sarrabi@hotmail.com.

Part 3

"Hey baby, "She cooed into his ear.

He pulled her into his lap and kissed her on the nose saying, "Hey Shrimp," It was a joke between the siblings. He pulled back and rubbed noses with her saying, "You look beautiful despite being a gimp." He said jokingly.

"Thanks, You look good too for a lazy old bum," She said pulling back and winking at him as she tousled his shaggy black hair.

He did look good but she could see that he was thinner and his eyes looked older some how. They were showing all the pain he'd been suffering. She gave him another bear hug and willed herself not to cry in front of him.

Candy watched beside Kate, She felt herself tear up at the obvious love and affection between the two. Kate was teary eyed as well she knew she would lose her baby soon and she saw that her eldest knew it too.

"Ok you two brats, we do have a guest you know. I would like you to show her that I did teach you both some manners." Kate said with a voice full of affection as she put an arm around Candy's shoulders.

Candy didn't think it was possible for Roxie's smile to get any bigger but it did. She looked at Candy and her eyes sparkled at her as she waived her over, "Love, come here and meet this big lug."

Candy looked down at the ground and quietly walked over toward Roxie and her brother. Roxie met her brother's eyes and she saw his approval as he winked at her. She smiled, kissed his cheek and winked back.

When Candy was next to the chair Roxie in one fluid motioned pulled the small blonde on top of her lap, Candy was startled and cried out, "But your brother…"

"I'm fine, Kiddo. Nice to meet you. Welcome to the family, " He said as his arms pulled both women into a bear hug.

Candy looked from one sibling to the other, they looked so alike with their striking blue eyes and black hair and yet they were so different. "Thanks, "She replied shyly.

Roxie kissed her brother's cheek and said, "Thanks baby. I appreciate that so much. Isn't she the most beautiful woman you have ever seen?"

"Rox?"

"Mmm?"

"I think your embarrassing her, Sis." Said the sensitive young man with an indulgent smile.

Roxie caressed Candy's cheek and said, "Well she is part of our family so she needs to be exposed to how we are." Roxie kissed Candy deeply with love and passion drawing approving looks from her family and then she pulled back and brought the green eyes up to meet her own, "Besides I'm only stating obvious facts."

Kate came over, "Ok girls, Get off Jimmy's lap. He needs to take a nap now, " She said as she gently pulled a flabbergasted Candy off. Then she gave a gentle tug to her daughter putting her arm around her shoulders and helping her out of the easy chair.

Jimmy smiled at the two women next to him and said, "Good night my beauties. I will see you both at dinner,' He said jokingly with a wink and strolled out of the living room.

Roxie suddenly had tears falling from her eyes, "Mom?" She squeaked.

"Sweetheart, He has just come out of remission. The doctor doesn't know. We have to go day by day. He is very weak but he is not in any pain right now. The medicine is helping but…but…."Kate suddenly burst into tears.

Candy helped an anxious Roxie to her Mother's side. The older woman hugged both of them tightly to her. "Thank you for coming girls. I'm so glad your both here I'm really going to need the two of you…"

"Um…I…" Candy was crying she wanted to help but felt like she was intruding into something very personal.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?" Asked Roxie instantly alert to her loves discomfort.

"Why…I mean…I feel…" She stuttered between bouts of tears.

Kate understood and brought the small blonde closer to her, "Your not intruding. Believe me Candy, I am so glad that Rosalie brought you. Your important to her which means your important to all of us."

"Oh Sweetie, Please don't feel like that. I told you before, I need you. You could never be intruding on my life. You are my life I love you so…" Roxie was crying again she sat back down dragging Candy with her onto her lap on the couch. She hugged her tightly to her and cried her eyes out. Kate sat down next to them and put her arms around the two girls and they were all crying.

Kate then realized how this must look and started to laugh. The two girls were drying each other's tears and looking at Kate like she just went over the rainbow.

"Mom?"

"You know if anyone saw us they would think we were all stark raving mad. Crying and hugging each other in a big group hug. It s not time for that now. Ok, lets get some stuff straight here," She stood up and started pacing in front of the younger women. "First Candy, You are more welcome in our family then I can express. You are not intruding. Rosalie loves you and that's enough. We need all the love in this house that we can get." Then she looked at her daughter with eyes full of love and pride, "Rosalie, You are so special. We all love you so. Thank you for dropping everything and coming to help. I think the first piece of business is that we need to get you two settled. " Kate helped her daughter up and hugged the stuffing out of her. They smiled and hugged each other in understanding then turned as one each offering Candy a hand to get up with. Candy smiled up at the two women putting a hand in each of theirs she

allowed herself to be pulled up into another group hug. Then Kate put an arm around each girl and showed them to their room.

Jimmy was on a large swing on the back patio. Roxie leaned against the door and watched him unobserved. His cheeks were a bit sunken and his eyes now showed some pain as he stared out toward the meadow behind the house. He was a big broad shouldered strapping young man but to her sensitive eyes she could see that he lost about 20 pounds since her last visit.

