Free Contradiction by Salina Paine Page B

long nights in the emergency room, trying to figure out the cause. One night he woke up with a fever of one hundred and six. He was hallucinating and it felt like his skin was on fire. When we got to the hospital his fever was gone. They were about to send us home with just an antibiotic, but the doctor on duty decided to do one more test, a blood test. His results came back with a very high white blood count."
    "Just like that, in a whirl wind my mother and I were on an ambulance with him heading to the Children's hospital in Birmingham, AL. After being admitted and tons of testing we got the bad news, cancer. In that moment everything changed. With my mom being unable to work and my dad having to carry everything, we lost our house. As his health declined they begin to withdraw and turn to other things for comfort."
    "My mom began to drink heavily and my dad turned to alcohol as well as cocaine and prostitutes. I became the scapegoat for all their issues. At that time it was never physical, only emotional. It wasn't till after he died it got worse."
    "The treatments had quit working and the only option left was a bone marrow transplant. Since we were not blood related none of us were a match. For months we waited and hoped but no one was found. Three days before his eight birthday his little body gave out. One by one, his systems shut down. I was with him when he took his final breath."
    "Everyone else left, they couldn’t take it, but I couldn't just leave him there. I couldn't bear to leave him alone. A final kiss on his cheek was all I was allowed before the nurses ushered me out.
    I hear Brandons' breath catch as he starts to speak. "I'm so sorry." He says kissing my forehead and I can feel the dampness on his cheeks. 
    We lie there holding each other in silence until sleep finally comes.

 
    Chapter 10
       ~~Brandon~~
     
    As I process everything Jasmine has told me my heart breaks for her. From her brother's death to the abuse at the hands of those who were supposed to love her, I feel an overwhelming need to protect her regardless of the consequences. 
    The sun begins to softly trickle through the curtains as I'm watching her sleep. I kiss her cheek and stroke her hair, lightly running my finger down the scar on her face. She shivers and turns over pulling the blanket up around herself. A faint whisper brings me out of my daze and I realize she's talking in her sleep. "I love you" she says over and over, and I can only wonder who she's referring to.
    The alarm clock goes off and she wakes up with a gasp. She looks around trying to focus, her eyes finding me. She smiles and stretches before saying, "Good morning." I smile and wrap my arms around her. "Good morning, sunshine." I reply. “
    "Do you work today?" She asks, crawling out of bed. “
    "Nope." I reply wiggling my eyebrows at her. She shakes her head and goes into the restroom. I slowly get out of bed and head to the kitchen. I fill up the coffee pot and grabbing two cups from the cabinet when she comes in.
    “"I thought I smelled coffee brewing." She says sitting at the bar. "I was thinking." she says with hesitation.“"I would like for you to go with me to Calebs gravesite."
    Without a word I go up behind her and hug her to me.“"Of course I will go with you." I whisper softly into her ear. She smiles and bites her bottom lip, “
    "Thank you, but first, I need to go by the room and get a change of clothes before we go. We also will need to stop by a flower shop, so I can get some fresh flowers for him." I nod and kiss her cheek. "Oh, and I need to go look at that apartment, would you be willing to do that with me also?" She asks, her voice laced with a hopeful tone.
    I just laugh.“"You know I will." We get ready to leave and I can see her filling with emotions. "So where is the cemetery?" I ask backing out of the driveway. “
    "Take 81 to I-181 and turn left, about three miles down is Cerro Gordo Lane, turn right and at the end of the road you'll see the