LILY HOSPITALIZED

"Sorry, I need to take this," I said, pulling away from Anita.

"Mom?" I answered, my voice already tense.

"Jake," Mom's voice quivered. "I just got a call from Lily's school. She's sick. They've taken her to the sick bay."

My heart dropped. Lily—my little sister, Sam's twin. She almost never got sick. And if Mom was calling, it had to be serious. I stood up, panic rising in me. "It's Lily, my little sister. She's not feeling well. I have to go," I told Anita, my words coming out rushed.

"Go," Anita said softly, squeezing my hand. "I'll call you."

I didn't waste any time getting a cab. As the driver sped toward Lily's school, my thoughts were all over the place. If Dad were here, things wouldn't feel so heavy. He used to take care of this stuff—the worrying, the rushing around. But Dad wasn't here. He was sitting in a prison cell because of that stupid lies at TRENDS Fast Food. Seven years—that's how long he'd be gone. And that meant I was the one who had to step up.

Being 18 shouldn't feel this hard. But with Dad gone, I had to be the one to look after Lily and Sam, even though they were only Nine. Mom worked long hours, so most of the time, I had to handle things on my own. I didn't mind taking care of my siblings, but some days, like today, the weight of it all crushed me.

When I got to the hospital wing at their school, I rushed in, with anxiety. The nurse led me to Lily's bed, and seeing her lying there, so pale and small, sent a wave of fear through me.

"Lily?" I said softly, kneeling next to her. Her eyes fluttered open, and she gave me a weak smile.

"Hey, Jake," she whispered.

"What happened?" I asked the nurse, my throat tight.

"She collapsed during recess," the nurse said. "It might be exhaustion, but we're running more tests to be sure."

I nodded, trying to keep it together. Exhaustion? How could she be this sick from just being tired? I sat by her side, holding her hand. She didn't say much, but her grip on my hand told me she was scared too.

I didn't want to admit how much I was scared. For a moment, my thoughts drifted to the word I'd overheard the doctor say earlier—*leukemia*. The fear of that possibility stuck in my chest like a thorn. But when they ruled it out, I felt a relief. Lily didn't have leukemia, but I still didn't know what was wrong with her.

Mom called again. I stepped out of the room to take it. "How is she?" Mom asked, her voice full of worry.

"She's awake," I said, glancing back at Lily through the door. "The nurse said it could be exhaustion, but they're still checking."

Mom sighed. "Jake, I'm finishing up at work and will come straight there. Hope Sam is with you, please buy him food to eat before I come.

Of course, Sam was with me. Just what we needed right now. "Yeah, I've got it," I said, trying to sound reassuring, even though I didn't feel that way.

When Mom finally got to the hospital, I could see how exhausted she looked. I could tell she'd been worrying about us all day. "Jake, thank you for being here," she said, her voice tired but grateful. "I'll stay with Lily tonight. Go home with Sam, please, take care of him when you get home?"

I nodded, even though it felt wrong to leave Lily. But I knew I had to. Okay, mummy, call me if anything changes. Sam needed some rest too. I kissed Lily on the forehead, told her I'd see her tomorrow, and then headed home.

On our way home, I couldn't stop thinking about how much had changed since Dad went away. I wasn't just a brother anymore—I was the one who had to keep things together. For Sam. For Lily. For Mom. It wasn't fair, but this was my reality now.

When we got home, Sam quickly ran to the bed. He looked tired, coughing lightly as he slept. I tucked him in tighter and made a quick dinner, though my mind wasn't really on cooking. The house was too quiet. Usually, Lily's laughter would be filling the air, and Sam would be running around. But now, Lily is sick, Sam's tired, and it felt like the walls were closing in on me.

Mom texted me while I was cleaning up. "Lily's stable," she wrote. "But they're keeping her for more tests. They're not sure what's wrong yet."

I put the phone down and took a deep breath. I couldn't let myself fall apart. I had to be strong for all of them. But that didn't stop the fear gnawing at me, wondering if something worse was coming.

Just when I thought I could finally sit down, my phone rang. This time, it was Anita.

"Hey," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Hey," Anita said softly. "How's Lily? Any news?"

I sighed, leaning against the counter. "They're running tests. The nurse thinks it's exhaustion, but they haven't found anything serious yet. Mom message—so far, the results are clear."

Anita was quiet for a moment. "I'm so glad. This must be really hard for you."

"Yeah," I admitted. "It's… a lot. But I'm managing."

"You always do," she said, her voice gentle. "I wish I could help somehow."

"You already do," I said, feeling a bit of the weight lift just hearing her voice. "Just knowing you're there… it helps."

"I'm always here for you," she whispered. "If you need anything, just call me."

I will. Thanks, Anita." I paused, looking at the clock. "I should finish up here. Sam's waiting for dinner."

"Okay. Take care of yourself, too, Jake."

"I'll try," I said, managing a small smile before hanging up.

After the call, I served dinner to Sam, trying to push the worry about Lily to the back of my mind. Just when I thought I could finally sit down, my phone rang again—this time, it was Mom. I braced myself for bad news as I answered.