The next day, Gabby and I hadn't even gotten breakfast before Mom called me.
"What's going on?" I asked nervously, holding Gabby's hand firmly in mine.
"They're letting you and Gabby see Richelle," Mom said, her voice grim.
Something wasn't adding up here. "Then why do you sound so upset?" I asked. "That's good right?"
"The doctors don't think it's necessary to protect her from infection anymore," Mom said.
And I understood. "Because they think she's..." My voice trailed off. I couldn't even say the word.
Mom didn't even answer. Instead she said," Dad's coming to pick you up."
I uttered an okay and hung up quickly so I didn't start crying right in that moment on the phone.
I've had to watch one of my best friends die and now I have to watch another.
Suddenly it dawned on me that saying goodbye to Richelle was going to be harder than saying goodbye to Eva. I was losing another sister.
God, please grant me courage to say what needs to be said to her and help it to be right.
"I-I don't want to do this," Gabby said. "Richelle... I can't- I don't-Sadie-"
"Gabby, if you don't do this, you'll regret it for the rest of your life," I said. Gabby choked out a sob. "I know."
Dad picked us up and took us to the hospital. The car was entirely silent the whole way there.
When we got there. I breathed in the all too familiar scent of Clorox and cleaning supplies. I hated that. As we neared her room Mom came out. Her face was pale and tears streamed down her face.
"The doctors think we should limit your visit to five minutes," Mom said. "Just in case..." She started crying and rushed out.
So they were still holding on to the small hope that Richelle wouldn't die. But they were still wanting Gabby and I to say goodbye to her because this might be our last chance to. Still I looked down at Gabby and said three words.
"Hold my hand."
Gabby and I walked in and my voice caught in my throat when I saw my sister. Her eyes were closed, her body completely still.
"You go first," I whispered to Gabby because I could barely speak. Her dark hair was matted underneath her head. She was so still I didn't think she was even breathing. She might not have been. The monitor above her head showed her heartbeat. Once or twice in a four or five second period. That wasn't good and it definitely wasn't normal. My parents were right. She was dying. Just a week and a half ago she was tripping me on the beach. And now this.
Gabby leaned forward and whispered, "Richelle?"
"She can't-" Dad started, but Gabby pressed on,
"It's-It's okay if you can't open your eyes right now," Gabby said. "I understand. If-" Gabby took a deep breath. Her voice was shaky. I put my hands firmly on her shoulders.
"It's okay," I whispered.
Gabby nodded a little. "If you have to go, we'll be okay. But if you can stay..." Gabby's voice broke.
"Your turn," Gabby whispered, stepping back.
I took a deep breath. "Believe in the unseen and search for it. That's what you told me. It's what got me here. So... even when I can't see you... I'll never stop believing you're there. And I'll never stop searching for you. And I promise, I'll never, ever forget you. I... I love you, big sis."
I put my hand on hers and shakily breathed out. As I did, my sister's eyes fluttered, once, then twice, then open. Her bright green eyes locked on mine and they held. Then they fluttered close.
I watched in amazement as her chest rose and fell once, weakly. Her pulse rate sped up, almost to a normal beat. Her breathing was still shaky, though.
Gabby turned to Dad. "Daddy, Richelle needs the doctor."
Dad didn't look like he wanted to leave his daughter's side but he rushed out and returned with the doctor. He checked the monitor, then Richelle's pulse and gave a quick nod.
"I can't explain how but-" The doctor wavered. "Somehow-I can't-I don't believe it," He stammered. "We need to take her back up to quarantine."
"She's gonna be okay isn't she?" Gabby asked.
THe doctor gave Gabby a quick once-over as if deciding whether or not to answer her question. Finally he said," Yes, her fever broke, and her vitals...something happened," he said. I don't know what-"
"It was God," Gabby and I said simply.
The doctor looked up, then back at us. "That seems to be the only explanation doesn't it?" He flashed us a smile then a nurse whisked us out of the room. But before he went back in he looked up at the sky. "Prayer does beautiful things."
"Where are they taking her?" Mom was on her feet.
"Back to quarantine," Dad said.
"But Tyler that means..." Mom's voice was cut off.
"Yes, Tanya," was all Dad said.
Mom said nothing. She hugged Dad close and started crying into his shoulder. "She's not going to die. Our baby's not going to de
Finally Gabby broke down and started sobbing. Huge, racking sobs like half of her had been torn away.
