A New Beginning

Chapter 11: The Hospital Window

"Clarisse, I am so terribly sorry, but Joseph has not yet woke up and his pulse and heart rate are getting slower. We are doing all we can, but as your granddaughter said, it isn't looking good. I am sorry."

The doctor told Clarisse as she just let her tears poor out. She didn't care who saw her cry at the moment, all she wanted, all she needed was her Joseph. Her life, her love. She sat down at a table in the snack room and just sort of let it all sink in. She didn't know what she would do if she lost him. Clarisse didn't know if she could go on without him. She didn't want to, either.

"Grandma, are you alright?"

Mia asked walking in to sit down with her grandmother. Mia could see the heartbreak and confusion of the older lady.

"Mia, I just don't know why Rupert would do this to Joseph? I mean, he always liked him as my bodyguard. I don't understand why he would do this to not only him, but me as well. He knew I loved him, he could tell just by watching my actions. Why would he put the woman he still loved through hell?"

Clarisse asked through her tears. Mia couldn't find the words to speak to her grandmother. She didn't understand it either, but didn't know what to say to cheer up Clarisse. Was there anything she could say to cheer her up? No. The only thing that would cheer her up was if Joseph woke up.

"Grandma, if you wanna go see him you can. The doctor said you could."

Mia cautiously told her grandmother. Clarisse just nodded and went on into Joseph's room. Clarisse almost died at the sight of him. He looked worse than he did the time before. He was pale, still, and just lifeless on the bed. One solid tear rolled down Clarisse cheek as she just stood there looking at her new husband.

"Joseph, I don't know what to say, I know you can hear me. How can you not? Please, don't give up on this. Don't let this beat you. You are the strongest man I know, and I love you dearly. Please, don't leave me. I can't continue on without you here by my side. Joseph, you are the only man I have loved since Rupert, and now I can't live knowing this is happening to you. I love you, I can't say that enough. Looking back, now I relish the time we had together. I never thought it could end so quickly. Is it ending Joseph? Are you leaving me?"

Clarisse stopped; she couldn't continue speaking to him. She just quietly kissed him, whispered how much she loved him and quickly walked out of the room. She wiped her tears and went into the waiting room. Charlotte was then crying as was Mia. Clarisse looked at Shades, and saw that his glasses were fogging up. That made Clarisse smile a bit. Charlotte and Mia went in for a hug, making Clarisse cry even more, then the next thing they knew, Shades came in for a hug too, as though he were crying as well. Which maybe he was.

"Grandma, are you coming?"

Mia asked as she and Charlotte were getting into the Limo to go back to the palace.

"No. Not now. I'll just stay here for a while longer. You two go on. I'll be there later on, maybe."

Clarisse said, all along staring out the hospital window, wishing this was just merely a dream. Maybe in some weird, marvelous way, it was.