“Seriously?!”�

“What?”

“Why do you always find the stupidest things to call treasures, John?”

“Because they are treasures to me, Kyle.”

John, Kyle’s little brother smiled up at him with such wonder and innocence that Kyle thought it must be nice to be so little. Then again, Kyle thought John might be getting heat stroke. He was a weird character sometimes. Kyle swung his beat up metal detector back and forth looking for some real treasure. He wanted something new to add to his beach cabinet of curiosities.

From time to time, John would shout out with glee at the nickel or quarter he would find. Occasionally, Kyle would find some change or a pop tab, but nothing of significance or value. The old metal detector bleeped away, constantly giving him false hope. John found a broken necklace made of gold, a total of $1.81, two rusty keys, and an old mints box. Still, Kyle found nothing he thought was of value to add to his cabinet.

Often, he would feel discouraged, but John would look up and smile, and hold up his treasures for Kyle to see. The look of innocence on John’s face would make Kyle smile and try again. That look in John’s eyes would fuel Kyle’s desire to find some treasure to take home. Kyle doubted he would find anything but the fun they both had that day was worth all the pop tabs in the world. If John was smiling, Kyle was too.

“Let’s call it a day, John,” said Kyle as he walked up to John. “I’ll buy you a milkshake on the way home.”

“Okay, Kyle. Can I have chocolate?,” John asked as he dusted the sand from his hands.

“Sure buddy, any flavor you want,” Kyle answered as he propped his metal detector over his shoulder.

“Cool! I love chocolate.”

“I know you do, John. That’s why I don’t mind if you have a chocolate one, silly kid.”

John grinned at his big brother and thought how cool he was to have a brother to take him to the beach and buy him milkshakes. He felt like the luckiest kid on the planet. They grabbed milkshakes from Jake’s Shake Shack at the edge of the beach and headed home. John would bounce on the balls of his feet, claiming days like this were the best as he got to spend them with his big brother.

Though there was an eleven year age gap between them, Kyle enjoyed John’s company and did not mind watching him for their mom while she worked. She worked double shifts most times at the local hospital, Palm West Hospital, in the ER as a registered nurse. This was to support the three of them. Their mother, a sturdy woman, would hand Kyle the grocery money and had always slipped a five dollar bill in there for milk shakes for the boys, would tell Kyle to get the groceries. She just didn’t have time.

“Now make sure you get that cereal that John likes, the one with marshmellows in it. Please get fresh vegetables. You know the canned ones are full of preservatives.”

“Yes, mom, I know. I will,” Kyle would respond. “You know you don’t have to give us milkshake money every time.”

“Of course I do. You boys get so little, I just want you two to have fun together.”

“Okay mom. I won’t argue. I love you.”

She would smile as she pulled her jacket on to head out the door to work. Her white nursing shoes would squeak on the linoleum in the kitchen as she went to fill her coffee cup up to take with her to work. She would always kiss Kyle and John goodbye. Kyle didn’t mind so much. He knew she missed spending time with us. John would always hug her around the waist and bury his face in tight and smell her perfume.

“I love you, mom,” he would whisper.

Their father, Edward, had died when Kyle was twelve and John was two. Their dad had been drunk, which was usually often the case. He had been driving too fast, missed the curve on Cannery Rd, and hit the railing, sailing into the ocean. He drowned while trying to get out of the car. So, of course Kyle spent more time with John. For a while, he didn’t think his mom would recover, but she was a strong lady. She took the job at the ER, unfortunately only seeing her on the weekends and at breakfast.

Kyle had a girlfriend who was kind and compassionate. Her name was Genna and she knew Kyle had to keep an eye on John for his mother while she worked. There were times Kyle wished he could have some time alone with her, though. It seemed like John was always there. They could never have any privacy. How was he supposed to romance her with John there? Genna came by one day and wanted to go for a walk alone with Kyle but their mother was at work and he had to watch John.

“Man,” Kyle complained, “ I wish there was some free time where I could take you out and not have to worry about taking John with us.”

