21 Days

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

A’ last, T’was the coming of the end. The day of anticipation regretted by all. Everyone was asked by Mason’s mom to try to make his last few days memorable and fun, not sad and gloomy. So said, so done, though at times he was too sick to move, he enjoyed himself still.

 The night of what was calculated to be his last, Alex lay on the bed with him; talking about what they’ve done, what they could’ve done, and how life would be after him. The dark room had light shining in from the window – it was almost a full moon – making the room barely visible. The only things to be seen were the screens of those untimely machines and the moving dark spots of their hands. Gradually entwined and skillfully treasured, were the feelings of emotion in that room.

“Hey” he gently called

“Yeah” she softly answered

“Do you know why I went to the girls in the first place?”

“No, why?” and she propped herself on one hand to hear his reason.

“I went to them, because I didn’t know how to tell you. They didn’t know anything until Daisy and Skye. Skyler find out first and thanks to Daisy, the girls thought we was together - me and Skye – so them confront she and then me. I was hoping that when I tell them everything, they would’ve done the usual and not listen to me, but this tine they actually did.”

“That’s how they are, stubborn when ready and caring when needed. My friends”

“If I ask you something would you answer me honestly?”

“Yeah”

“If I wasn’t sick, just an asshole, do you think you would’ve forgiven me?”

“I forgave you three days after…I mean all this time you were faithful and now you decide to cheat? Come on, there’s always a reason.”

“De old three day rule, I love it.”

“I have something to tell you”

“What?” he asked full of curiosity.

“Um…while…I mean when you…um…distanced yourself from me I…” the words got caught it her throat due to his unexpected kiss. When he released her he said, “I know” which left her confused, he continued to clarify, “I know about you and Damian. Who do you feel set it up? I knew he liked you and I also knew that there wasn’t any chance of me getting better sooo, we made a deal. He’s a good guy and I made him promise to take care of you no matter what.”

“That’s why you were an asshole, to push me into the arms of someone else!”

He held her face steady and said, “I know you love me, and I know you have feelings for him, you always did, they never died, you just buried them like you always do.”

“But…” she tried to defend herself, but was cut off.

“Doh even try, yuh is not ah good liar anyway” he pulled her into his arms, “and besides, if it have to be anybody, ah glad is he.”

“How can you be so cool about something like that?”

“I know you, and I love you, and I want you to be happy when I’m gone.”

“Don’t…”

“Ssh, it’s time to sleep”

“I love you too” with that, he kissed her again and she closed her eyes with a smile.

DAY 21

At exactly 4:30 am, Mason woke up. He noticed the time was a.m. meaning morning, which meant that he lived past his expiration date; past expectation. With that little ray of happiness, he began to feel it. In realization that he was about to drift into the further, he made a swift move, unhooking the heart monitor from his finger and placing it on Alex’s. He knew it was his time to leave, and he was ready.

After attaching the heart monitor to Alex’s finger, Mason moved the bit of hair which tickled her nose trying not to wake her. He kissed her forehead and whispered, “I really do love you Alex.” He lay back, closed his eyes, and allowed his body to be at rest.

Alex woke up wrapped in cold arms, thinking the cover must have fallen off in the middle of the night. She looked at him, seeing his eyes still closed she thought that he was still sleeping, so she snuggled up and lay her head close to his chest; her favorite spot. In moving her hand to wrap around him, she felt something tug on the sheets, Alex raised her head and looked down at her hand, she saw a clip attached to it. Her eyes followed the cord of the clip to the heart monitor, instantly she detached the clip from her finger to his. In doing so the machine went flat and started making a noise, un-showing of any pulse. Alex thought that she probably hooked it on wrong, so she tried it the other way, the was still making that noise, so she steadied her head on his chest in attempt to prove the machine wrong, but she didn’t hear nor feel a pulse. In a state of panic, Alex unwrapped herself from Mason, jumped off the bed, ran into the hallway and yelled, “Nurse!”

END OF STORY…