The Gift

Jason comes in with my lunch and I climb out of my dad’s lap, after giving him another hug and kiss. My parents tell me they are going to go get some lunch while I eat mine and I tell them to bring me back a shake. Why not, it’s not going to get me fat.

They leave and I eat what I can, not really hungry. They come back, bringing me my shake.

I suck it down, then I sit in mom’s lap this time and talk about mundane things for a while.

“Do you guys believe in Angels?” I ask.

“Of course,” mom says.

“I want to be one, some day,” I say.

“Someday,” mom agrees.

“But I want to be one that helps people. Lots of people. That’s good, right?”

“Yes, very noble,” dad says.

“That’s what I thought too. A good goal is to work towards.”

I thank mom for the shake, giving her a hug and a kiss. “I gotta use the bathroom,” I say, getting up. I grab the cup and walk to the trash and throw it away. Using this as a distraction I grab my phone off the nightstand and slip it into my waistband of my pj’s.

“Be right back,” I say walking to the bathroom.

Once in there I go ahead and use it just in case what’s coming isn’t pretty. I don’t want to end up wetting myself.

While I do that, I send the text to the two girls. It basically says they need to come to my room in half an hour for forty-five minutes max. Then I hit speed dial to Ben.

Even though I told him I would just hang up, he picks up the phone and says, “I’ll be right there.”

I tell him I love him and hang up. Flushing, I say, “Lucas, I’m ready. Just give me enough time to get back to bed. I don’t want to die on the toilet.”

Getting up, I pull up my clothes and go out to my room. I wash my hands – might as well be sanitary – and sit on my bed.

Using the controls, I raise the head of my bed and hop into the middle.

“You okay hon?” mom asks.

“A little tired, that’s all.”

“Want us to go?”

“No! No, stay. Be with me. I miss you guys so much. I want you here as long as I can,” I say.

They both scoot the chairs around to face me in the bed. I fiddle with my phone and load Spotify with the song and leave it for Ben on the nightstand.

He shows up five minutes later and knocks on the door.

“Come in,” I say.

He walks in and I pat the bed by my thighs. He comes over and sits and takes my hand.

“Mon, Dad, this is Benjamin. Ben, this is my mom and dad. Andrew and Sarah.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ben says.

“Take off the glasses for me Ben,” I ask. “He’s blind but he has such pretty eyes.”

He takes them off and puts them in his shirt collar.

“So, you’re Amanda’s … friend,” my mom says.

“Boyfriend mom. It’s not a bad word,” I say. “I asked him to come so he could meet you. Don’t be rude.”

“It’s nice to meet you, young man,” my dad says, holding out his hand.

I giggle. “I said he was blind, dad. Two o’clock Ben.”

Ben cocks his head and reaches out for my dad’s hand and shakes it.

We talk for a while, mainly Ben answering questions about his illness.