Chapter 6 - The goodbye
400 Words
“Elle” his voice was a thick croaky whisper
“Thank you for loving me, thank you for being my wife”
It sounded like it hurt for him to talk and a fresh set of tears sprang to my eyes.
“You’ve made me the happiest man on this planet”
“.. Derek, don’t talk like that, you’ll be fine. You’ll get out of this place in no time, I know you will”
He smiled and looked at me with a tender gaze while reaching up to stroke my hair.
“Please don’t leave me” I chocked out between the sobs racketing my body.
“How am I supposed to live without you”
“I love you so much Elle. I have since the moment you walked into my bar”
“I love you too Derek”
I tried to smile for him even though the tears threatened to overwhelm me
“You have made me the happiest I have ever been. And you owe me many more years and a couple of mini millers so don’t you dare die on me”
He let out a breathy laugh
I leaned in and gave him a single kiss. He looked at me, a gave me a gentle smile before he closed he eyes and machines started going off.
Nurses and doctors ran in trying their best to revive him while one nurse led me unwillingly into the family room but he didn’t come back. The doctor told me they done everything they could but he didn’t make it and I fell to my knees crying uncontrollably. I was faintly aware of a nurse wrapping her arms around my shoulders. It was like I was moving on auto pilot as I handed her my phone and asked her to call Garret Parrish.
Not long after Garret came rushing into the room still wearing pyjamas underneath his coat. He dropped to the floor next to me enveloping me in a tight embrace.
“Let me take you home Elle”
“I... can’t... leave him... here alone”
“Elle, I don’t know what to do, just tell me what to do and I’ll do it”
I could feel his tears dripping onto the top of my head
He pulled me shakily to my feet and I let him lead me out of the hospital to his car.
It was 4am by the time he got me home and into bed. As he went to walk away I grabbed his hand
“Don’t leave.. please”
He nodded once and sat down on the bed cuddling me while I cried myself to sleep.
- Writer
