The Kiss Goodbye

"I love you 'till death!" Josh said sweetly into the phone. 1

Sam laughed.2

"Do us part, babe." she responded with a small laugh.3

Then they hung up. It was a normal routine that happened at least four or five times a day where Josh would call Sam out of the blue "just to chat". He usually had nothing to say and called only to hear her voice, which soothed him out of his everyday pain. He loved her unconditionally. To him Sam was a godess-- the perfect woman. There was nothing he could do to ever stop loving her, and she felt the same way about him. Young love at its best seemed to be the only phrase to express the two of them. Nothing could tear them apart, not even death.4

It was Friday again-- their date night. It had become a tradition. Josh came over each Friday night and they would sit on the large couch upstairs, cuddled together watching movies and joking about their future. This had been happening since the firstweek they had gone out, seven months ago. Sam had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, which made her dizzy and sick. She had learned over the years not to ignore the feelings as they were a sign of bad luck. Yet she forced the feelings down like a large dose of cold medicine. It even felt the same-- cold, noxious fluid sliding down the back of her throat. It gave her chills. Hours later Josh drove up in his old beat-up Charger. She shook her head when she saw him, wondering when the hell he would finally get rid of the piece of junk and get the car that she wouldn't have to worry about him getting killed in. It didn't help that he liked to street race and had been in numerous accidents. Hence the cause of his pain. She met him at the front door with a smile and a sweet hug.5

He grimaced.6

"Ahh! Not so hard, please..." He said it with a chuckle, as if to dull the pain.7

She withdrew quickly, biting down on her lip.8

"I'm sorry, are you ok?"9

He just smiled and kissed her forehead.10

"I'll be better if you let me in out of this heat."11

It was then she realized she had been blocking the enterance to the nicely air-conditioned house. She stepped back and stuck her tongue out at him as he walked into the house. A couple hours passed while they went out back to swim and laugh at the ridiculous songs playing of the radio, that the DJ's had the audacity to refer to as 'music'. Sam was cradled in Josh's arms, still floating in the pool when she sighed gently and spoke.12

"Please don't ever leave me. I wouldn't be able to live without you..."13

He turned his head to her with a confused look on his face.14

"Baby, you know I'd never leave you, why would you say something like that?" He kissed her cheek and waited for an answer.15

She sat there wondering the same thing. Why had she said that? A few more moments and she snapped out of her daydream to answer him.16

"Oh, um, I don't know actually. Just forget I even said it. Heh."17

He gave a big hug and they got out and toweled off. Josh opted to go watch and movie so upstairs they went. He laid down on his favorite spot of the couch and patted the seat next to him, motioning for her to come to him. She smiled sweetly as she walked over and curled up like a kitten into his loving arms. The movie didn't hold their interest long, and before a half hour had past they had already started up another discussion about their children and how they were going to be raised.18

"Little League... all the way. And the football team. He'll be the heartbreaker. I jsut know it!"19

She laughed. "With you as a dad, how could he not be? Ah, I'm more concerned about the girl. I hoep she doesn't turn out like me. I have never been popular or good at anything. Hmm..."20

He hugged her. "Aww, she would be lucky to turn out as great as her mom. And I'm sure she will. Have faith baby-- it'll all work out, right?"21

Another smile... and then the feeling. She suddenly felt nauseaus and overwhelmed. She took a deep breath and shook it off. Soemthing big was going to happen, if only she could figure out what. Josh stared at her with a concerned look and held her cheek.22

"You ok?" he asked her quietly, almost afraid to speak.23

She jerked her head quickly at his touch and smiled. 24

"Yea, I'm fine, just a chill is all. I love you so much, thanks for always being here for me."25

"I'll always be here for you. I promise."26

"You better.." She said with a bit of a sarcastic tone. 27

She knew he wasn't going to leave her, and she was positive that as soon as they graduated from High School they would run off and get married and live the fantasy "happily ever after" life. It was heaven for Sam. Nothing could bring her down from the high she was experiencing the she'd been with Josh. Except for the feeling. They stayed there on the couch for the next couple hours, making another attempt to watch the movie, and they did. At least the first ten minutes... 28

Next thing she knew Josh was knudging her shoulder telling her it was time for him to go. She took his hands and stood onher tip-toes to give gim a sweet kiss goodbye. Their hands fit perfectly together as they squeezed as hard as they could, never wanting to let go.29