"Girls what happened?" Mom asked, rubbing Gabby's back.
"A miracle," I said simply.
"How..." Mom said as if she knew but was trying to grasp at the reality.
"Trust," I replied.
Dad stood behind me and put his hands on my shoulders. "That took corsage, Sadie. To say what needed to be said. Cancer's big."
"But God's bigger," I finished, looking at the sky.
"I'm proud of you. Sadie," Dad said. "Watching her suffer like that and still being there for Gabby takes courage, strength, and faith. You're my inspiration Sadie. And I love you."
"Thanks but we're not out of the woods yet," I said. "She's better, not cured. No matter how much I wish she was."
"But," Mom said. "You got her to a place where she could fight."
"What do you mean?" I asked, cocking my head.
"These kinds of things," Mom said. "Severe illnesses like hers, most of the time, the patient controls part of their prognosis. If she gives up, her body will give up. Richelle... I think was ready to give up on herself. It was you and Gabby that got her here. And it's you and Gabby that are going to stand by her every step of the way. That helps, Sadie. Knowing she's not alone. That helps more than you know."
Over the course of the next two weeks, Richelle only got better.
School started back up, Mom and Dad were closer to home base with Gabby and I, now that Richelle wasn't on death's doorstep.
I walked into her hospital room with my hand entwined in Gabby's, my backpack slung over one shoulder. Mom promised us that, once Richelle was better and out of the hospital, that she would take us back-to-school shopping. I couldn't wait.
Richelle was sitting up in bed, an IV still in her left hand, oxygen tubes wrapped around her face. When she saw us, her face lit up with a smile, a real smile. That smile that always lit the room up when we were younger, and Eva was still around. Richelle's eyes sparkled like they did when Eva was still here and her face had a golden light to it.
"Sadie," she said.
I dropped my backpack to the floor and ran toward her.
"Whoa," Richelle said, raising her hands. "Careful there."
I stopped and stood back. "Sorry."
Richelle smiled. "You're fine. I missed this." She looked past me at our little sister. "Gabby! Come here!"
Gabby grinned, ear to ear, and ran up to the chair at the foot of her bed.
"It's so good to have you here," Richelle said. "Both of you. I can't believe just a few weeks ago, I was..." her voice trailed off.
"Hey," Gabby said. "Leave the past in the past."
"Except it's not the past," Richelle's voice cracked. "It's what I have to deal with here, now." Richelle twisted her oxygen tube around her index finger.
"How long will you need that?" I asked.
Richelle shrugged. "Dunno. I can't get enough oxygen naturally right now, so I'm going to guess a while." She looked up at us. "But right now I'm just happy to be alive."
"We're happy to have you alive," Gabby replied.
"Yeah," Richelle said. "But there is one thing that I need to say. Mom wasn't wrong. I really was ready to give up. I was tired of fighting. I was tired of being sick. I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, I couldn't even breathe on my own. I didn't see it getting much better. And even before that, I had to deal with a prosthetic leg and chemotherapy. I just... I was ready to give up on it. On everything. Mom was right. You guys are the only reason I'm here."
I leaned my head on her arm gently. "I love you."
"I love you too, Princess."
*Richelle POV*
Two weeks later, the doctors sent me home with 24/7 oxygen and enough pills and medications to fill a pharmacy.
I was sitting in bed, messing with the oxygen tubes around my face when Sadie came in.
"Richelle?" she asked quietly.
I dropped the oxygen tubes. "What's up?"
"I've been thinking..." Sadie bit her lip, looked at the sky, then at me. "I was thinking...I wanna be a Christian. Like you and Eva."
Something inside me broke and tears started streaming down my face.
"What's wrong?" Sadie asked.
"Nothing," I said. "What you are seeing is pure delight, little sister."
Sadie smiled and leaned her head into my chest. "So how do I do it?"
What was I supposed to say to that? God, how do I do this?
"Well," I said, hoping I sounded more confident than I felt. "Can you say this with me?"
Sadie gave a strong nod, her eyes certain.
"Dear God..."
"I love you, Richelle," I could hear Eva's voice forever in my heart.
Love, Eva Ann Cleveland
Best regards, Sadie Grace Cleveland
Yours truly, Gabriella Mae Cleveland
With love, Richelle Jane Cleveland