Chapter 4

The whole class erupted in envious gasps. I watched with the same envy as Lily threw herself into Mom's arms.

We had barely made it outside the school building when I reached out and gently tugged on Mom's sleeve. "Mom, I want to go to the amusement park too..."

I was dying, and I'd never been to one in my entire life.

Mom frowned. "Ashley, you're already this sick. You really think going to an amusement park is a good idea? What if being outside makes you worse?"

"Exactly." Evan cut me off impatiently without even looking up from his phone. "Lily hardly ever gets a day out like this. What happens if you get sick all over the place? You'll ruin the whole day for everyone."

I opened my mouth. I wanted to tell them I wouldn't. I'd hold it in no matter how sick I felt. I wouldn't cause any trouble.

I really, really just wanted to see the amusement park once.

But Dad had already walked past me. He crouched in front of Lily to retie one of her shoelaces and spoke without looking up.

"Ashley, go home and get some rest. Take your medicine and sleep for a while. Lily's actual birthday is in a couple of days. We'll get you something then to make up for today."

"I don't want you to get me something..."

"That's enough." Mom was already ushering Lily toward the parking lot. She glanced over her shoulder and waved me off. "Be good and go straight home, okay? Don't hang around."

Then she slipped her arm through Dad's and walked away.

Lily climbed onto Evan's back. As he carried her toward the car, she looked back at me, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and stuck out her tongue.

I stood there until their car disappeared through the school gates. Only then did I start walking home.

The dull ache in my chest came in waves. Every step hurt so much it felt like my entire body was protesting.

It was normally a 20-minute walk from school to our house. I barely made it halfway.

I had to grab onto a tree by the sidewalk to keep myself upright. I stood there for what felt like forever, struggling to catch my breath as my vision faded in and out.

In the end, a city sanitation worker found me collapsed by the roadside. She called an ambulance.

I woke up in the hospital. The first thing I saw was a white ceiling. The sharp smell of antiseptic hung in the air, and the heart monitor beside my bed beeped steadily.

A nurse was adjusting my IV. The moment she noticed I was awake, relief crossed her face.

"You're awake. Good." She came closer to check on me. "Someone found you unconscious on the side of the road. You're bleeding internally, and it's serious. You need emergency surgery."

She hesitated before continuing. "We haven't been able to reach your family. We found numbers for your mom, dad, and brother in your phone and tried all three several times. No one's answering."

I reached for the phone tucked beneath my pillow. The second I unlocked the screen, a new post popped up on Mom's social media. There were nine photos.

Lily laughing on the carousel. Evan holding up a giant stick of cotton candy for her. Dad crouching in front of the camera, making a ridiculous face.

Mom's caption read, "Early birthday celebration for our little birthday girl! Nothing matters more than seeing her happy!"

More than 20 people had already liked it. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and several of Mom's friends.

I stared at the post for a long time.

The nurse leaned over and caught a glimpse of my screen. She froze for a second, then quickly took the phone from my hand.

"I'm sure your parents are just busy and didn't hear their phones." She forced a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'll try them again. I'm sure someone will pick up this time."

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah. They must be busy."

The nurse looked back at me. Something flickered in her eyes before she quickly turned away. "I'll get you some water."

Then she hurried out of the room.

I sank back against the pillow and stared at the light above me. Its warm golden glow softened the whole room.

All at once, I felt exhausted. My eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

My phone lit up again beside me. Evan had posted something. The photo showed Lily sitting on Dad's shoulders, holding an ice cream cone triumphantly in one hand.

The caption read, "This little troublemaker threw a fit because she wanted a second ice cream. What can you do? She's spoiled rotten."

A faint smile tugged at my lips. I turned the phone face down on the pillow beside me.

A breeze drifted in through the open window, gently lifting the curtains. For some reason, it reminded me of someone waving goodbye. The same kind of breeze had been blowing yesterday when I'd lain down at the cemetery.

The nurse still hadn't come back. I guess getting that cup of warm water was taking a while.

But that was okay.

I slowly closed my eyes, that faint smile still lingering on my lips. For the first time in a long time, nothing hurt anymore.

Early the next morning, the nurse finally managed to reach my family.

When they arrived at the hospital, Mom was still complaining. "I don't understand Ashley. Why would she come all the way to the hospital first thing in the morning?"

Evan barely looked up from his phone as he casually asked the nurse, "What's wrong with her, anyway? Is it really bad enough that she had to stay overnight?"

The nurse didn't answer. She simply turned and led them farther down the corridor.

At the end of the hall, she pushed open a door. A rush of cold air greeted them.

Mom's voice died instantly. Dad stopped dead in his tracks. Evan finally lowered his phone. His eyes locked on the small figure beneath the white sheet, and his lips parted, but no words came out.

The nurse broke the silence. "Before Ashley passed away, she asked me to tell you something. She wanted to be buried somewhere far away. She said there was no need for any of you to make the trip out to visit her. She said one flower on her grave would be enough."