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“The next twenty-four hours are critical. We will make him comfortable.”
I nod as I stare at my father. “Okay.”
“I have other patients to see. I’ll come back in a little bit.” The doctor puts his hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry the news isn’t better.”
“Me too.” The lump in my throat is back.
The doctor disappears out the door, and I pull a chair up beside the bed and sit and hold Dad’s hand. Like I’ve done so many times before.
Only this time it’s different.
I’m savoring every second, listening to his breathing, trying my hardest to soak in every minute detail.
For five hours I watch him, reminiscing on our life together. Going over every single little detail of his personality and what I love about him.
He takes a deep breath and holds it.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
The heart-monitor line goes flat.
No . . .
I screw up my face as I hold his hand. His silhouette blurs.
The long beeping sound of the heart rate machine is echoing through the room.
But I’m not here. I’m having an out-of-body experience, hovering above as I watch my father die.
Two nurses come to the door.
“Leave us alone,” I ask. “Give us privacy, please.”
I hold his hand as I watch the life drain out of him. The man that I love the most in the world is leaving it.
It doesn’t seem dramatic enough, big enough, worthy enough. It’s all too simple, yet the hole that he will leave in my heart is immeasurable.
“I love you, Dad,” I whisper through tears. If only he could say one more sentence to me.
Just one.
I watch him as I wait for something, some earth-shattering sign that he’s okay, that Mom has come to take him to their next life. That he knows how much he is loved.
That he loved me.
I wait and I wait.
But no sign comes . . .
I rest my head on his chest and cry.
Chapter 27
Juliet
“Come on, Bazza.” I stand at the door with the leash. I slept like a log, didn’t even hear Henley leave this morning. He must have had an early meeting or something. He left much earlier than usual. I walk out the front door and stretch on my veranda. Carol sees me and comes walking across the road.
“Morning, Carol.” I smile.
