Bruno Read Free

Italian and went to Google translate to mess with you.”
    Now he’s laughing harder, which makes me laugh harder. I haven’t thought about the way I became friends with Bruno since it happened. What he doesn’t know is that I’ve known about him before then, I just didn’t have a way of approaching him.
    “I am so glad you did, Saige.”
    I’m really glad I did, too. Maybe even more glad than he is. But I don’t say this. I will save it for another day. We sit in silence and finish watching the sunset.
     
     
    I get home around 7:00.
    “Mom’s ordering pizza. She got you extra cheese.” My brother says, not bothering to look up from his Madden game.
    “My favorite!” I exclaim, being over dramatic.
    “She knows, dum-dum, that’s why she’s getting it for you.”
    Ah, brothers. Gotta love them.
    My glass of milk has just been devoured when I hear my mom open the garage door and fumble with the pizzas. My brothers hop off the couch to help her with the food. They set it on the table, take a couple slices, and head back into the living room to finish watching whatever show is on ESPN at the moment.
    My mom smiles at me wearily. “Did they bother you any?” She asks.
    “No, they were kind of quiet compared to the usual chaos.” I help her with her coat and set her purse on the nook.
    A paper plate with two pieces of extra cheese pizza is handed to me. We sit alone at the table, listening to the curse words coming from the living room. Whoever my brother’s wanted to win whatever sporting event they were watching obviously weren’t winning.
    Between my first and my second slice, my mom tells me about running into Mrs. Castino at the supermarket. My mom doesn’t just mention running into people. I know there’s a story coming about whatever they spoke about.
    “She had bags under her eyes. I asked her how her boys were, if there was anything she needed…”
    Her voice trails off, waiting for my reaction. I haven’t talked about Bruno much to her since last spring. I think she is waiting for me to break down and tell her everything. Or maybe just to see if I look too sad for her to continue. I gulp, pretending to swallow a bite of pizza, but really I’m swallowing the lump in my throat.
    “Bruno’s been having the same symptom’s he had last year. They are going to run some more tests. She has to take him into the city next week. Alex is going to come over here if they’re Aunt can’t look over Alex like she did last year while Bruno was in treatments. Did you know he might be sick again, Saige?”
    I shake my head no. I really didn’t know. I could have guessed, though. Bruno never said it, but I guess I could tell. It was just easier to think he was healthy again.
    “Are you going to be okay?” My mom asks, coming over to my side of the table and wrapping her arms around me.
    “I’ll be fine.” I say.
    Pretending just got a little bit harder. 

 
     
     
     
    THREE
    Whenever Bruno was first diagnosed with cancer last year, I was mad he didn’t tell me. That’s really selfish, huh? To be mad at someone for not telling you they might die. I feel bad looking back, but I was hurt he didn’t trust me enough to let me know.
    I remember the day it happened. He had promised to Skype with me that night. We hadn’t been talking as much as we normally do at the time (and now I know it was because he was getting tested). The day before he was diagnosed with Leukemia, he had promised to Skype with me. He told me he missed me and had lots to tell me. He made plans to teach me key notes on the guitar and sing me one of the sappy love songs that I like so much. I joked that he needed to sing in English so I could actually understand the words. He promised he would.
    The months leading up to that day, Bruno had been more tired than usual. I’m a night person and I’d always get mad when he’d fall asleep early, considering he used to be a night owl, too. I thought it was him just not wanting to