Little Fire Burning (Ch. 85: Till death do us part *23.Apr 16*)
~simaholic:
I just read the story in one sitting and is loving it. Great work theraven :D
JohnnyDeppLuva:
I am absolutely loving this story, You write so well that i think you could easily be an author. The family are so beautiful and i hope everything works out for them.
P.s. Could someone tell me what skintone this family has ? Thanks
Theraven:
My post 4500 :D
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CHAPTER 14: Plans for the future
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"Mom?" Tony yelled from the living room.
"What?"
"Can you watch my laptop while I go to the bathroom? Don't want the girls to mess with it."
"OK," I answered, and headed for the living room. I was going to clean in there anyway, so why not now?
"Thanks mom," Tony said and ran to the bathroom.
Usually Tony did his homework in his room, but since his favorite TV show was on, he had to come down to see it. His own TV had broken a couple of weeks back, thanks to Erica getting the brilliant idea she wanted to play football in his room.
Needless to say, Tony had banned her from going in there ever again if he wasn't around to supervise her.
I turned on the vacuum cleaner again, studying the mess of books and note papers lying all over the coffee table. It felt like ages since the last time I'd helped Tony with his homework now. Up until he started High School almost a year earlier, he had been joining a homework group after school, getting everything done before coming home - even getting time to play with his friends before we picked him up. Now the school had study groups three times a week, so they could do most of their projects and homework there if they wanted to.
To be honest, I was glad he didn't need homework help any longer; because I'd once taken a look at his math book, and had given up deciphering it after five minutes. Too long ago and too many changes since I'd been at school, I guessed. Tony had always been at the top of his class in math and science, and got good grades in most other subjects. He loved school, and always tried to do his best.
This particular day he had come home a bit grumpy, and - unusually for him - he'd started his homework as soon as he had set his foot inside the door.
I looked over at his laptop.
He had been writing non-stop on something all evening. And to be honest, I was very curious about what could have made him upset enough to thrust one of his books against the wall in frustration earlier in the day, grumbling something that sounded more negative than positive about his teacher.
I studied the laptop for a few seconds more. Then I went over to sit in the couch, and looked at the screen.
Next to the laptop, there was a homework note. I read it - while at the same time feeling guilty of snooping around in his things. I only had one excuse for doing it. But it was a good one.
I was his mom.
English assignment: Write a short text about your career plans for the future. It is to be used as background material for your career presentation on Monday.
While reading what Tony had written, I began to understand why he was so frustrated at his teacher.
"When I grow up..."
By: Tony Delaney Brooks
"Since we got this assignment yesterday, I've heard other people in my class talking about what they want to be when they're done with school. Talking about their future, about how they want to live when they're all grown up.
Most of them don't even know how lucky they are to even have a future.
When I was a bit younger, I had no idea what I wanted to be. I watched all kinds of science programs daily to learn about everything. I think my mother thought I wanted to be a scientist, but I was really just trying to learn so much I could about everything around me, and I've always loved to learn new things. But to be completely honest, I wanted the usual jobs boys at my age wanted to have - like police officer, fireman, or maybe even professional football player.
I didn't realize there were kids out there who never even get a chance to grow up. Kids who can't plan their future, because they may not have one.
My younger brother is one of those kids. He's been sick all his life, and not long ago we learned he's sicker than we thought - a muscle disease with no cure. He has to do painful exercises in the morning and the evening, just so his muscles won't go stiff. It helps a little, but not enough. Mom says he may need a wheelchair long before he reaches high school. He's got a severe heart disease too - and it's weakening him even more. He doesn't have much time left to live.
Maybe ten years.
Maybe fifteen years.
Maybe even twenty years - but that's really too much to hope for.
We don't know.
He's four years old now, and some of the children with this disease barely survive their teens.
I feel awful thinking about this assignment. I have a future. I can plan all I want, and I know I have a chance at getting my plans fulfilled.
My brother does not.
I do know one thing: I'll always be there for him.
I don't know how long he has left, and I do still have my hopes up that someone will find a cure very fast. If no one does, I think I want become a medical scientist and find cures to diseases - both the disease my brother has, and others.
I owe him as much.
If I can't help him, I can at least help other children - giving them hope, and a future to plan."
Tears fell down at the table, as I read the final word.
Tony, you brilliant, beautiful boy!
I got up from the sofa just in time for him to not notice I'd read anything. He sat down and continued editing his essay, while I went to the kitchen to dry my tears.
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Theraven:
On one hand, you want your children to grow up, start their own lives, and see them flower into the good people you've raised them to be. On the other hand, I knew one of my children would most likely never get this opportunity, so I also wanted to keep them as children as long as possible. It's the many sides of being a parent, and the many sides of life. Of course I knew there still was a chance, well - only a small hope really - that someone would find a cure for Aidan's disease, but as the days, weeks and months went by, I also knew the time before it was too late only came closer and closer. Still, I tried as best as I could to forget it, at least for now. Aidan could still walk, could still have fun playing around with his siblings. And I just had to admire Tony and the girls for all they did to make Aidan feel happy. I seldom got a picture with only Aidan in it. Usually one or two of the others always snuck in - especially Lily. Aidan and Lily were inseparable, always keeping together through everything.
Through it all I filled our photo albums with all of our happy days, all the fun things we did - the laughter and the joy of being children, and of being a family.
Whenever I had the chance, I took out my video camera and filmed them, making living memories out of all their little schemes, their laughter, and their voices. Anything I could to save the good memories, for when our lives eventually would get tougher to deal with. I was painfully aware that time would soon arrive, but for now, the kids should just enjoy their childhood as much as possible, finding wonder and joy in everything around them.
Having videos of them was even better than pictures - almost like reliving the times we had shared.
I wanted to have memories. Not only because of Aidan, but for all of us. I wanted to have albums containing everything we had had together while the children were young, so that I one day, when Peter and I were old with greying hair, could take out the albums and remember all the happiness we had shared together with our children. Maybe even show the pictures to our grandchildren, so they would know they once had the most amazing uncle. Even though I still had hopes that someone would find a cure for Aidan, they dimmed every single day. The doctors had said that by the time Aidan needed a wheelchair, it would most likely be too late to do much, even though a cure was found.
Time always speeds up when you don't want it to.
That's just the way life works.
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(and before anyone starts to wonder - there's a lot more to come... and I also put a few more pics of the children in my picture thread)
~simaholic:
Aww wonderfull once again theraven :) They turned out to be beautifull children :D
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