The Protector

       Dedicated to my little sister, Melissa. I love you stay strong.

-I remember the day you were born.

-April 23rd at 2:07 pm

-9 pounds even and 24 inches long

-I remember holding you

-You were heavy for my small chubby arms

-I specifically remember dad saying “she’s your little sister you have to protect her”

-And that what I did

-I protected you

-Like the time when I was three and you were 1

-And you almost fell out of your bassinet because the legh snapped like a twig and you bounced out

- And I slid like a football player going for a home run and I caught you

- I remember when you were two and I was four and you almost fell down the stairs but I grabbed your arm before you could.

- I remember when you were six and I was eight and that mean older boy hit you with a baseball bat and I chased him up the road

-screaming I was going to kill him

- But then there came a time when I couldn’t watch you 24/7 anymore

- I went to high school and you went to middle school

- I remember coming home everyday and I couldn’t wait to see you

- But you started locking yourself in you room

- You started to be angry

-You started to not be

- My little Melissa

- Then one night you stumbled into my room like a drunken sailor

-you fell on my floor like a rock sinking to the bottom of a wavy sea

- and you looked at me

- I pulled your intoxicated body onto my bed

- and I held you as you cried

- That was the night you had tried to commit suicide

- People had teased you and beat you down

- To the point where you felt like you couldn’t go on

- And I felt like I had failed

- I was your big sister

- I was supposed to protect you

- But the morning after when I saw you in that bed hooked up to tubes and machines

- I crawled up in bed with you

- And you said “ Rita, I love you , you saved me, and now I can live forever with you, thank you, you protected me”

- I knew I did my job right.