people.
Tanner stepped into the cold, quiet hospital room. He walked to the bed and looked at his wife. Natalie looked peaceful, calm, but it was a deadly calm. If only she would talk, annoy him, make him jealous. Anything but just lie there. Anything but be sick.
He leaned over and kissed her cheek, then pulled a chair beside the hospital bed. Tanner held her hand in his. The fever had gone down. Her skin was cool now, and so soft. He pressed her hand against his cheek, needing to feel her warmth. Even in her unconscious state Natalie was beautiful.
Her dark hair spread over the white pillowcase, making her look like an angel that had fallen in the snow. Her pale skin was flawless, but missing the color he usually saw in her cheeks. Her lovely eyes were closed and her pouty lips relaxed in her repose.
“Natalie, baby,” he whispered to her. “Come back to me, please. I always wanted to protect you, but danger came unexpectedly. I didn’t keep you safe.”
Tears filled Tanner’s eyes and rolled down his cheeks.
“Please, baby, for me. Fight this. Be strong. You are one of the strongest women I know. If anyone can win against this, it’s you.”
He choked up and stopped speaking for a moment.
“I love you, baby, with all my heart. I’ll always love you, no matter what happens. Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.
“We’ll fight this together. I won’t leave your side until you get better. I’ll be here. I promise. Feel me next to you. I’m with you. I love you…I love you.”
Tanner’s heart wrenched with grief. He was helpless against the oppressor that might take his wife away forever. Natalie was unconscious but he hoped somehow, in some way, she could feel his love. With every part of his being, he conveyed support, offered his strength. He was closer to her than he’d ever been to anyone.
She was a part of him, and he a part of her. There had to be a way she could feel that he was there, waiting for her. She must. He wouldn’t leave. He’d never leave her.
“Fight, baby. Fight. You’re tougher than this nasty virus. I know you are. I know it.”
Tanner sat beside her, holding her hand until the nurse came in and asked him to leave. They needed to attend to his wife; he could return in a while. Reluctantly, he left the room, feeling alone and overcome with sadness.
Somehow he had the sense to call the family, and it wasn’t long before they began appearing in the waiting room: Jazzy, Ellis, Emma, Cheryl, Dani. The whole interaction seemed like some bizarre dream, one Tanner wished he’d wake up from. He was relieved when his uncle showed up.
At least Gene was a doctor. Maybe he could shed more light on the situation or have a suggestion. Patting him on the back, his uncle sat next to him. “How is she?”
“I’m not sure, Gene. The doctor says it’s serious, that it could be fatal. I can’t deal with that. I don’t know what I’ll do if something happens to Natalie.”
“Let me see what I can find out.” Gene strode past out of the waiting area, looking for the doctor.
Tanner couldn’t look at Jazzy or Emma. He should, and he wanted to tell them it was going to be okay. But he didn’t know that. Thankfully, Ellis sat with one arm around Jazzy and the other around Emma. A few seats over, Cheryl and Dani stared into space.
Racked with dread that his beloved wife might never be among them again, Tanner clenched his fists and looked down at the drab carpet. Sitting alone, bereft, drove home the fact that Natalie was in serious condition. Worry and fear combined into an unsavory combination and gnawed at him incessantly.
One moment he felt his life was over, and the next, he was determined Natalie would make it. His head was filled with thoughts and memories fighting, making his head pound.
I love her so much. I should have told her sooner. Why did I ever wait so long? I should have told her right away, the instant I met her. We could have had those four years we
Tanner stepped into the cold, quiet hospital room. He walked to the bed and looked at his wife. Natalie looked peaceful, calm, but it was a deadly calm. If only she would talk, annoy him, make him jealous. Anything but just lie there. Anything but be sick.
He leaned over and kissed her cheek, then pulled a chair beside the hospital bed. Tanner held her hand in his. The fever had gone down. Her skin was cool now, and so soft. He pressed her hand against his cheek, needing to feel her warmth. Even in her unconscious state Natalie was beautiful.
Her dark hair spread over the white pillowcase, making her look like an angel that had fallen in the snow. Her pale skin was flawless, but missing the color he usually saw in her cheeks. Her lovely eyes were closed and her pouty lips relaxed in her repose.
“Natalie, baby,” he whispered to her. “Come back to me, please. I always wanted to protect you, but danger came unexpectedly. I didn’t keep you safe.”
Tears filled Tanner’s eyes and rolled down his cheeks.
“Please, baby, for me. Fight this. Be strong. You are one of the strongest women I know. If anyone can win against this, it’s you.”
He choked up and stopped speaking for a moment.
“I love you, baby, with all my heart. I’ll always love you, no matter what happens. Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.
“We’ll fight this together. I won’t leave your side until you get better. I’ll be here. I promise. Feel me next to you. I’m with you. I love you…I love you.”
Tanner’s heart wrenched with grief. He was helpless against the oppressor that might take his wife away forever. Natalie was unconscious but he hoped somehow, in some way, she could feel his love. With every part of his being, he conveyed support, offered his strength. He was closer to her than he’d ever been to anyone.
She was a part of him, and he a part of her. There had to be a way she could feel that he was there, waiting for her. She must. He wouldn’t leave. He’d never leave her.
“Fight, baby. Fight. You’re tougher than this nasty virus. I know you are. I know it.”
Tanner sat beside her, holding her hand until the nurse came in and asked him to leave. They needed to attend to his wife; he could return in a while. Reluctantly, he left the room, feeling alone and overcome with sadness.
Somehow he had the sense to call the family, and it wasn’t long before they began appearing in the waiting room: Jazzy, Ellis, Emma, Cheryl, Dani. The whole interaction seemed like some bizarre dream, one Tanner wished he’d wake up from. He was relieved when his uncle showed up.
At least Gene was a doctor. Maybe he could shed more light on the situation or have a suggestion. Patting him on the back, his uncle sat next to him. “How is she?”
“I’m not sure, Gene. The doctor says it’s serious, that it could be fatal. I can’t deal with that. I don’t know what I’ll do if something happens to Natalie.”
“Let me see what I can find out.” Gene strode past out of the waiting area, looking for the doctor.
Tanner couldn’t look at Jazzy or Emma. He should, and he wanted to tell them it was going to be okay. But he didn’t know that. Thankfully, Ellis sat with one arm around Jazzy and the other around Emma. A few seats over, Cheryl and Dani stared into space.
Racked with dread that his beloved wife might never be among them again, Tanner clenched his fists and looked down at the drab carpet. Sitting alone, bereft, drove home the fact that Natalie was in serious condition. Worry and fear combined into an unsavory combination and gnawed at him incessantly.
One moment he felt his life was over, and the next, he was determined Natalie would make it. His head was filled with thoughts and memories fighting, making his head pound.
I love her so much. I should have told her sooner. Why did I ever wait so long? I should have told her right away, the instant I met her. We could have had those four years we
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