I'll Be With You Shortly

I'll Be With You Shortly

By: Mu

Prologue

A.C. 256

The soft sound of footsteps echoed off the walls of the cold hallway of the hospital.  The figure is slow moving to a room tucked in the corner of the floor.  The sounds of sobbing and words of comfort came from the waiting room near the destination of the figure.  The door of the room opened a nurse came out writing something down on her clipboard and shook her head. The nurse looked up at the figure and gave off a look that the figure took as one that was not promising for the patient that lay in the room, which she had just emerged from. 

"Miss Relena," began the nurse.  "She has been asking for you since this morning.  She wants to see you soon as possible.   She is resting peacefully now.  She is in some pain, but she refuses to take any the medications that we have tried to give her.  The doctor says that she doesn't have much time left," the nurse finished barely above a whisper.

Relena, now 75 years old still had a regal grace to her despite her age, nodded at the nurse and thanked her as she went inside the room.  Only a small lamp in the corner of the room lighted the old woman that lay in the bed.  Her breaths were small and shallow and looked so small.  The woman opened her eyes and looked at the person who had entered the room. 

"Hey, Hilde.  How are you feeling?"

Hilde smiled at Relena and motioned for her to sit in the chair that was next to the bed.  "I could be better, but I guess in my old age things aren't the same as they used to be.  So how much time did the doctor predict I have left?  You missed the cute guy nurse that came in this afternoon." 

Relena smiled and looked into her best friend's eyes.  They still had that youthful excitement as they did when Relena first met her all those years ago.  "Not much.  It doesn't look good.  Why don't you take any of the medications that they try to give you?"

"I don't want to be drugged up and the not which way is up or down.  I just want to be as clear minded as possible." 

Relena nodded her head and a few wisps of white hair escaped their hold from behind the clasp that the rest was placed in.   Suddenly the wind outside howled and great torrents of rains felled.  The flash of lightening illuminated of room and the rumble of thunder shook the walls.

"Can you believe it that you and I are the last ones to go?  The others are all gone.  Well, soon it will just be you."  Hilde's expression on her old wrinkled face had turned from a smile to a look of sadness. 

"Don't worry about me.  I'll be fine besides I am still needed here.  And when I complete that task that destiny has in store for me then I will join the rest of you.  Now is not my time to go."

Hilde just gave a small sigh.  "You are always so… not selfish.  I wonder how I put up with you for as long as I did."

"Well, think of it this way.  How long did I have put up with you?"

Hilde smiled.  "When you put it that way, I can see your point."  After a few brief moments, Hilde asked, "Why did you never remarry? You were still young when Heero died."

"Because I never fell in love again.  Heero was the only I was going to give my heart and soul to.  And when he died I just couldn't give my heart out to another because I still don't have it.  When he died he took it with him and I took his.  That's why I never clean out the house of his stuff.  I know I could not have handled the pain of not seeing his things there because they all are special to me.  Now I sound really stupid.  I know what it is that keeps me from throwing away he stuff, but I just explain it." 

"I understand.  Losing Heero first then your brother near the same time must have harder then I realized back then." Hilde gave off a look of sympathy. 

Relena smiled.  "Yes, but it didn't hurt as much because I did have the chance to speak to Heero before he died.  I got to say goodbye, but with Zechs and Noin I didn't.  That drunk driver took that chance.  But I have forgiven that man a long time ago."

Hilde held Relena's hand.  "Losing Duo was hard for me.  I am amazed that I lasted this long because you know what they say about people who do every thing together.  They can't stand being apart for long period of time.  He and I were like that.  Wherever I went, he followed and I did the same for him."  A smile appeared on her face remembering all of those times she and him had seem inseparable.  

A knock at the door sounded through the room.  Slowly it opened and a little head popped up in the doorway.  "Nana?" the little voice called out from the little girl.

Hilde smiled at the sight.  "Come here, darling."  The little girl quickly ran to her and she stood on her toes to see her great grandmother. 

"Nana, I brought you a gift.  Guess what it is."  The little girl said so quickly Hilde's smile widened.  

"Well, I don't know.  I give up.  Relena, care to guess for me," she said turning to Relena. 

"Let's see… could it be a picture?"  Rain shook her head.  "…a brand new sports car?"  Rain looked at Relena with a puzzled look.  "Alright, I give up."

Rain pulled out for behind her back a single pink daisy.  "Here.  I picked it outside for you."  Hilde had look of shock on her face as she she accepted the flower. She replied, "Thank you, Rain.  You better get back to your mother and father."  Rain kissed Hilde's hand.

"Bye Nana.  Get better so you can make me some cookies."  Rain closed the door behind her, as she existed the room.

Relena turned back to Hilde who still stared at the blossom that was held in her hand.  "He always used to give me a pink daisy when I was not feeling well or upset.  He always brightened up my day with that single flower.  He always knew when I was having a bad day."  Tears started coming out of the ever-clear cornflower blue eyes of the old woman. 

Relena said nothing because she could not think of anything to say.  She just held onto Hilde's hand offering that comforting touch people need to know that they are not alone.  The rain continued to pour hard against the window that over looked the city.  

"You know I didn't think I had any more tears to shed over his death.  Looks like I was wrong.  Oh dear, I must stop this.  You are here visiting me.  Let's talk of times that I have nearly forgotten with my old memory.  You'll have to fill in with some of the details because they are gone."

Relena nodded.  "Where would you like to begin?"