A week later, as he promised the team, he knocked on the door again. He was surprised when it opened.
"Can I help you?"
"Is Sara here?"
"Who are you?"
"Gil Grissom. She used to work for me at the crime lab."
"I'm Josie. Sara is sleeping right now."
"I've heard some nice things about you."
"Thank you."
"Since she's sleeping, can I please see her?"
"I'm sorry Mr. Grissom; she specifically said no visitors. I want to let you in, but I can't."
"I understand. How is she doing?"
"Not well. Oh, hold on, I have some papers to give you from her." Josie closed the door and reopened it thirty seconds later.
"Here, she needs you to sign these for her. She added you to her bank accounts. In all the years I've been doing this, I have never seen anyone so organized." He took the packet.
"Sara is very organized. … How long do you think she has?"
"It won't be much longer. Maybe a week. She is still fighting, but knows that she is losing. She lost pretty much all muscle control two days after your last visit. She can't speak anymore and communicates through her eyes. I only ask yes and no questions now." Grissom's heart broke once again.
"Thank you. If I give you my number, will you call me when it's time? I need to see her one last time. I need to tell her something to her face."
"I'll call you." Josie told him while nodding at the same time. Grissom handed over his business card after writing his home number on it as well.
"I will have my cell within reach at all times." He started to back away, but she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
"I also want to tell you that when you came here last week, she had her hand on the doorknob the entire time. I don't know what she wrote, but I hope you saved the notes. That was the last time she held anything in her hand. I feed her pureed food now and she doesn't eat much. I think she's trying to decide whether to keep fighting or not. She's in pain, I can see it in her eyes." Josie spoke quietly and respectfully. She'd been in this job long enough to know how to talk to people and what they could handle. She could tell that this man means a lot to Sara just by the conversations they'd shared in the last few weeks. Josie felt that this one man deserved to know the whole truth.
"Mr. Grissom, for whatever reason she has, she doesn't want anyone to know how much she hurts. Please respect her by not divulging everything I have just told you. She told me you probably have told the team."
"I have. I will tell them they need to prepare for a funeral soon. Thank you for sharing so much with me."
"You're welcome. I need to check on Sara and I will call you when the time comes." Grissom nodded and left. In his car, he opened the envelope. He saw the logo of the bank and drove straight there. He met with one of the associates and filled out the papers Sara had given him. He understood that he would not be granted access until he produced a death certificate. Again he went home and cried.
At Sara's Josie closed the door and found Sara awake.
"Did you sleep well?" Two blinks. Josie smiled. Two blinks meant 'yes'.
"I'm glad. You just had a visitor. Mr. Grissom came by again." Two blinks.
"Did you hear what I told him?" Two blinks.
"Are you upset with me?" Three blinks which meant 'no'. Josie was a little relieved.
"Did you hear what he said?" Three blinks.
"He wants to see you one more time. He says he has something he needs to say to you face to face." Sara looked to the wall. This told Josie she needed to think.
"I'll go get some applesauce and after that, therapy." Sara's gaze remained fixed on the wall. She couldn't believe her eyes. She blinked several times to make sure she wasn't delusional.
"Hello Sarabear, it's so good to see you again. No, you're not seeing things. I'm here for you. It's about that time. I know you can't talk which means you get to listen. I came a little early for you so you could hear what Mr. Grissom has to say to you. I think you need to hear it." Two blinks.
"Good girl. It will hurt a little but I'll wait until you hear what you need to hear. Ok?" Two blinks. He smiled at her and disappeared from her sight. Josie came in at that exact moment. Sara started wheezing and she made and executive decision.
"I'm going to call him." Two blinks. Sara calmed down a little. Josie fed her the applesauce while continually calling Grissom.