"Worrying won't stop the bad stuff from happening, it just stops you from enjoying the good."

The heavy mahogany door shut behind me, making a booming noise that would otherwise not be noticed, but echoed around our empty, silent mansion.

The scent of jasmine incense hung in the air.

My grandmother's collection of porcelain vases stood shining in the corner.

One time I had accidentally broke one of them, and my grandmother had reprimanded me, saying "You clumsy, silly boy! Go get a broom!"

I had felt guilty, but I knew it was okay when she had rested her hand on my shoulder and said,"Fai, what would I ever do without you here making all these messes? I wouldn't have anyone to scold."

She sounded harsh, but she truly loved me. Her words were meant to toughen me up.

I thought of this now as I walked up the stairs and down the dark hall to see my grandmothers door cracked open with a slim beam of light shooting out of it.

I stepped onto the wooden floor, my footsteps making the floor creak with every step. This house was getting really old.

"Fai?"

My grandma still had sharp hearing, even being as old as she was.

"Yes grandma."

I got to her door and grabbed the rounded doorknob, and opened it, letting the beam of light expand, temporarily blinding me until my eyes adjusted to the light.

My grandmother turned her head, making her flower printed pillow shift, looking at me with her sharp gray eyes.

"Hello grandma. Were you okay today?" I sat on an old oak chair beside her king sized bed that made her look even smaller, it engulfed her.

"Yes I did just fine without that nurse you hired."

"What?" I said not comprehending what she was saying.

"I fired her."

"Grandmother! I paid a lot of money for her. I-I wanted her to make sure you were okay."

"You paid her with my money. I was doing just fine on my own."

"No-grandma please!" I pulled at my short hair in frustration.

"I will not allow some stranger to pick me up and take me to the bathroom or dust my vases. Those are family heirlooms! That nurse could have broken all of them."

"Grandma... then please, if you- if you don't want a caretaker, at least go through with the operation."

"No. I don't want to go into one of those places. The medicine that I have here is just fine. Besides, the doctor said the surgery had only a 10 percent success rate. I don't-" She coughed, tremors shaking her body, her voice sounding feebler with every shudder. "I wont go with that low of a success rate."

I tugged at my hair even harder. We'd had this conversation many times before. She just wouldn't listen.

Then I remembered Hazels words.

I got up and kneeled by her bedside, and picked up her frail hand, her veins popping out against her wrinkled skin.

"Grandma, please," Tears were almost in my eyes. "Please, please, please go through with this surgery. You're sick, and I don't want to lose you... after-after mom. You're the only family I have left, so please. Grandma, I love you. I don't want you to go. I don't want to be alone... I know it has a low success rate, but I trust the doctors. Please."

She blinked up at me, a proud and sad gleam in her eye.

"Frank, you have grown up to be a fine man. Okay. Go call the doctor. I will go through with it. For you."

I hugged her tightly, throwing my arms around her. Her body felt frail in my arms.

"Thank you grandma! I'll be right back, hold on."

I ran downstairs, my sneakers pounding on the stairs, sliding my hand down the rail.

Digging through my backpack, I found my phone and turned it on, finding the doctor's contact.

I touched the number, and it dialed and rang.

And rang.

And rang.

Bang!

My heart pounded in my ears. What was that? Grandma?

Throwing the phone down, I raced up the stairs, almost tripping on the last step, and tossed aside the door.

"Grandma?"

She was on the floor, one hand on her chest, coughing into the other.

She looked me straight in the eye. "Frank. I am so proud of you. I have always been."

Her hand came away from her mouth, with a shiny dark liquid.

Blood.

"No no no!" I yelled, tears streaming down my face.

She smiled at me sadly.

This couldn't be happening.

I should've been more persistent.

I should've forced her to have the surgery.

I should've payed attention more.

I should've...

I-

I tore away from her, and went to get the phone.

"911 What's your emergency?"

"Hello? Yes? My grandma... she's- she- she's coughing up blood."

"Okay sir we'll get an ambulance out there immediately."

I ran back to her and sat right next to her.

She had her eyes closed now, still coughing out red specks.

"It's going to be okay. Yeah it'll be okay. The paramedics are coming. Please. Please hold on..."

AN
I was almost crying... that was sad :(

Poor Frank.

Sorry I haven't updated in a while.

I hope you guys had a great Christmas and New Years.

Yours in demigodishness, and all that. Peace out!