We packed up all of our stuff at the hotel and rushed to the airport. I was so afraid I could hardly concentrate on what we were doing.
We were going to stay one extra night in Washington, but Connor being in the hospital and probably won't come out is a big emergency. Jane was probably saying in her little head, "Ugh, we have to leave now because Madison's true love is in the hospital again, oh joy." But I didn't care at all this time. Connor was my best friend and I will stay day and night with him at the hospital until he is done with his days here on earth... which pained me even to think that.
We were on the airplane impatiently waiting for four hours... I was not happy.
Once we were off the plane and back in Tennesee, we... well practically I was franticly rushing to get out of the airport and into a taxi and driving to the hospital. We did that of course and my face was so pale that my mom and dad asked me if I was okay five times, that wasn't fun.
We finally got to the hospital. I ran inside with Jane trying to catch up to me. My mom and dad followed us into Connor's hospital room for the third and final time.
I peeked inside and saw Mr. and Mrs. Hudson sitting beside Connor's bed reading a passage from the Bible. I knocked on the door and they said we could come in.
"Oh, hello Madison, hello Jane," Mrs. Hudson said wiping tears away from her eyes. She got up and hugged me, rather tightly, "He's been waiting for you," she said and walked over to my parents.
Mr. Hudson got up, kissed his son's forehead, and walked over to my parents.
Jane and I walked over to Connor. His whole body was shaking and cold. He looked way worse than before, he looked as if he was going to die right there in front of my little sister and I... and I had a bad feeling he was soon.
I touched his shaking hand and he turned his head which looked painful, "Hey," he said.
"Hi," I replied.
"Did... did you win?" he asked choking on his words.
"I tied... with someone, we tied for first," I said.
"She tied with a boy!" Jane exclaimed. I turned and stared at her saying in my head, "Why did you say that?!" But all Connor said was, "That's good,"
I turned back to look at him and my parents said, "Come Jane, let's give them some time alone." Jane stomped her feet and walked toward them, "Ugh, no fair!"
I kept my eyes looking at him while Jane threw her little tantrum.
Soon, everyone was out of the room and Connor and I were left alone.
"You know, I was thinking about you today. I thought about the first time we met, you had your hair in two braids with two yellow ribbons. You had on a pink and grey checkered dress, you had Mary Jane shoes on too. We were in kindergarten and I just remembered staring at you and staring... I watched you everyday writing in your journal during class each year and each year... you didn't say anything about your writing to me, I always wanted you to show me your stories. I could give you pointers, but you never did," Connor finished his sentence with a loud cough.
"I... I'm sorry I never showed you my stories, I just thought they weren't good enough. I wanted to, but I just couldn't... you know me," I said touching his forehead which felt icy cold, the touch of the coldness made a chill go down my spine.
He swallowed, "I've known you for 9 years, and I hadn't even told you how pretty you look..."
I blushed, "I'm not that pretty, I have some freckles you know,"
"But that's what makes you beautiful, Madison, deep down inside, it's not about how you look on the outside, it's what you look like on the inside that really counts," he said trying to sit up, but I put him back down, "You need to rest," I said.
He didn't object. We sat there in silence pondering over our thoughts for a little while. We knew our families were waiting outside, but I wanted to stay with him a few more minutes.
"It could be tomorrow... maybe tonight..." he said breaking the silence.
We both knew what he was talking about. Death. One word I can't explain. One word I never want to mention. One word I would never look back to.
"Maybe God will have pity on you, Connor, He does that sometimes," I explained.
"No," he shook his head, "My time is almost up. God wants to bring me home soon," I began to cry.
"You can't say that, Connor. You don't know when God will take you, it may be tomorrow, it may be next month, it may be two years from now!" I said grabbing his hands.
"I'm so sorry, Madison... it will be soon," he said.
I clenched my hands so tightly around his hands that they were turning red. I relaxed them a bit.
"You aren't afraid are you?" I asked. Our faces were so close that we could kiss each other.
He shook his head, "Not very much," I pressed my cheek against his and it immediatley felt cold.
He realized my cheek was so warm he put his hand against my other cheek and said, "It's so warm,"
I pulled back, "Do you need more blankets? I could get you some," I said turning to get him some blankets, but he stopped me and said, "I'm fine, I am just not used to the warmness, it is February you know,"
I nodded and walked back to him. Why was he so calm? If I was like this, I would be aching to get another blanket!
Maybe he was leaving soon, I just didn't know, but I didn't want to think about it anymore. And that was when he started screaming.
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