[ WP ] To save her , you must break the vow you swore on your life .

I'd never seen grandma and grandpa fight before. In all my memory they'd been two wrinkled smiles, perfectly complementary to each other. Grandma made cookies. Grandpa told even worse dad jokes than my real dad. 
 
 Their raised voices were what woke me. At first I thought they'd been laughing at something on the tv. It took my drowzy mind a few minutes of squinted eyes and trying to block out the sounds to realize they were fighting. Finally, I could n't bear it and had to slip out from my covers to go to the bathroom. In order to get there I had to tiptoe by their room. I could n't resist peaking through the crack in their door and eavesdrop. 
 
 `` Martha, you know I ca n't do that.'' My grandpa chided her gently. Even from here I could smell his aftershave, a comforting spice that made his hugs a cut above the rest. 
 
 `` Why not. Please. Explain it to me again.'' 
 
 Even without them saying it directly, I knew this was about my brother. My mum had dropped me off here earlier that day. He was going to the hospital, the most recent doctor's visit had said his heart was too weak and erratic to sustain him without immediate medical attention. As my dad drove him to the hospital two hours away, my mum told me to pack and dumped me here. My grandma had immediately enveloped me in her arms. But even her hug could n't erase the tension everyone, was feeling. 
 
 I crouched, waiting for my grandpa to explain whatever'it' was to her. 
 
 `` I promised.'' His voice was agonized. 
 
 `` This is our grandson. Surely you can bend the rule just this once.'' Her voice was sharp and accusing. I sucked in my lower lip. 
 
 `` It's not a code Martha.'' My grandpa sighed. `` No one but me is enforcing it.'' 
 
 `` Then what's the problem?'' 
 
 `` I gave up that life when I met you. It's not something I can dance with. Either I'm all in, or I'm out. Please.'' He coughed. It was a strange, hurky noise, and I realized he was crying. `` He'll be okay. I know it. Doctors can do anything these days.'' 
 
 `` And you suddenly became a medical expert overnight?'' Just like the argument, I did n't clue in to her action until after it happened. My ears still rang with the force of her slap as I watched my grandpa sit still, unaffected. 
 
 `` Say what you want of me. But I'm not going back on my decision. Not ever.'' He coughed again. I could n't help but let out a whimper. Suddenly they froze. In a second my grandpa was at the door smiling down at me. I pretended to ignore that one cheek was redder than the other, or that his eyes were shiny and tired looking. `` What are you doing up bud?'' 
 
'i had a nightmare.'' I fibbed, saying the first thing that came to mind. And in a way it was true. Only I had n't dreamed the nightmare. I'd woken up to it. 
 
 
 

