Always with you... (part 2)

Previous that day the doctors had told Katie there was no hope for Danny – he was only being kept alive by machines.  Katie hadn’t thought about it since they had last spoke – too much to take in at once.  She was being selfish in a way, she couldn’t see her future without Danny, what would she do… How would she live?1

She looked down at the doctor’s hands, which were young and masculine, which held the destiny of the only man that she had ever loved, the only one that ever truly understood her, the only man that made her smile through her tears. Who would help her smile through the tears now if she was to sign his life away?  It seemed like hours had passed with him standing there but it had only been a matter of minutes, seconds maybe.  The nurse had finished her observations by this time and was standing next to them, staring at both of them.2

“Mrs Roberts, I know this is probably the hardest thing that you have probably been faced with. We won’t rush you, but think about it clearly.” He was right this was probably the hardest thing she had been faced with…3

It had been hours since the doctor had left, the same nurse came in often to check on Danny. Often asking Katie if she could get her anything, or if everything was all right. Katie felt like screaming out to her, “No everything is not alright, my husband is lying there dying, do you think that is alright.” But she held back, after all it wasn’t the nurses fault, it wasn’t Katie’s fault. It was one of those things that you heard happened to someone’s cousins, distant cousin. Not in your own home, not to the person you love more than anything. It just wasn’t right in Katie’s eyes why Danny, why her? 4

Katie paced the floor looking at the documents on the bedside cabinet. Lost in thought she didn’t hear the door opening, there was a woman standing there, Katie vaguely remembered her, it was Danny’s mother. 5

“Hello Katie.” She said. Katie stopped dead in her tracks, and just stood there staring. It had been over 2 years since they had spoke, Charlie still blamed her for taking her son away, when in actual fact it was Danny who suggested the idea of getting married while they travelled. They had stopped in Scotland for a few days and asked her to marry him; the next few days went so fast. No one knew they had been married until they returned from their travels, both of their parents hadn’t liked the idea, but Charlie had taken the news worse than they had thought she would.6

“Hi Charlie.” Katie eventually replied. Charlie was standing over Danny’s bed. 7

“How’s he doing?” Charlie asked.8

“Doctors have said there’s no hope for him, they have given me the papers to sign to turn off his machines. I can’t do it Charlie, I don’t know what I’ll do without him.” Danny was Charlie’s only son. His father and mother had broke up when he was still at a young age, so he was all she really had left in the world. Charlie broke down in tears, she hadn’t been the best person to get along with, but now they both had something in common. They were losing the only good thing they had in the world. There one true love. Katie directed Charlie to the nearest by chair, they both sat just holding onto each other. 9

Hours passed, tears shed, but no words were exchanged. Forgiveness wasn’t an option now; all that was left was the acceptance of the past, present, and future. The gentle beeps and humming of the machines, and quiet sobs were all that could be detected in the room.10