Time. It affects our daily living. Sometimes time goes by too fast. Parents look around and realize their children are fully grown adults, moving on with their own lives. One minute can mean all the difference in the world. So much can happen in those brief, fleeting sixty seconds. Lovers can rejoin and feel the taste of each others lips. Or in that one moment, life altering decisions can be made. In one minute you could be dead. But what if in that moment you cross all boundaries and all explanations. What if in that one moment you find all of life's mysteries? Then in the next everything is forgotten. You are jolted back to reality, back to life.

***************

Nobody had been allowed in the room. Three days ago they lifted that rule. The doctor thought Brady was strong enough to have visitors. Unfortunately he was not awake for any of them. They were assured it was nothing to worry about and that he would wake up on his own. His body had been through such an ordeal it needed time to heal itself. Chloe was getting worried. It had been too long. Secretly she feared that he may never wake up. That she would be alone to face the world without her soul mate. She was only one half of the whole. Brady completed her. Everything in her lived for Brady, and him alone.

Chloe walked into the quiet room, save for a few machines timely buzzing. The sound of her feet hitting the cold cement tiles was amplified in the lonely space. The noise hit her ears and moved away at her next step. Finally seated on the plush, long backed chair, provided by the nurse. Chloe breathed the first breath she remembered taking since entering the sterile environment. Longingly she moved her hand to the metal bar of the bed frame. It was frigid to the touch and left wet fingerprints from her sweaty hands. Within seconds they evaporated and left no trace of being handled at all. She moved her hand closer to his.

His hand lay by his side. Stiff and lifeless. Once they had looked so strong, like he could do anything. Rugged like a carpenter. Or skilled like a surgeon. Yet still soft enough to touch Chloe affectionately. Now they themselves were being used as instruments. A vain that traced the back of his hand had been poked, and prodded. Then fitted with an IV. The potent medicine that coursed through his system was delivered from this device. The bandage covered most of it but still could be seen. The blueish-purple and yellow bruises peaked out at either side. It was the perfect reminder of why he was there and the pain he had endured. The smallest battle scars of the suffering he had put up with.

She hesitated before she took his icy hand in her own warm counterpart. She thought she had known his touch. That she could recognize it anywhere. But when she held his frail hand, for a split-second it felt distant. As his hand warmed up, she could feel him become more and more familiar. Everything came flooding back to her in a wave of emotions. She remembered every detail of their life together and why she needed him so desperately. It all proved too much for her.

The once stone face was paralysed and broken. It shattered and her pent up anxiety came rushing out. Her emotions had been locked away for three days. In that amount of time she had not cried. A brave front had been utilized in order to be there for everyone else. But now in the barren room, she sat before the man she loved. Not being able to speak, to hold, to kiss him. He was slipping away and there was nothing she could do.

The first tear came down her cheek in a slow and steady path. Whisking away the powdery foundation, she had used to conceal the dark circles under her eyes. Now everything was so raw as it had been that night. The next tears came in droves. Her body was involuntarily shaking. She rested her head on the crisp sheets of the hospital bed and prayed to God.

******

Brady thought he heard something he was not sure what it was. Still half asleep, he tried to move, but was just too weak. There was a slight pressure on his hand that had the IV embedded in it. Concentrating hard, Brady managed to move his index finger. Still holding his hand, Chloe felt the slight movement. Then again it happened. Until he was grasping onto her hand.

His eyes fluttered open. There was a heavenly presence before him. Not like the one he had experienced days ago but something more of this world. An angel on earth. Not the kind sent from God, but the kind that make people believe in miracles. The kind that had unbridled strength and courage. The kind that sat by your side and held your hand three days straight waiting for you to wake up.

"Chloe?" He knew, without a doubt that his angel was with him.

"Shhh, just rest." Chloe said, touching the side of his face.

Brady had to tell Chloe about his experience. About that one minute, when everything made sense.

Brady tried to sit up but could not on his own. Chloe called the nurse who helped him up after checking his vitals. They were quiet for a while. Brady sipped some water and tried to muster enough strength to tell his story.

"Chloe, I saw my mother." He finally managed in a hoarse, raspy voice.

"Your mother? Brady, what do you mean?" Chloe said, confused.

"Maybe it was all a dream but it felt so real. She stood right in front of me and told me she was proud of me and that she loved me" Tears peaked at the corners of his sky-blue eyes.

Chloe did not know what to say. Perhaps it was a dream. However, for some reason she thought it was more. It could be possible that as Brady's heart stopped, the two worlds aligned. Life and the afterlife merged together for one brief moment. Brady had died, there was no doubt about that. It was machines that got the blood pumping through his system once again. During that small interlude was it not possible that the lines blurred between the living and the dead? Whatever it was Chloe was glad for it. Brady had gotten a second chance at life. In whatever form he had seen his mother. The condensed reassurances from her seemed to have given him new found strength.

"Brady, whatever happened is amazing. I was so scared. I thought I had lost you forever. That night I though you were...." She attempted to explain but just could not find the words. She did not even want to utter them. He was alive now, there was no use in dwelling in the past. "It doesn't matter now. I love you so much."

Brady was truly touched. However, it hurt him that he had caused Chloe to have to go through all of this alone.

"I love you too, Chloe and I'm sorry..."

"Brady, don't apologize. We just need to concentrate all our efforts on making you better. I can't lose you again."

"I'm not going anywhere." He mustered all of his strength and lightly squeezed Chloe's hand that was intertwined with his own.

Chloe gently leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Brady's lips.

To be continued...........