She took a deep breath and stepped out onto the patio, her brother look up at her and smiled. When he smiled at her his pain seemed to disappear and his cheeks glowed. She was very glad that she came because she could see that she was indeed needed by her baby brother. "Hey baby."

"Hey Beauty, I like her."

Roxie smiled sweetly, "I knew that you would."

He patted the swing and Roxie limped over and sat next to him putting her head on his broad shoulder like when they were little kids.

"She is very sweet and shy, I do like that in a girl…"

"Hey, no poaching she's mine" Said Roxie with a smile as she poked him gently in the ribs.

"Oh I see that every time she looks at you."

"Really?"

Jimmy chuckled, "Like you don't know it. Its simple Sis, She loves you and you love her. It is really obvious by the way you look and touch each other. At dinner I felt a little jealous, I will never have that…"

"Sure you will. When you get better…."

"Rox, I'm not going to get better. This kind of cancer doesn't have a second remission."

"Jimmy please…"Her tough-teasing demeanor vanished. She had tears well up in her eyes. She was his sister and she wanted him to believe that he was going to get better.

"Honey, Come on be sensible. I'm not going to get well. I love you dearly but you have to see things as they are. If you don't see reality how will Mom. I'm dying and I'm really glad your here because I know I will need you. I am so very happy you finally found your special someone I was really worried about you…"

Roxie sat up and looked her brother in his kind blue eyes so like her own she felt like she was looking into her own soul. "Why on Earth would you be worried about me?"

"Because you have always been so alone. You never had anyone other then Ma and me. I… worried that when I pass on that you would turn more inward then you already were. I am so pleased that you found Candy, Rox. Let her help you….Let her love you…"

Roxie was now sobbing into his chest. Jimmy understood and just kept stroking her beautiful long hair. He waited for her to calm down. When she did she looked up into loving blue eyes and smiled

slightly, "You always take care of everyone around you. Why? Here you are in need of being looked after and your worrying about me. Why?"

"Sweetie, that's just the way I am. You should know me pretty well by now."

"Oh I do….Um, I couldn't help falling in love with Candy. I fell in love with her at first sight. She was in the stands with some guy and I fell. Luckily it was her brother…She's very good at taking care of me. You should have seen how she got around my grumps about this stupid ankle. I love her with my whole heart. Jimmy, Please I can't lose you. Isn't there a chance…?"

"Hey, you never know there is always a chance. I would love to get another remission but it's against the odds. You, Ma and now little Candy have got to prepare your selves for the worst. I have to make sure your all ok before I go. I love you all very much." He then hugged her close to him kissed the crown of her head and leaned his head on top of hers.

She hugged him back fiercely crying again, "I love too with all my heart and soul. I will always. Forever."

Candy was sitting on the bed sketching carefully from memory when a red eyed Roxie limped in. Roxie smiled slightly and asked quietly, "Whatcha doing little one?"

Seeing the red eyes and pale face Candy put down her sketchpad and immediately ran into the tall woman's arms. She held her in a tight embrace against her body and led her to the bed; Roxie couldn't help it she suddenly released all the pain she felt at losing her baby brother. She was sobbing into Candy's shoulder then she pulled the smaller woman into her lap hand held her fiercely to her.

"Oh Little one I am going to lose him…I am going to lose him forever…" She cried as she held on to her love with all her might.

Candy didn't know what to say so she merely hugged her closer and stroked her back.

Roxie pulled back to find teary green eyes looking searchingly at her, Roxie gently dried the tears on Candy's cheek and said, "I'm so glad you came my love, I'm going to need you so much."

Candy cleared her throat and replied, "I don't think I could have not come. I love you so much I know you need some comfort and support."

"My baby brother is dying, Candy and all he can do is think of about me. Isn't that incredible?" Asked Roxie shaking her head in wonder.

Candy shook her head against Roxie's chest, "Yes, I can see him doing that. He's very special and he loves you. I think he's wonderful and I love him already…"

"He love you too. So does Ma," Roxie brought her head up by gently lifting her chin and said with sparkling blue eyes, "I told you so."

Candy smiled at her loves attempt to tease her, "Yeah, you did."

"So what were you working so hard on?"

Candy looked over at her sketchpad and swallowed her bottom lip.

Roxie chuckled, "It's not another one of me is it? You've already done three." She said, as she slowly became herself again.

Candy shook her head and said, "No,…I thought I do something special for your family…I…" She got up and walked over to sketch pad. She picked it up and walked back toward Roxie handing it to her.

Roxie's eyebrows were in her bangs her face full of curiosity till she took the pad from Candy. When she saw what was drawn tears stung her eyes again and she grabbed the smaller woman and hugged her close. "Thank you little one, Thank you…" She said as the sketchpad gently fell out of her hands onto the floor. She devoured the blonde with deep passionate kiss and then went on to area's south.

On the floor, sketched on the pad was a half done perfect sketch of Jimmy on the chair in the living room. The face was about done and it reflected both good looks and love he had sparkling out of his eyes for his family. His smile was so blinding that it looked like he was really there.

To Be Continued….