The Day My Acceptance Letter Arrived, Mom Knelt Before Me

She begged me to give my spot at college to my older brother, Brian.

My younger sister, Tiffany, sneered at me, siding with Brian. "Without him, you wouldn't even have been born!"

My dad yanked off his belt and started whipping me. "You owe this to Brian, you selfish brat. You won't even let him have a shot at college. You're a freakin' ingrate, wish you were dead!"

Wish you were dead... Dad was right, I was about to die.

The truth of my death didn't hit them until much later.

Mom was a wreck, sobbing uncontrollably. "He was always so healthy... how could he just die?"

Tiffany's face was carefully blank, but her hands were balled into fists so tightly her nails dug in. "That guy must be lying! He probably just didn't want to give Brian the bone marrow!"

Dad looked ten years older, the fire gone. He just sat there on the floor, filled with regret. He was too late.

1.

On Thanksgiving, the whole family got together.

It should've been a happy, cozy scene.

We all watched the football game on TV.

One pumpkin pie was carefully divided into four equal pieces.

Brian and Tiffany were gushing over how healthy and happy our parents were.

Mom and Dad said how they just wanted their kids to be safe and do well, never asked for much.

There wasn't an extra piece of pie for me.

Not even a single wish was sent my way.

On Thanksgiving Day, no one remembered there was another me.

Until the jarring phone call shattered the peace.

Seeing the contact labeled "Ingrate" Mom rolled her eyes and muted the ringer.

Brian smiled, asking who was calling.

Mom patted his head gently, "Just a telemarketer."

Meanwhile, I was alone, lying on the side of the road, my body growing colder by the second.

I was dead.

Dead on Thanksgiving, a day that was supposed to be all about family.

2.

They say when you die, your soul goes back to your loved ones.

You enter their dreams, a messenger of remembrance.

I figured, if they saw me in a dream, Mom and Dad would just tell themselves it was just a bad dream.

When I walked into the house, I was shocked by how... cozy it felt.

I sat next to Mom on the couch.

Before, I was only ever allowed a small stool in the corner, away from the main couch.

I always dreamed that one day, just once, I could sit near them.

But that never happened while I was alive.

Brian leaned into Dad, his eyes all puffy. "Why hasn't Mikey come home? He's probably still mad at me, but… I really wanted to go to college. If I hadn't screwed up my SATs, I..."

Dad wiped a tear from Brian's cheek, patiently trying to reassure him.

"We called the school and got him a pass for freshman orientation. We're holding onto that acceptance letter. He'll have to agree."

Tiffany was quick to pour him some water.

"Exactly! It's just college! You'd think he was giving up his kidney. As if going to some regular state school is more important than Brian!"

Mom sighed, running her hand over Brian's face.

"It's my fault. If things weren't so bad when I was pregnant with you, I wouldn't have had ...