Just when I thought my life couldn’t get any worse, God throws a curve ball into my life of living hell. I was going to a job interview where the boss is this raving beauty with long blond hair, bright green eyes, and a perfect smile. My ex fiance cheated on me with her three weeks before our wedding. This was not going to be the ideal job interview I was hoping for. I honestly don’t think I could have run fast enough out the door once the interview was over. Just the glimpse of her and hearing her say “Ali you can come in now.” makes my stomach turn. I sprinted to my black BMW that my parents gave me after I graduated college, and struggle to start it. When the car finally turns on and I drive away from the job I will never have. I realize that driving a black car during summertime in Atlanta Georgia is the worst. My mind is still spinning, why out of all people did that have to just happen to me. What does she have that I don’t well, besides a solid job.

The tears in my eyes were bottling up and I was about to snap. Finally I arrived home. All I wanted to do at this point is lay on my bed and eat a huge tub of ice cream. But what I had planned changed. As I arrive at my apartment I see a car I’ve never seen before. Thats when I remembered my new neighbors move in today. I didn’t want to meet them in the condition I was in. My hair all messed up, my eyes all red and puffy from crying. So I ran to my door and was about to unlock it when I heard a tiny voice say “Hello.”
I turned around to see a young boy, that was about 9, looking at me with massive brown eyes and the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. He wasn’t just your average boy though, he was disabled.


His smile caused me to smile right back. It was an infectious smile.
“Hello there” I said in the most pleasant voice I could. I saw a women coming towards us. She had the same brown eyes as the little boy. Short red curly hair and was very lean.
“Hi, I’m Amy” she said “My son and I just moved in next door.” She smiled and looked at her son. “This is Justin” Justin was just smiling at me.
“I’m Ali, nice to meet you.” After I said this Justin asked
“Why are you sad?” Amy quickly told him not to ask that. “I just had a bad day, thats all.” He struggled over to move near me and it made me hurt inside. He touched my hand and said
“It’s okay don’t be sad tomorrow will be better” I kneeled down next to him.
“Thank you Justin, I needed to hear that.”
“Well dinner should be about done, would you like to join us Ali?” Amy asked. I said yes and we ate pizza.

Amy told me all about herself. How she lived in Minnesota all her life and moved to Georgia because of the warmth. She was a nail and hair technician so it was easy to move her job. She was a single mom, and always has been. As I was listening to her talk, I was praying she wouldn’t ask about me. What would I say? Well “I was engaged to the love of me life but he cheated on me.” Then Amy asked what my occupation was. I paused for a good 20 seconds. “I don’t have one at the moment”
“Well, would you like one?” Amy quickly spoke.
I was confused at this question, but of course I said yes.
“How would you like to babysit Justin. I’m working two jobs here and I haven’t found someone to look over him. It would just being durning the day and of course i’ll pay you.” All I could think was why is she asking me? I just met her! How could I say no to watching Justin. Possibly the sweetest boy in the world. And heck I need a change in my life.
“Yes, that’ll be great” We discussed plans for him to come over. I was very excited to get to know him.
“So i’ll bring him over tomorrow at 8:30?” “sound good to you?”
“Perfect”
When I got home my mood was turned around and I felt great. I realized the whole time I was eating with them Derrick (my ex) didn’t cross my mind. Babysitting Justin is a blessing in disguise. Finally something to distract me from my single/jobless/depressed life.


Over the next few Months I babysat Justin every week. I never expected to do this as long as I have, but getting to know Justin is a serial experience that has changed my life. He loves pizza, watching scary movies, puzzles and laughing(that was his favorite.) He embraces life everyday, and hates seeing people sad. There’s not a day that goes by where he isn’t living life to the fullest. If you ever met Justin, you would feel bad for him, the thing is he would never want you to. No matter what condition he may be in, It didn’t matter to him. He didn’t mind that he couldn’t walk or talk very well or do the things that other kids could do at his age. He always tells me “Ali this is who god made me, this is who I am.” He made me realize my life wasn’t as dreadful as I had thought it was. This one person, not even in the double digits of his life yet, made me a better person. I’m sad that he’s going to start school next week and I wont get to see him as much as I do now, but also excited for him too. He keeps telling me how I should find a job that makes me happy, and I always say this one does.

