All the flowers had died away, and so his stone was only one of words.

Grey, carved, and deep words.

BRANDON JACKSON
BELOVED SON, BROTHER
March 12, 1957 - March 12, 1957
"May you rest peacefully within God's embrace.  We love you, Brandon, our angel in Heaven."

Those words ran circles in Michael's head.  Each time he did, it came back and mentally punched him in the gut.  He never knew why this happened, but it did, and it really hurt.  Brandon's grave was under a big oak tree, so Michael put his gift down, and touched the cold piece of concrete.  

Next to it was a little statue of an angel that held a baby in it's arms.

"Happy birthday, Brandon."  Michael said, bowing his head.  Looking from the corner of his eye, the teddy bear was sitting with huge eyes, and a little smile on his face.  It was wearing it's own little raincoat and rainhat.  It's paws held a little laminated envelope, containing Michael's letter. "I hope you like it."

He sat down, crossing his legs, and started speaking.  The rain started picking up, but Michael didn't care.

"I hope you waited here, for me.  I really wanted to come here, personally, and bring this to you.  I mean, if I kept it myself, then wouldn't it be for me to just look at in your name?  Coming here just feels so right, Brandon.  It feels like the right thing to do, you know."  Michael began.  "How stupid of me... to start out like that.  To be honest, I really don't know what to say....  I mean, There's a lot I told you about in the letter, but I feel like there's more."

Michael got out a sunflower bouquet and put it down for Brandon.  He liked sunflowers, and knew Brandon would like that.  "I hope you like these sunflowers.  With the rain and all, you know, they're going to be really healthy.  It gives your little space a little light, you know."  Michael's eyes started welling up with tears again.  "I wonder sometimes what life would be like with you here, you know.  Mother, Father, and everyone else knows how special you are to the family.  If you can hear me, Brandon, I want you to know this... I really do love you... from the bottom of my heart.  You must know that... You must know that.  You may not be with us now, but that doesn't mean... I can't love you, ...right?  ...Right?"

Michael buried his face in his hands.  He never knew how much this visit was going to drain him, but he knew he had to do it. 

March 12, 1963

"Mommy, where are we?"  a four-year-old boy with big, brown eyes, asked.  He was walking with his mother into a cemetery, and they stopped at a marker underneath a big tree.

His mother sighed and looked down.  "It's time I told you this, Michael.  If I don't tell you now, you might never know."

Michael looked confused.  "Is that why I'm holding these flowers, Mommy?"

She nodded as Michael put the flowers on the ground.  "This is Marlon's twin, your older brother."  She pointed to a little stone with writing on it.  "His name is Brandon.  He, like Marlon, is turning six.  I thought it would be nice to give Brandon a gift.  Don't you think that's a nice thing to do, Michael?"

Michael looked into his mother's loving eyes.  "Yes, Mommy.  But... will he ever come back?  What if he doesn't like our presents?"

Katherine had a rather sad look on her face, upon Michael's question.  "Baby, he's in Heaven now."

"Heaven?"  Michael was still a little confused.  "Mommy, what's Heaven?"

She got down on her knees and took Michael's shouders gently.  "Heaven is a magical place, deep in the clouds, where angels are, where God and Jesus live."  She took a pause to breathe.  "Brandon is one of those angels.  You see, when someone's body is not working well, they just.. give up, and God takes them back home, where He can make them well again."

"Brandon... he's...?"  Michael then began to piece everything together.  Although he was a little too young to understand, he got the main picture.  "Mommy, did Brandon go to Heaven before I was born?"

Katherine had tears in her eyes.  "Yes, Michael.  Right after I had Marlon and Brandon, Brandon was still not ready to be a person, so God took him to Heaven a day after he was born."

Michael could not believe he had another older brother who died ony as a baby.  With Katherine making the summary of it as kid friendly as possible, Michael still got it.  He started to cry, and Katherine picked him up off the ground and cradled him in his arms.  "Shh, it's okay, Michael.  Brandon's happy and well now, and when we're all together in Heaven, we'll celebrate.  You see, Michael, we lose loved ones throughout our lives, but that's just what life throws at us.  It's like God giving us a test.  He wants to know if we can make through."

Michael rested his head on her shoulder.  "I already miss him, Mommy..."

"I know, Michael... I do, too... I do too."  Katherine started to sing Michael's favorite lullaby, You Are My Sunshine, and Michael fell asleep, safe in his mother's arms. 

"I remember the first time Mother ever told me about you.  I was only four, and it was your birthday.  I brought you a flower...grown from Mother's garden.  She loved her flowers a lot, Brandon.  You would've loved them too...  It was the prettiest garden in Gary!  Mother would sing to us all the time when we were little... Sometimes as she would plant new flowers or vegetables, or when we had bad dreams. 

"When I was little, after learning about you, I would imagine us playing tag, and even starting our own candy store.  I even had an imaginary friend, and I named him Brandon.  No one really knew of my imaginary friend, but he was everything you are: an angel... An angel that came to me when I was lonely, and comforted me when Joseph chastised me... I know you wouldn't want to go through those beatings..."

Michael smiled a little through his tears, being able to get a little bit out into the air. 

"Brandon, what would you have been when you grew up?  Would you have been a musician, like the rest of us, or maybe a soldier, or a caretaker...  I'm curious about what you might have been like, and what effect you'd have on the family. 

"Sometimes, I get really upset whenever you pop into my head, but I think, now, that I've come to talk to you myself, I can finally find closure.  I mean, I haven't been here since I was four... It was something I'll never forget...." 

Michael wiped a tear from his eye, as he looked up.  He saw that the storm had died, and the sun was peeking behind the clouds. 

"Look, Brandon!  The storm stopped, and the sun is coming out... The sun is very beautiful, don't you think?  Although I'm more for a full moon, I still like the sun, because it's the sun is what gives us moonlight.  Nature's a beautiful thing, Brandon, and I wish you were here to see it."

Michael gained the confidence to stand, and then kneel.  "Big brother, no matter what happens, I just want you to know how much..."  Michael started to cry again, tears falling onto his jacket.  "I... love... you... so much.  And I promise... I'll keep you in my heart..."

Michael stood back up and knew that it was time to go back home.  He had been with Brandon for quite a while, and it was almost evening.  He smiled, and said one more goodbye, and that he would be back to visit him soon.

Soon.

When Michael got back on the plane, he had felt so much better, now that he had talked to Brandon.  It felt like a little weight was being lifted off his shoulders. 

Michael would go back home with a smile on his face...

And he knew that his older brother was looking down on not only him, but the entire family.

"Again,"  Michael looked up to the sky through a window.  "Happy birthday, Brandon... and Marlon too."

Although Brandon would still be a sensitive subject for Michael, he felt much better about it...

Much better.