“That’s just it, Mom. I’m going to have to quit high school until you get better.”

It took a few weeks of debate, but as time went on, Rachel’s mom just didn’t have the strength to fight about it, and in her heart, she knew Rachel was right. And someone had to take care of Sam and Petey.

To Carolyn, the fact that Rachel would have to drop out of school, on top of her mother’s illness, was just about the worst news she could hear. She was worried about what would happen to Rachel in the future without so much as a high school diploma. Carolyn planned to attend college, and Rachel was working at a supermarket, helping to support her family. She felt guilty for having it so much better. And really, she couldn’t imagine going to school and not seeing her best friend every day.

But there was nothing Carolyn could do about it, and that was what happened.

When Rachel’s mom died, Terry and Rachel moved into a two-family house on Mayfield Road, above an auto parts store. Her dad came back for the funeral and claimed ownership of the house, which he eventually sold before moving the two boys to Minnesota. Rachel found a job as a receptionist at a dentist’s office, and it was there that she met a woman who worked for Jenkins Realty. This woman convinced her to become the office manager, took her under her wing, and made sure she got her license.

Rachel was a natural at real estate. She truly enjoyed helping people find just the right home, allowing them to envision how their house would look with new wallpaper, curtains, and the right places for their furniture. Despite her lack of a diploma, she was a whiz at math, and could estimate the monthly mortgage costs better than most mortgage brokers could. At this time, with interest rates up around 20 percent, it was tough to sell houses, but Rachel was always one of the top performers in her office.

So Carolyn enrolled in college, at John Carroll University, but lived at home and commuted to school. She saw Rachel at least once a week, and they made a point of talking on the phone every single day. They helped each other through all of the travails of life as only sisters could. Mrs. Hamilton insisted Rachel get her GRE, and Carolyn drilled her the night before the test, which Rachel passed with flying colors.