“It doesn’t matter, Kyle,” Genna replied. “I get it. Your mom is working. At least she is working and providing for you. Mine is always out with men and is never there for me to talk to.”

John walked into the living room and looked a this brother. He wanted him to be happy. He was a good brother to John. John made his mind up.

“Kyle, go out for a while with Genna. I’ll be okay. I have the phone here if I need anything.”

“Are you sure? I hate the idea of leaving you alone. Mom would kill me.”

“Mom isn’t here and you never get any time with Genna by yourself. I will be fine.”

“Okay, if you are sure.”

“Go! Have some fun.”

Later that night, right before Kyle got home, John developed a nasty cough, a rattling in his tiny chest, with sweat glistening on his brow. Kyle walked in the apartment and saw John lying on the couch and he could tell that he wasn’t feeling well. Kyle called his mom at work, who made an appointment with their pediatrician. Kyle took him for his mom since she had to work. The doctor prescribed a steroid to break up the congestion and sent John home.

“I don’t see why I have to take this yucky medicine, Kyle.”

“Because it will help you feel better, John,” replied Kyle.

He handed John the pill with a glass of water. John had to wait a minute to take the pill. A coughing fit overcame him and he had to lean against the counter to catch his breath. He looked a little shaky and tired. He took the pill and had laid down on the couch to watch cartoons. He didn’t eat much for dinner and Kyle started to worry more. His breathing sounded rough and ragged. He wasn’t coughing up much of anything. Kyle was sure that John needed something more than steroids but over the next few days, he made sure John took the pills as directed.

Kyle had to call the hospital three nights later. John was having trouble breathing. The ambulance came with sirens blaring, red and blue lights flashing blindingly. His mom and Kyle stood helplessly in the back of the room, hoping against hope, as the doctors and nurses inserted a tube to drain the fluid from John’s lungs. Kyle held his mom’s hand as they looked helplessly on. Kyle felt so guilty for leaving John home that night he took Genna out. If he had been there, he could have gotten him help sooner. Maybe he could have prevented this.

Kyle stood in the corner of the room, shaken and weak with dread, as the white coats raced around the room. The doctor screamed for chest paddles. A nurse handed the doctor the paddles, John’s body lifted off the bed when the paddles touched his frail chest. He flat-lined as his mom screamed and slumped to the floor. Some nurses came into the room to lead her away. Kyle listened to the shrill beeps and sad alarms. He knew it was too late.

John, lying on the hard white-sheeted bed, his heart blipped once or twice and was gone. He was dead. Kyle’s face flushed with fear and regret. He had just lost the truest friend he ever had. Tears of misery coursed down his cheeks and the doctors called it, his death at 9:03pm. The doctor pulled the sheet up over John’s tiny face.

“There was just nothing we could do, Kyle,” the doctor said in a sad and tired voice. “This is never easy. Is there anyone we can call for you?”

“No. My mom is here. It’s all we have. I need a few minutes alone, please,” came the heart wrenching reply.

“Of course, of course. Take all the time you need. Your mom has been given a sedative. A nurse is sitting with her now.” The doctor walked out of the room and Kyle was alone with John, no noise, no chaos. Just two brothers.

John knew there was nothing he could do to take away the pain. He floated silently over to his brother, trying desperately to let him know he was okay. He wasn’t scared anymore. The shrill noises and beeps were gone. John felt tired but well. He knew his time here was almost over. The love he had for his brother and his mom would never be gone. No love existed between two brothers could ever be more real. Their souls were marked. They would find their way to each other again someday. If only he could express this to Kyle, to let him know he would be waiting, always. John sighed as he went home. Peace had finally come.

As Kyle and his mother laid John to rest on a bright and sunny day, He realized that John, in his simple yet childish way, had shown Kyle how to truly live. Kyle fingered the mended necklace that carried two rusty keys. The preacher said a few kind words as their mother silently cried. Kyle felt peace and love. He knew John was finally home. That night, Kyle laid the mended necklace and the mints box in his cabinet of curiosities and thought fondly of the little bright-eyed boy who lived in his heart. He smiled as he shut the door to the cabinet, and realized that life was the treasure he had been looking for.