On the drive back to Abby’s house, Brian received a call from Kevin on his cell telling him that Abby needed to go home as soon as possible. Kevin was relieved to hear that they weren’t too far away, but he refused to elaborate on the situation. He simply told Brian to get her home, and that was it.

Once they got to her house, Sasha met them at the door with a solemn expression on her face. She regretted not telling Kevin to have Brian take Abby on to the hospital. She hated being the barer of bad news.

“Sash, what’s going on?” Abby asked, approaching her friend.

Sasha took in a deep breath. “Something happened… The hospital called here looking for you and that’s why I got Kevin to get in touch with Brian because I didn’t know any other way… Abby, Nikki is really sick.”

Abby started straight ahead feeling like she’d just been kicked in the stomach. A knot immediately formed in her throat, and her eyes filled to the brim with hot tears. Her voice came out shaky, but she was able to speak. “How long?”

“I don’t know exactly… a few hours maybe. She asked for you… she’s scared and won’t really talk to anyone else.”

Brian took Abby’s hand and gave it a light, comforting squeeze. “Come on, I’ll drive you.”

At the hospital Deb met Abby and Brian before they got to Nikki’s room. She was torn up too, but she was doing her best to control her emotions. Abby wasn’t having the same luck as tears managed to escape from her eyes and slid down her cheeks.

“It started Friday night,” Deb said quietly. “You know how she wasn’t feeling well before… Yesterday was worse. The doctors called her parents in after running some tests and they found out that the cancer has spread. This morning she was given 24 hours… but she’s slipping away so fast.” One lonely tear made it’s way from Deb’s eye as she spoke, but she quickly wiped it away.

Abby turned towards the door, and Brian put an arm around her for support. She didn’t want to go in there. She was hoping that maybe if she didn’t, then everything would go away. If she didn’t go in there then she wouldn’t see for herself that Nikki was really sick, and everything would be okay. But Abby knew that wasn’t the case. This was really happening whether anyone wanted it too or not. God was reaching down for Nikki, and there was no stopping him from taking her away. Abby composed herself before going on for Nikki’s sake, knowing that if she didn’t go in now, she never would.

Abby opened the door and went inside with Brian right behind her. Nikki was asleep in the bed, and her mom was at her side holding her hand. Nikki’s dad was standing at the window, heartache written on all of their faces. Abby exchanged a few words with the parents before they stepped out into the hall. She took the mother’s place beside the bed, and held Nikki’s hand in her own. Brian stood behind Abby rubbing her back, his own emotions catching up with him. They remained in silence until Nikki began to stir and woke up.

“I’m so scared, Abby.” Her voice was so small, so weak.

“I know you are, but everything’s going to be okay.”

“Will it hurt?”

“No… it’s not going to hurt. I promise.”

“What will it be like?”

Oh God… “Well, I’m sure it’s different for everyone, but the way I see it is you’ll be just fine. You’ll get your own cloud and it will take you anywhere you want to go, and you will get to help God make rainbows. You know how much you like those.”

“Yeah… what if I get lonely or scared? There won’t be anyone there to take care of me.”

It was taking ever ounce of Abby’s strength to keep control. She was on the verge of losing it. She wasn’t sure how she was able to speak at all without letting the emotion out, but the only thing that came through was a shake in her voice. “Do you remember how I told you about my mom, and how she is watching over me from her cloud?” Nikki nodded. “Well, when you get there, she is going to take care of you, and the both of you can ride around together and… and you can watch over us together.”

“Abby, if your mom is going to be there then I’m not scared any more, but I still don’t want to go…”

Abby’s chin quivered and her whole body was trembling. “I don’t want you to go either.”

“I love you, Abby. You’re my best friend.”

“I love you too, baby.” She couldn’t take anymore. It was hurting too much. As if on cue, Nikki’s parents came back into the room to check on her. Abby and Brian both kissed her forehead then went out into the hall.

As soon as the door was closed, Abby broke down. Brian took her in his arms and she cried on his shoulder, her entire body racking as she choked back sobs. A few tears fell from Brian’s eyes as he held her in his arms.

An hour later, Nick came down to the hospital to pay his respects. Almost two hours after that Nikki passed away. She assured her parents that she was no longer scared. She would have Abby’s mother to take care of her, to protect her, and she was looking forward to helping God make rainbows. When she closed her eyes for the last time, everyone wept. Her parent’s cried because they would have to bury their only child. Abby cried because she just lost one of her best friends, and she had loved Nikki as if she were her very own daughter. Brian and Nick even cried, showing that they did care deeply about her, and she would be missed.