I know I really need to start going to interviews again. May look in the paper now to get a head start. As I was looking through ads there was a faint knock on my door. It was 10:30 at night so I couldn’t imagine who it would be. I opened the door, my black hair was in a bun and I had cat pajamas on. It was amy. “Hey Ams come----we need to talk” she said quickly. She told me to sit down and her eyes started to water up.
“Are you okay? whats wrong??”
“The doctor called me Al” she paused for a while.
“They said...they said Justin only has a few hours left to live.”


In that moment it felt like my heart froze. It was as if everything stood still. I burst out into tears and she and I held each other and cried. This can’t happen. Not to Justin, this sweet, caring, loving, selfless boy. He doesn’t deserve this, he’s to young! When Amy and I stopped hugging. She whispered “Ali, what am I going to do?” I thought about that for sometime. What was she going to do, I’ve never seen a mom love her son the way Amy loves Justin. I took her hand and squeezed it. “I’ll do whatever I can, I promise.”

Amy went home at midnight and falling asleep just felt like impossible. I didn’t think my tears were ever going to stop. I woke up at six the next morning and instantly thought of Justin. I got dressed, threw my hair up, washed my face and went next door. Amy was sitting on the couch. I went over and hugged her, Justin emerged from his room. “good morning!” he said with a smile. Amy forced a smile “good morning sweetie” she went over and hugged him. The thought that today could be his last was killing me inside. Amy just stared at him, I couldn’t even imagine whats going through her head at this moment. All of a sudden he started coughing. He didn’t stop it kept going. His legs quickly gave out and he fell to the floor. Amy and I ran over to help him.
“MOM!” he screeched with pain. “I can’t feel my legs no more”
I burst out crying. Amy was holding back her tears.
“Ali call 911. NOW!”
“Already on it!”
Soon enough the ambulance came and picked up Justin. There was so much water in my eyes I could barley see. I didn’t go with them to the hospital I told Amy I’d be there later. The truth is I can’t bare to see him in pain...I just can’t. I went back to my apartment and for the first time in months I thought of Derrick. I don’t know why but his face popped in my head. I sat on my kitchen floor and bawled harder then ever. I quickly realized the last time I was this upset was the night I walked in on Derrick cheating on me. I’ve come so far since that day and it’s all because of Justin. I laid on the floor and didn’t move for some time. Around three my cell phone rang, I struggled over to it, Amy was calling. She was probably wondering why I haven’t came yet. I answered and whispered “Hi, how is he?”
“He wants to see you Ali”
“I can’t Amy...I can’t see him like that. It hurts too much!”
“You don’t think it hurts me too? It’s killing me Ali, but i’m being strong not for me but for him. He knows he wont be here much longer. He wants to say goodbye to his best friend....thats you.”
It was as if a shot went through my heart and the phone was silent. I told her “I’m on my way” and hung up.


I arrived at the hospital and found his room. His pale little body was laying under the hospital sheets. Amy was in a chair by his side.
“Ali’s here Justin” she said softly
“Hi justin” my voice felt broken. He looked up at me and smiled.
“I’ll leave you two alone.”
As she exited I walked over to Justin and sat on his bed.
“Hi sweetie”
“Ali....” he grabbed my hand. “You know I wont be here much longer. I want you to know that you were the best friend a person could have. You mean so much to me and I always had fun with you. I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything Justin”
“Be strong, always smile I never want to see you sad Ali. I want you to find a job that you love to do. I will be watching over you from heaven. I love you and so does god”
I tried to be strong at that moment but my tears flew.
“Justin you need to know how much you mean to me as a person. I’m lucky to have met such a wonderful young boy like you. You changed my life forever. I’m going to miss you more then words can describe. I love you”
He faintly said “I’m going to miss you too”
His eyes shut and in that moment I knew what I wanted to do.

Three weeks after Justin past away I started to write a book. At the hospital I knew that Justin’s life wasn’t supposed to end that day, so I need a way for him to live on and for everyone to know who he is and the amazing boy he was. I thought writing a story about him was the perfect way. I wrote about how I was at the lowest point in my life and how he saved me. I wrote about his mom and her unconditional love for her son. I wrote everything Justin taught me, and his final days on earth. I thought a long time about what I should title it. I remembered the first time we met and the book went on to be called Tomorrow Will Be Better.

It was published 5 months later and became a NewYork number one best seller. I hear people tell me everyday that Justin was gods will and how reading about him changed the way they looked at life. Even though Justin isn’t here with us anymore he lives on in my heart forever and is still changing people’s lives everyday.