught the two happily chattering and gossiping along when I came back into the room.

Since her grandpa died from leukemia, she knew how I felt and was patient with me when something came up. When I cried to her about how afraid I was to lose my sister, she simply rubbed my back and let me pour my heart out, comforting me throughout the night. If we're still a thing by the end of high school, I'm definitely going to marry her.

As I sat by her bedside, scratching at the bits of hair starting to grow back, Tam and I would go on for hours talking about random topics and other nonsense. I'd give her a new manga volume to read to pass the time, courtesy of Sandra, and we'd be forced to go our separate ways. It became quite the habit over time. The only breaks in our routine was when she had surgery or was too tired from treatment. As funny as it would have been to wake her up or tease her, I let her be.