"Isabella, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you only have a week left to live." The doctor said as he stood in my room. I'd been in the hospital for the last week. My body was weakening at a rapid pace and I knew that my time was coming. I nodded and looked down at my hands. "Do you want to know what's wrong?"
"No thanks, dear. I knew that this day would come." I said quietly. I said the last part more to myself. I'd known since he left that my time would come. The doctor nodded and patted my hand. Then, he got up and walked out. I sat in the little hospital room, thinking back on my life. He was the clearest part of my past. I didn't need to think that hard to remember him. Almost eighty years had passed since I'd last seen him and he was still the clearest thing. Once he'd left, Jacob tried to help me get better. I can't say that I made it easy on him. Every thought that passed through my mind caused me to break down. Jacob eventually got bored with me. He was tired of trying to love me without a response. My heartbreak was too fresh for me to even begin to move on. I'd left Forks and went to college, needing to get away from the bad memories. I had been accepted into Dartmouth and became a lawyer. That's when I met my future husband. It'd been five years since Edward and I was getting better. My husband was everything I needed. We'd both lost someone that we loved more than life and so he understood. He didn't judge me when I had my nightmares and he even cried with me. Our wedding was perfect and I pledged to him everything that I could. I couldn't give him my whole heart and he couldn't give me his either. He owned a large portion of my heart but I gave my husband all that I could. In our life together we were blessed with four children, ten grandkids, and seven great-grandkids. I mourned with the rest of my family when he'd died five years ago.
I spent three days, of my last week on Earth, lost in my memories. My children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren all came to say goodbye to me. The last few days were the worst and also the best because I was remembering him. I hadn't forgotten a single moment that I'd spent with him and that made it all the more special. If I knew him at all, he'd be here for my last day. I could tell that my heart was slowing down. It wanted to give up but I wouldn't let it. My body seemed to know that we'd be seeing him soon because it didn't die out. My heart kept beating as I waited for him. When my door opened at 11:57 pm the day before they were going to pull the plug, I knew who it was. He didn't say anything as he crossed the room and got into the hospital bed with me.
"Edward." I breathed out. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I realized that he hadn't changed. He was so much better than my memories. I inhaled deeply, savoring his scent. His arms wrapped around me lightly. Although his touch should've chilled me, it didn't.
"Bella." He sighed. He looked as though he'd be crying if he could. I moved my hand to his cheek and stroked it gently. He leaned into my touch. "Bella, I'm so sorry." He whispered.
"I'm not, Edward. I had a great life and I forgive you for leaving."
"I'll never forgive myself, Bella. You shouldn't be like this. You should be like me. That's how it's supposed to be."
"No, Edward. It's supposed to be like this. I'm supposed to die and you're supposed to go on."
"Oh, Bella. You know that I'm not going to go on. I can't live in a world where you don't exist. That would be Hell." I rubbed his cheek again and he turned his head to kiss my palm.
"Geez, you're so young." I whispered, mostly to myself. "I'm probably scaring you."
"No, you aren't. You're beautiful." I blushed for the first time in forever and ducked my head. His fingers tilted my chin back up. "Please don't hide from me. I have to savor this." He whispered, gazing into my eyes. A loud chime sounded in the room and Edward and I both looked to the clock on the wall. It was officially midnight. I whimpered.
"Don't leave me. Stay, please." I begged Edward in a weak voice. My body was suffering again. I'd promised that I just wanted to see Edward once more and my body was telling me that I'd seen him and that it was time.
"Of course. I won't leave, Bella, I promise." He whispered into my ear. I grasped onto his shirt with all of my strength and tilted my head to his.
"Kiss me, Edward. Can I have one last kiss?"
"Of course, my Bella." He leaned down slowly and pressed his lips against mine gently. The kiss was so familiar yet so different. This kiss was so much. It was "I love you" and "I'm sorry" and, most of all, "Goodbye". He pulled back and smiled sadly.
"I love you."
"I love you, too, Bella. Forever." I lay in his arms as I suffered to keep breathing. With each struggled breath, Edward cringed. "It's okay, Bella. Go ahead." He whispered. I knew what he was doing; he was giving me permission to leave. He was letting me go by telling my body that it could give up. My beautiful life was ending and it was ending in the best way possible. I was in Edward's arms and there's no place that I'd rather be.
It was bright and I could just tell that everything was as it was supposed to be. Well, almost. It felt as if I was covered by a blanket that didn't quite cover my feet. There was just something missing. I looked around at the other angels and then looked down to see my new great-grandbaby being born. I was being given the job of being her guardian angel. I looked at my beautiful great-grandbaby. My grandson had named his third daughter after me. As I watched, I could feel other angels walking behind me, following over whoever they were guarding. Suddenly, the light got brighter and all of the angels turned towards the light. I followed suit. We'd all gotten used to this. Every few hours, more angels would be brought to our "zone" and would watch over someone in our area. As the angels loaded into our "zone" I felt a sudden warmth spread over me. Almost like the blanket had been pulled over my feet. I broke out into a huge smile when I saw him. The angel—my angel—flew towards me. When he landed next to me, I wrapped him in my arms. He kissed my lips. His hand grabbed onto mine and I smiled when I noticed who he was guarding. I watched as my grandson held up another little girl. An exact copy of the one that I was guarding. A twin. My grandson named this one Marie, also in memory of me. Edward's hand molded to mine and I knew then, that we'd stay together forever.
