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but she came back looking worse than when she left. On the day of his graduation she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. Instead of a party to celebrate he sat with his family in the lobby waiting to see if she would pull through.
    She came home a week later not because she was better but because she didn’t want to die in the hospital. In the end he was there at her side holding her hand. H er father was unable to watch her and left for the local bar. Her brother had come home and he sat at her other side holding her other hand. His family stood around the room and in the presence of those she loved Lachelle passed away.
    Her memorial service was packed as businesses closed down so their employees could attend. Every seat in the church was taken with the rest of the town either standing or spilling out of the doors into the parking lot. Since the moment he learned she was ill he had helped her fight. He was with her when she was throwing up, holding her when her body shook from the chills of the treatment and got her to eat when no one else could. He was the driving force behind her battle. In the end when she slipped away he was still in denial. He was angry with her, with God, with her doctors. He was numb from the loss and over the next week went through the motions. He didn’t hear a word spoken about the tragic loss of one taken so young. Didn’t hear the tears of her friends as they retold stories of their times together. As he sat with his family at her graveside he didn’t hear the minister speak of her moving on to heaven. All he heard was the first clump of dirt as it hit her casket, then the next. Everyone else had already gone on to the Grainger home but he remained behind. His father had convinced the rest of the family he needed to be alone. When the third scoop of earth hit her coffin he rose and headed for his truck.
    He drove away and as he drew nearer the Grainger home and saw all the cars he couldn’t stop. He kept going. When he reached the edge of town instead of turning around he kept going. When he reached the turn off to his home instead of turning he kept goin g. When he saw the signs saying, “You are now leaving Montana, thank you for coming, please come back again,” he kept going. He didn’t stop till he ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere. Only then did he break down and cry. When the tears had finally stopped he grabbed his phone and called Trent. By the time Trent arrived with his brother Justin the sun was coming up over the horizon. Trent grabbed the gas cans and filled up his truck then he pushed Beckett over to the passenger side and got behind the wheel while Justin got behind the wheel of Trent’s truck and led the way.
    Trent waited till they were back on the road before he tried talking to Beckett.
    “Beck…we all loved Lachelle….we’re all going to miss her….but she wouldn’t like the fact you’re being this way.” He scolded.
    “Trent…I don’t want to talk .”
    “I don’t care…you don’t have to talk, just listen .” Trent said. “Instead of feeling sorry for yourself you are going to remember what you had. You are going to honor Lachelle by going on with your life. I know right now it hurts, you want to give up but you can’t. She made me promise I wouldn’t let you do this.”
    Beckett turned and looked at his brother . “When?”
    “ A few months ago….she knew she wasn’t going to make it….she had overheard the doctors talking about her case….but her dad wouldn’t give up…he made her try those new drugs…they made her so sick she finally convinced her dad to stop…..to let her go…..but she couldn’t tell you that….she loved you too much….so she kept fighting for you…for one more day with you.”
    “Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “She made me promise I wouldn’t.” Trent said staring at the road. “Beck…she loved you…she wanted you to go on with your life….find someone else to love…be happy.”
    “NO