Elizabeth Wakefield's friend Melissa McCormick needs help. Her mother died suddenly, leaving Melissa and her brother, Andy, alone. Their father left years ago, so they have only each other to depend on.
If the social workers find out melissa and Andy are now orphans, they will be put in seperate foster homes. So Andy devises a plan: he and Melissa will get jobs to pay the bills and they'll tell everyone that their father is returning home soon.
Only Elizabeth knows the truth, and she sees how fast the bills and responsibilities are piling up. She also knows she has to do something - the right thing - before it's too late.
Suddenly a loud, long whine met Melissa's ears. She knew instantly that it was the monitor by her mother's bed.
Melissa watched in horror as tow white-coated doctors sped to her mother's cubicle, followed by a nurse and an orderly. There were muffled voices, then a louder shout, then nothing but the insistant whine of the monitor.
Frantically, Melissa looked to Andy for hope, but he was leaning against the wall with his back to her, his face buried in his arms.
The doctors emerged slowly, shaking their heads. Suddenly the whine stopped, and for the first time, in the silence that followed, Melissa could hear her brother's quiet sobs.