Streets of Heaven
Disclaimer- Not mine!
Hello God, it's me again. 2:00 a.m., Room 304.
Visiting hours are over, time for our bedside tug of war.
This sleeping child between us may not make it through the night.
I'm fighting back the tears as she fights for her life.
She watches her 21 year old daughter sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed with glossy eyes. She's to tired to cry anymore. She's all cried out by now.
She looks up when he comes in, equipped with two cups of coffee and one of peppermint tea. She manages a smile.
"She's asleep." He says, placing the younger woman's coffee on the bedside table.
"Gee, Sherlock, never coulda figured that one out." She snorts. He cracks a smile, glad that her sense of humor has finally returned. When Rory had first been diagnosed, Lorelai had been just a shell of her former self, crying often and moping around the house.
He checks his watch. 10:00. Time for bed. When he looks up Lorelai is climbing into the tiny hospital bed and getting comfortable, linking arms with her sleeping kid. He watches as his fiancé rests her head on Rory's thin shoulder, closing her eyes. He moves to the chair at the other side of the bed and sits. He can tell Lorelai is already asleep, as her breathing is deep and the worry lines she had been wearing on her lovely face for the past few weeks have relaxed into a peaceful expression.
He bites his lip as his gray eyes settle their sight on the paler-than-normal little girl who's breathing is growing more and more labored every night.
Well, it must be kind of crowded,
On the streets of Heaven.
So tell me: what do you need her for?
Don't you know one day she'll be your little girl forever.
But right now I need her so much more.
She's much too young to be on her own:
Barely just turned seven.
So who will hold her hand when she crosses the streets of Heaven?
Tell me God, do you remember the wishes that she made,
As she blew out the candles on her last birthday cake?
She wants to ride a pony when she's big enough.
She wants to marry her Daddy when she's all grown up.
He is awoken by a violent sound. He looks over and notices Rory sitting up, hunched over, plagued by a coughing fit. He'd always been a light sleeper.
He leans over to her, holding out a glass of water. She accepts it gratefully and takes a hesitant sip. He puts his hand, gently, on her shoulder to steady her. Once settled, she places the glass on the table beside her and leans back. A sleeping Lorelai rests her head on her daughters shoulder once again.
"You OK?" He asks softly.
She nods, but there are tears in her eyes.
"Rory?" He asks, fear rising in his voice. She takes his big hand in her little, frail one as a tear slides down her cheek. What she says next scares him.
"I love you, Luke." She stares directly into his eyes, and in them he sees a mixture of fear, love, and utter sadness. He finds himself holding back tears as he answers.
"I love you too, kiddo."
Well, it must be kind of crowded,
On the streets of Heaven.
So tell me: what do you need her for?
Don't you know one day she'll be your little girl forever.
But right now I need her so much more.
She's much too young to be on her own:
Barely just turned seven.
So who will hold her hand when she crosses the streets of Heaven?
She awakes the next morning, her eyes fixating on the sight of Luke's hand in Rory's. She smiles and slowly leaves the bed to search for coffee and tea.
When she returns with the drinks both are awake and chatting about the movie Hair they had watched the night before- Luke is mercilessly tearing it to shredswhile Rory is desperately trying to defend it. Lorelai dances into the room belting out a tune from the film.
"Give me head with hair, long beautiful hair! Shinin', gleamin', streamin', flaxin', waxin'. Give me down to there- hair! Shoulder length or longer- hair! Here baby, there momma, everywhere Daddy, Daddy! HAAIIRR!"
"Beautiful, Mom- seriously! Does Treat Williams know about you? Because you could really be a threat to his career." Rory jokes. Lorelai smirks in mock disgust as she hands her daughter a cup of coffee.
The cup suddenly feels very heavy to Rory and the room is spinning. The cup slips from her hand and crashes to the floor, the contents flying out and onto the tile. The room stops spinning.
"Shit!" Rory exclaims, frustrated tears springing to her eyes. She covers them with shaking hands. "I can't do anything anymore."
She wraps her arms around her sobbing daughter and pulls her into a hug. He bends down and starts to wipe the coffee up.
Lord, don't you know she's my angel
You got plenty of your own
And I know you hold a place for her
But she's already got a home
Well I don't know if you're listenin'
But praying is all that's left to do
So I ask you Lord have mercy, you lost a son once too.
10:00. Time for bed. They're both already asleep when she returns to the room with her coffee. She is about to climb into the bed but hesitates. Her daughter's breathing is more labored then ever tonight. A silent tear slides down Lorelai's cheek as she bends down and kisses Rory's forehead. "I love you so much little girl." Still asleep, Rory absently moves her hand over to grasp her mothers. Lorelai gives it a little squeeze.
A few minutes later Rory's contorted, uncomfortable expression becomes apeaceful and anindifferent one. Lorelai lets go of her daughter's cold hand, backs away slowly, and sinks to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. A minute later she feels Luke lowering himself to the ground behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle, and rocking her back and forth. She can feel him shaking, and she knows he's crying, too. She turns around and hugs him fiercely.
And it must be kind of crowded, The streets of Heaven.
On the streets of Heaven.
So tell me: what do you need her for?
Don't you know one day she'll be your little girl forever.
But right now I need her so much more.
Lord, I know once you've made up your mind,
There's no use in beggin'.
So if you take her with you today, will you make sure she looks both ways,
And would you hold her hand when she crosses the streets of Heaven.
I know its not that good (or accurate) but reviews would be soo coool!