My best friend married my sister, who has Down syndrome — while she was fighting for her life, he gripped my hands and said, “Now it’s time for you to understand WHY I REALLY MARRIED her.” 😶
My sister, Lily, is one year younger than me. Some children stayed away from her or thought she was strange because she had Down syndrome.
But not my best friend, Daniel.
“Lily, you’ll always have me and Daniel,” I used to tell her.
Daniel always looked out for her. He made sure to pick her for his team at recess, and in fourth grade, he even promised to take her to prom someday.
Everyone assumed Daniel and I would get married. Instead, years later, he proposed to Lily.
I cried harder than she did. My best friend became my brother, and my sister had the life strangers had always insisted she could never have.
Then Lily became pregnant with twins. We were overjoyed.
But the pregnancy was difficult.
At thirty-four weeks, Lily was rushed to the hospital. The doctors’ prognosis was grim. They were fighting to save Lily and the babies.
Daniel stayed beside me the entire time, as pale as a sheet. But suddenly, he grabbed my hand and hurried me into an empty corridor.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
