Chapter Nine
"Why did this have to happen to you Jeff? Why? I wish I could swap places with you – I really do. You have more to live for than me. You have John and Sophie and..." but Dixie was unable to continue. His kids. How will they cope with this? They hadn't seen their Dad in a while as things had gone a bit awkward between them but now they will never get the opportunity to sort things out or to even see him again. Those poor kids.
"I thought that you me that we would grow old together and have wheelchair races and walking stick fights," Dixie said and she even let out a little chuckle at the thought. "But how wrong you were."
By this point Dixie had began to let even more tears roll down her cheeks. All she could think about was the time that her and Jeff wouldn't be able to have together. They had always said that they would grow old together along with Little Abs. A voice appeared in the back of Dixie's head as she thought about what he would think of this whole situation. "I thought you would have been happy princess? It means that you don't have to spend the rest of your life with an old geezer like me anymore, you can go out and find yourself a new lady friend!" The thought of Jeff saying this made Dixie cry even harder and she decided one thing there and then.
"I am never going to replace you Jeffrey Collier." Dixie sobbed. She had never realised till now how close she actually was to Jeff. Not only was he her husband, but he was like a brother and a best friend.
"There is one good thing about this – I don't have to listen to your rubbish jokes anymore." Dixie said whilst thinking back to all the terrible jokes he had said in the past that he thought were hilarious.
As Dixie sat there she thought about all the times she had been with Jeff and about all the good memories that they have shared together over the years.
"I remember when me and you first started working together and I thought you were the biggest and most annoying sod that I'd ever met. Never in my dreams would i have thought we would end up married and me crying a river over you at your bedside when all I wanted to do back then was shoot you!" Dixie explained whilst letting out a weak smile at the memory.
Suddenly, the Resus door opened and Nick sneaked into the room and walked over towards Dixie.
"I'm so sorry to have to do this but you're going to have to say your final goodbyes as theatre are waiting for you upstairs." Nick explained just before stepping back to allow Dixie to say what was necessary.
"I love you Jeffrey Collier and I am actually going to miss you like crazy." Dixie said softly between her sobs. She lifted up Jeff's pale hand and kissed it gently before placing it back onto the bed. She turned herself in her wheelchair to face Nick.
"I'm ready." And with that Nick wheeled her out of Resus and though the masses of people outside in the corridor and into the lift.
As Dixie laid on the operating table nodding off to sleep, she heard Jeff's voice again in the back of her mind saying "I love you princess."
