“I know he’s your son, Duncan. I’m just having a hard time here. I guess I… expected more of you.”
“I should have done it months ago when I told you I would. I’m sorry. I’ll do it now.”
Aurora was silent for a moment. “Am I the only reason you’d be searching for him?”
He paused to think of the right way to phrase it. “Yes, but no.” Duncan hoped honesty was still the best policy. “Yes, because you’re the one that pointed out he might be on social media. But not because I want a relationship with you, or because you’re upset about it.” He knelt and cupped her face in his hands. “Not that I don’t want a relationship with you. I’m doing it because I want one with him, too.” He wiped away a few more tears with his thumbs. “Let’s get you off the floor before I have to find a hot tub.”
Aurora forced a laugh as she stood, her throat raw. “This isn’t going to work, Duncan.” Her heart protested, but she’d made up her mind.
“But, Roar!”
She held up her hand to stop him. “I can’t do this. This has been …”
Amazing sex? Eye-opening?
“…a lovely trip. And I appreciate your hospitality. But I don’t think we should keep seeing each other.”
There. Her prim and proper mother would puff with pride.
She’d managed to maintain her manners despite wanting to smack him across the face for making her feel … things again. But he’d shown his true colors. Screaming would do no good.
“Aurora, please. Don’t do this.” His voice shook.
She couldn’t bring herself to look at his face. Her cool mask fell over her features, bringing with it the calm she needed.
“I’m going to go pack, then I’ll sleep on the couch. Could I trouble you for a spare blanket?”
Duncan shook his head. “I can’t … I can’t let you sleep on the couch.” He was running both hands through his hair as if he were going to rip it out. “Take the bed. I’ll take the couch.”
Her mouth tightened in a firm white line. She didn’t like that. “It’s your house. If that’s what you want.”
His chest heaved. “What I want clearly doesn’t matter.” Then his voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m sorry.”
She answered with a whisper of her own. “Me, too.”
And that was that.
Cold machines beeped as nurses scurried through the hallway. Aurora stood in a sterile hospital room, twelve-year-old Katie trying not to cry at her side. Jeff lay in the hospital bed, thin as a rail, with only a wisp of his once thick black hair. The CPAP mask covered half his face, which distended in a grotesque expression every time the machine forced air into his lungs. He had signed for no ventilation, no resuscitation. But he had hung on for them to get there.
The nurse assistant put the rail down and left them in the room. Lizzie stood with them, her hand on Aurora’s shoulder.
“I love you, Daddy.” Katie hugged her dad as he lay unresponsive except for his eyes.
“Let’s let Mom talk to him for a bit.” Lizzie led Katie away and shut the door.
Aurora fell to her knees, her joints not even registering the cold hospital floor. She clasped his near hand in her own, the other hand stroking his head as he watched her.
“Please, don’t go,” she whispered, the tears beginning to fall. “I can’t do this without you.” She registered a faint squeeze of her hand. “I need you.”
Sadness, regret, love, and fatigue all echoed in his eyes. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek next to the mask. She could hear his voice straining to speak through the mask.
“I … love … you …”
Aurora laid her forehead against his.“I love you, Jeff, always and forever.”
Through her tears, the light in Jeff’s eyes went out, and he flat-lined. Alarms wailed, Aurora bawled, but the little awareness she had left told her to get out of the way of the nurses that rushed in to turn it off. They unhooked him from the machines, not speaking. But when the nurse removed the CPAP mask, Aurora screamed in horror. The face underneath was Duncan’s!
“Roar! Aurora! Wake up!” Duncan knelt over her as he shook her shoulders.
