Top of the World
I wished I was smarter,
I wished I was stronger,
I wished I loved Jesus,
The way my wife does...
I sat by Jackie's side, running my wizened hands through his messy long hair. It had been ages since I had last done that, when he was a baby. He looked as helpless as one; he laid in a bed, covered up by many blankets, his body wasted away from illness. His breathing was ragged and heavy. His skin was gray like rain clouds. Death hung around the room. The end was near for my son.
The sunset outside filled the whole room with light. Some of the rays hit the medicine bottles set on the night stand, making them glitter mockingly. It would be days like this when Jackie would go out by the cliffs of Shipwreck Island to watch the sun go down with Elizabeth and her son Will. That is, if he were feeling better. The last time he had gone outside was a month ago.
Then, I heard a groan. I looked down at Jackie and saw that he was beginning to stir. I pulled my hands away from his hair and watched him as his dull brown eyes opened halfway. "Dad?" he whispered. He sounded so weak, so ill. I hushed him and put my right hand by his left cheek, caressing it gently.
"Quiet down, boy," I whispered back. "Go back to sleep."
He let out another soft groan, but he closed his eyes and settled. I let his head gingerly flop to the side as I took away my hand from his cheek. Watching his breast move up and down unevenly for a few moments, I then heard the faint sound of sucking from behind me. I turned around in my seat. It was only Elizabeth, watching me as she held her sleeping toddler in her arms. He had his thumb in his mouth again, his small body snuggled up to his mother's warmth.
"You all right, lass?" I asked her quietly, trying hard to not wake Jackie up.
"I heard Jack talking," she said softly back, rocking Will back and forth.
"Only for about a moment. He's back asleep now," I answered, getting up.
Her golden-brown eyes were suddenly sparkling with tears. "Do you think he's finally turning for the worse?"
I sighed. Elizabeth had always been teary-eyed since Will was born. She constantly looked like she had a bad head cold and sounded like it too. I walked over to her and took Will from her arms. I did not worry about him waking; he was used to my touch. "Go to bed, Bess," I said. "You've done enough for Jackie. I'll tuck Will into bed later."
She gulped and nodded. "Thank you Teague," was the last thing she choked to me before walking down the hall to her bedroom. I watched her pitifully as she did, rubbing Will's back. He slept on peacefully, still sucking on his tiny thumb.
I turned back around and took my seat next to Jackie on the bed. The sun was now sinking quickly, as though being engulfed by quicksand. The room became less bright with each minute as I stared out the window. Then, when there was only one last orange ray of sunlight in the room, I took Jackie's bony hand with my one arm still wrapped around Will, and I began to wonder...
A/N: So, how do you guys like it? Please R&R, telling me what you think about it so far and what I need to work on. Also, the song I'm using for this story is 'Top of the World', by the Dixie Chicks. I think it's the perfect song to fit Teague's and Jack's relationship if you listen closely to the lyrics, so that's why I used it :)