The late evening sun streams through their bedroom window as a peaceful calm descends on all. They know they have little time left together now and what they have is precious. Neil and Andrea have spent three perfect months together since their wedding in March and it is only in the last few weeks that Andrea's condition has begun to deteriorate. In the last few days she has been confined to their bed, only strong enough to leave it when she needs to take a shower or use the bathroom. Neil rarely leaves her side, watching her sleep in his arms and caring for her when she is too weak to do anything for herself. Her parents are now constantly at Neil and Andrea's flat trying to take care of their son-in-law, trying to find the strength to say goodbye to their dying daughter at the same time. In the last few weeks Jake's visits to see his dad and Andrea have become less frequent because they didn't want him to have to watch Andrea suffering. It was hard enough for all the adults in Andrea's life to have to cope with that, never mind how a young boy like Jake would cope.
Neil enters their bedroom quietly trying not to disturb her tranquility. He carries a small tray with a bowl of steaming hot vegetable broth and a glass of water, knowing she probably won't be able to manage even this small amount of food. Placing the tray carefully on her bedside table, Neil then sits on the bed beside Andrea taking her hand in his. Andrea attempts to sit up with much difficulty, and Neil immediately helps her to move until she is sitting up, arranging her pillows behind her back to make her more comfortable. Despite her lack of physical strength, Andrea's warm smile is not weak. Her eyes shine as she looks lovingly at him and raises her free hand slowly to caress Neil's cheek.
"How are you feeling?" Neil asks softly returning her smile.
"I'm ok, just tired. Are you ok? You've been running around taking care of me so much lately you have hardly had any time for yourself."
"Hey, don't you worry about me, I'm fine and I want to be taking care of you, I don't want time for myself," Neil tells her gently.
"Come here and hold me please," Andrea requests smiling brightly. Neil doesn't need to be asked twice moving closer to her and embracing her tenderly.
"Do you remember the first time we met?" Andrea asks him, a small laugh escaping as she says the words.
"How could I forget? Meeting you changed my life in the most amazing way; I'll never forget it not ever." As he speaks he pulls her closer to him and strokes her hair gently.
Andrea looks up into Neil's eyes now, her smile isn't as bright as it was initially, and her breathing is becoming laboured. As she speaks again it is almost a struggle for her to get all the words out.
"I have absolutely no regrets Neil, no regrets about us and if I could have my time again there isn't anything I would change about our relationship or the time we've spent together. Well, if I had the choice you know I would make it longer but apart from that what we have together, it's everything I have ever wanted Neil."
Neil can feel the lump in his throat and is aware of the prickling of tears in his eyes, but he fights them back determined not to fall apart in front of Andrea.
"I don't regret a thing either no matter how difficult things were at the start. Not once have I ever looked back or doubted the choices I made. I belong with you Andrea, I always have and even when you're gone I still will belong with you. I saw my whole future with you and I can't believe that is being snatched away from us."
It takes all the strength Andrea can muster to give Neil's hand a supportive squeeze. Right now she would give anything for just one more day with him, one more perfect day where none of this pain and sadness existed. But she knows this is her time to go, she has been able to feel the strength slipping out of her for the last few weeks and now she barely has any left. Andrea can feel herself slipping away as Neil holds her. She's thought of this moment a lot since the day the doctor said there was nothing more to be done for her, and she has always known that when the time came she would slip away peacefully in Neil's arms. It had never occurred to Andrea that she would feel so much serenity in her dying moments; she thought she would experience fear, confusion and terrible pain but she feels safe and loved in Neil's arms and despite her physical weakness she feels stronger than she ever has before. Andrea knows that as heartbreaking as it is to leave Neil behind, her time here is up and she has to let go. With her last ounce of strength and her final breathes Andrea smiles at Neil once again and whispers softly, "I love you Neil." She watches him gaze back at her with pure adoration before hearing him reply equally softly, "I love you too Andrea, so much." With these words she rests her head against his chest and closes her eyes. They never open again. She is gone.
Neil could almost feel the life leaving Andrea, he felt her take her last breath. For a few moments he feels numb with shock. Neil might have known for a while that this day was coming but that doesn't mean it isn't a shock now that it has finally happened. He can't completely take in the fact that Andrea is no longer here. Neil doesn't want to believe that she is really gone. After a few moments he pulls Andrea's lifeless body even closer to him, buries his face in her hair and breaks down. His tears are silent to begin with but after a few minutes his anguish filled sobs become louder. Nothing has ever hurt this much; in all his life Neil has never known so much pain. The grief he is feeling is absolutely indescribable.
Having heard Neil's cries, Andrea's parents enter the room. They knew this would happen, that they would outlive their only daughter and have to face losing their child. None of that had prepared them for the terrible grief they feel now that Andrea is gone. They hold each other as they stand in the doorway watching Neil cradle Andrea's body in his arms. She looks so peaceful and they are grateful for that. Eventually Andrea's father approaches the bed where Neil lies holding Andrea and pulls his devastated son-in-law into a comforting embrace. Andrea's mother simply goes straight to her daughter and kisses her goodbye before quietly whispering "goodbye sweetheart, sleep peacefully."