Cora woke up in a room full of sounds. She felt an IV in her hand. She tried to move, but she wasn't able. She looked around, and saw an unfamiliar face.

"Ah, you are awake Mrs. Crawley. How are you feeling." a nurse said.

Still groggy, Cora tried to answer, but there was no sound coming from her mouth. She tried to move again. She felt two hands resting on her shoulders.

"Just lay there Mrs. Do you know where you are?"

Cora shook her head.

"You are in the recovery room. The doctor operated you on your back. Can you tell me if you are in pain?"

Cora looked around again and started to understand where she was. Today was the operation, to remove the tumour. "I am not really." She said with a soft voice.

"We will bring you to your room to wake up further. Your husband will be there." The nurse said, while she and another woman rolled her bed in the elevator.

Back in her room, Cora felt a hand grabbing hers. She opened her eyes and saw a figure she knew. She was fighting against the sleep and tried to lift the corners of her mouth in a smile. She felt lips on her forehead. "Just rest my darling. Take your time waking up. I am here." It was Robert's voice.

It took some time for Cora to fully wake up. The doctor had come in to tell what the result was.

"We removed the tumour, and it looks like we got everything. We did a CT-scan and the rest of your body is clean. You still will get chemo to make sure there is nothing left. We are happy with the results. Now it is up to you and your body to recover."

Cora stayed in the hospital for three weeks before she could go home. The chemo she needed was done and her doctors were really happy with the results. She had started walking again, she was still very slow, but that didn't matter. She walked again and without pain.

Robert opened the front door, and all the children and grandchildren were waiting in the living room.

"Let mama, come in and settle down, before we jump on her." Robert said while guiding Cora towards her chair.

"It is good to be home." Cora said while leaning back in her chair. Robert was standing behind her with his hand on her shoulder.

"Do you want something to drink?" He asked.

"I would love a cup of tea."

"I will get that! Papa, you stay with mama." Oliver said while walking towards the kitchen.

"How are you feeling, mama?" Sybil asked. "I saw the tumour they removed, it was quite big."

"I really feel good. Still a little bit tired. But resting in a hospital is hard. There are so many sounds. I look forward to sleeping next to your father in our quiet room."

"Do you think you can manage the stairs? We moved the bed back upstairs, but maybe, it is better if we switch our room with the guest bedroom?"

Cora took Robert's hand. "I may be slow, but I can manage the stairs again. I love the view from our bedroom, so I would not want to switch."

Edith had made lunch and the whole family stayed the afternoon and evening. Robert had ordered food for dinner.

4 years had gone by. They celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. It was a wonderful day. With the whole family they went to 'Hide' for a private dinner experience.

"Marriage is a lottery, as we are

often told, but I am a man who has drawn

a winning ticket. I have been awarded a bumper prize: beauty, brains, a heart, a conscience, all in one. I give you my Cora, the best companion in the world."

Cora's cheeks coloured. All raised their glass to toast on their marriage. Robert sat back down and kissed Cora on her cheek. "I am a blessed man, to be able to celebrate this day with you." Cora rested her head against his.

"I am as blessed as you are."

Cora noticed Robert looking a little bit pale at the end of the evening. But it had been a long day, so he must just be tired. "Darlings, you can stay here as long as you want. The bill is on our card. We will go home and enjoy some rest." She got up and took Robert's hand, they walked to the taxi.

"Darling, are you alright?" She asked when they got in the taxi.

"Very tired, but alright." He leaned in to kiss Cora. "And you?"

"Also tired, but very content."

At home Cora crawled against Robert and they fell asleep instantly. Robert's arm safely wrapped around Cora's shoulders.

Cora had a check-up at the hospital. She had some discomfort in her back and she didn't want to take the risk. In a few days she would get her results from the blood work.

Back at home, she didn't see Robert. All the rooms were empty. She found him outside. He was in a chair on the terrace. The sun was warm, but nice, not too hot. She walked over and his eyes were closed. Cora bent down to kiss him on his cheek. The moment her lips touched him she froze. His cheek was cold.

"Robert?" Her voice was high. "Robert?" She shook his arm. He didn't react. She listened, there was no breathing. "Oh no, Robert. Please Robert." Cora sank on her knees next to him. "Please, no. Robert?"

Sybil called out. "Mama, papa?" She stepped out on the terrace and found her mother next to her father sobbing. "Mama!?"

When she saw her father's face, she knew. She wrapped her arms around her mother, who buried her face in her shoulder. She just held her, fighting her own tears. After a while she felt her mother's shoulders stop jolting. She took her hand and guided her back inside.

One of the girls had stayed with Cora at all times. They didn't want to leave her alone. The bloodwork had come back with bad news. The cancer was back, and they doctor gave her weeks maybe months.

Cora was very weak on the day of the funeral.

"Mama, looks so small." Oliver said to Mary.

Mary wrapped her arm around Oliver. "She does, but we have to be strong for her. She needs us, now more than ever."

They sat down next to their mother. Sybil was holding her hand and Edith was sitting tightly against her mother. Cora had troubles sitting up. Her back was giving her problems. The cancer had spread, it was in her bones. Cora had insisted on walking inside the church for the service. 'I am not saying goodbye to my husband in a wheelchair.'

Mary, Edith, Sybil and Oliver knew better not to argue. Sybil had made sure Cora got some strong painkillers for today.

The service was beautiful. The sun was shining, and the birds were chirping. After the service they went home. "We had a good life together." Cora said. "I just wish he would have waited for me. But I will be with him again soon."

"Mama?" Sybil said with a voice thick of tears.

Cora took her hand. "Darling, I feel it, my body is giving up. It is time to let go. Your father died a peaceful death. His heart stopped beating, but he was in his happy place. Looking out over his favourite city. I only wish I would have been with him, now it is my time to follow him."

I want to thank everybody for reading this story. I never expected it to go this far. For everybody who left reviews, I can't thank you enough. My deepest thanks go)to my dear friend Maja who proof read all these chapters. Without you I would never have started a fanfiction.

For everybody interested. I will make a new story, again involving Robert and Cora. A modern story, but totally different than this one.Hopefully I can welcome you all again in the next story.