It was amazing, to think of the lengths, a family would go, to keep one of their own from leaving this earth. The unconditional support and love behind each action of the Lanza family, was truly an inspiration to any outsider, but to Jake, it just emphasized the promise of what family was all about. He sat beside his brother, in the waiting room of the hospital. When he stole a glance over at Luke, he appeared to be calm and unaffected, just determined. Jake mused, give the man an opportunity to fix something and he was all over it like white on rice. He smiled slightly before nudging his older brother with his elbow.
Luke turned to him and raised an eyebrow. “Before you ask, no, I don’t have any snacks for you.” Luke smiled at him and Jake just shook his head. He wasn’t one to make a big to do about his feelings, but at that moment he felt as if he needed to say something to his brother.
“Don’t ruin my moment. I don’t get sentimental all that often so listen up big bro.” Jake leaned closer to Luke. “No matter what happens today, I just want you to know that I love you and I’m so grateful for what you are about to do for me.” He cocked his head to the side and stared at his brother for a moment, watching as his eyes softened, and ignored the fact that they started to water. He wouldn’t be able to handle his brother shedding a tear over him, not in this life. “It’s important for me to let you know, that if the roles were reversed. I’d do exactly the same thing.”
Luke inhaled a breath sharply and patted his brother on the back, as he nodded. “There was never a doubt in my mind that you wouldn’t do the same for me.” He gripped his shoulder tightly and leveled his gaze with Jake’s. “It’ll all be over soon.”
Staring into his brother’s eyes as he reassured him that all the pain and suffering would soon be a distant memory, Jake almost believed the words. He smiled at Luke and for lack of words, in fear of his emotions, getting the best of him, he simply wiggled his eyebrows at him in lieu of a reply.
“Luke Lanza? We are ready for you.” The nurse called towards them. Both brothers lifted their eyes towards the woman, holding Luke’s chart. “Another nurse will be out shortly to take you in Jake.” She smiled at both of them.
Luke took a deep breath before he slapped his hands against his thighs, preparing himself to save Jake’s life. He stood up and so did Jake, as well as their parents and Cara. Luke nodded towards his parents, as if to say ‘no worries’. His eyes drifted towards Cara, who was standing beside Jake, she smiled at him, her eyes reflecting gratitude. Jake grabbed Luke and pulled him into a hug. Luke closed his eyes as he felt his brother’s arms wrap around him. There was something to be said about the love of a sibling. No one quite ever could understand you like a brother or a sister. There was no love similar, as the love of the brother whom you shared your childhood with. Luke pulled back and patted Jake’s back, affectionately.
Luke turned and faced the nurse. “Let’s get this ball rolling.”
It was a beautiful day, as they drove down the Garden State Parkway. They had been on the road for two hours and to Nick’s surprise, everything was going better than he had expected. Ava was a pleasure. She had been sitting in the back seat buckled up playing games on her iPad. Sam, hadn’t even been much of a bitch. Of course, there were a few times she made a face at him, but for the most part they traveled in an easy silence.
What Nick, hadn’t factored into this little road trip was the traffic jam that they would reach once they merged onto the Garden State. Apparently everyone and their mother were en route to the Jersey shore, lucky for him. He glanced over at Sam, and watched as she reached over and raised the volume of a song that was on the radio. She looked out her window and began to dance in her seat, as if he wasn’t even in the car.
He assumed the shorts she had on, she wore purposely to drive him crazy. They left absolutely nothing to the imagination. When they had stopped at a rest stop a few exits back, he had walked closely behind her the entire time. If he would’ve been allowed in the women’s room with her, he would’ve followed her there too, all just so no one else would ogle the way her ass peeked out from the fringe of her denim shorts.