"I'll love you 'till death!" Josh said happily in routine.30

"Do us part, babe.." She purred back gently.31

He smiled, gave her a kiss on the lips and left. She waved to him as his car drove off down the streetand turned the corner. She yawned almost instantly upon re-entering the house. She was suddenly tired, even though it was only 9:30. Yet she couldn't fight the fatigue and collapsed on her bed into a dead sleep. All night she tossed and turned as nightmares plagued her dreams. She saw blood, and heard screams, even felt a chilling breeze,that shook her awake.32

The alarm was going off. It was 6:00 A.M..33

The day went on as usual with Josh's regular phone calls, her warped opinions of food and the nagging being which she called "father". Her mom called from Florida to check in and the got another bath.. the third time in four days. As she was getting ready for bed that night she got a phone call.34

"Oh god, help me! I'm going to the hospital... oh god, the pain!! ahh!!" A voiced screeched into the phone between sobbing, hysterical gasps. She dropped the phone in shock and the person hung up. Her heart began to race. She couldn't sleep now. There was no possible way. She walked around her room pacing back and forth, back and forth until the phone rang again. Immediatly herhead jerked in the direction of the phone. The feeling was back, stronger than ever. So strong she collapsed and was barely able to getto the phone.35

"He-Hello?" she said weakly.36

"Sam! It's Becca. Are you sitting down?"37

"Why...?" A churning in her stomach started up.38

"Sit down."39

She sat. "Okay, what?"40

Becca sighed.41

"Josh is in the hospital. I-It doesn't look good. Micheal's on his way to get you."42

Her heart stopped. What had happened, what was wrong? She wanted answers and she wanted them now. Her anger began to flare.43

"What's going on?! What happened?!?! What do you mean 'things don't look good'!?!?!"44

Beccas took a deep breath.45

"He's lost a lot of blood, and he's still bleeding now. Doctors are stumped... theydon't know what caused this major eruption. It's a complete mystery."46

Her feeling. She knew what it was, and that it was all her fault. She fell to the floor, screaming and crying, cold tears staining her heated, red cheeks. She sat there huddled into a little ball, the phone in hand while Beccas lsitened to her heart shattering screams from the other end of the phone. A few minutes later Micheal came in and found her on the floor. He forced her up and hugged her tightly. She clung to him, refusing to let go of her newfound shelter, her strength. Micheal was like a brother. They did everything together and now he was the only thing that could comfort her other than seeing Josh. He got her into his car and they rushed to the hospital E.R. Sam sprinted down hallways and corridors, until she reached him room. She stopped, poised against the doorframe as looked onto her only loved, kept fully alive my wire and tubes, machines and batteries. A single tear fell down her cheek. She saw him look up at her and she walked slowly over to his bedside and took his hand. He squeezed hers gently, not enough strength within him to show her how he really felt. Sam fought back the tears that wanted to stream from her eyes. Instead she smiled down at him, he was covered in blood, but she still saw the most handsome man ever. The he spoke.47

"H-hey sweetheart..." he managed to whisper.48

"Hi baby..." her eyes got glassy and she took a deep breath.49

"You look so beautiful, you always do..." he smiled weakily.50

Her voice began to crack, "You're not so bad yourself."51

"I promise I'll always be with you, as long as you keep me close." His eyes lit up and he smiled a bit harder, forcing the strength from him.52

A few tears began to fall when she realized this was the end. Her dreams, shattered all within a matter of hours. One minute she was discussing her kids and the next, she's comforting her dying boyfriend at his bedside. It all seemed to surreal. There was so mcuh she wanted to say, but couldn't find the words. She merely stood there crying beside him, watching him slowly slip away from her, little by little.53

"Mmm, please don't cry baby..." he was fading fast.54

"How can I not!? You're leaving me here.. it isn't fair.." she sobbed, watching the life leave his weak body.55

"Everything will be ok.. I promise." He coughed and a little blood came out. He cleared his throat.56

She could do nothing but cry. Her last moments with him and she couldn't even find the right words to say. She knew exactly what she wanted to, but something was fighting her to stay silent.57

"I love you 'till death..." he whispered with a smile.58

she smiled and began to cry. "Do... us.. part.."59

His grip was gone. The flatline sounded. It was over.60

Gone. No more. She stood there and cried, sobbing quietly for a few moments as she looked over his resting body. Finally she gained control of herself and the words she wanted came to her parched lips. She gripped his hand tight and sniffled. She kissed him goodbye and spoke.61

"I'm pregnant..." Her voice trailed off into the silence and the life moniter drowned her out. 62