Chapter 5: Sorrows
"David couldn't decide, as he sat up there on the witness stand. How was he supposed to pick one mother over another? He weighed his decision. If I pick my birth mother, then Joanne will be crushed. If I pick Joanne, I may never see my true mother again. I guess I know what I'll have to do.
"Your Honor, I choose to live with.Spring." He said in a defeated voice.
Spring started jumping for joy, and she raced forward to David.
"I declare this case closed. Please exit the courtroom in the next ten minutes, and we will be starting case number ninety-four, the State of Hawaii versus." His voice trailed off as he left the room.
"Thank you David, oh thank you. Now we can finally be a family again. This is the best day ever. Oh! Let me call your father, he'll be wanting to hear this." She bustled out of the courtroom. David chanced a glance at his adoptive mother.
Joanne was silently crying, tears wetting her fur. He wished he could do something for her, but knew he couldn't, at least not now. He stood up, and walked down the stand towards Joanne. She glanced at him, sniffed, then did a hiccup.
Reflecting on the past, he should have known something was wrong then. To this day, he curses his stupidity at not spotting what was starting to happen.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye, David. Please keep in touch."
She stood up, and exited the courtroom, just as Spring entered it again.
"Your Father is so thankful, he's never met you, you know. Come now, let's take the first plane back to Australia, they just finished the airport on the other side of the island."
She took his hand and guided him out. That evening, they stayed at the hotel for the night, because the planes for the airport hadn't made their first voyage back yet, and were supposed to in the morning. That night in the hotel would be the one that David would end up remembering for the rest of his life.
"Are you all packed yet, dear?" Spring asked from the next room. "Our flight leaves at nine o'clock in the morning, so we need to get packed tonight, and get a good rest for the flight."
"Right mom," he said. He finished packing his suitcases, then heard the phone ring in the next room.
"I'll get it," his other said. She picked it up, and heard her talking behind the wall, though he couldn't tell what she was saying. She hung up the phone.
"David? That was Joanne. She wanted us to come over for a final cup of tea together before we leave, so were heading there now."
"Ok. I'm ready."
So David and Spring walked over to Joanne's place, chatting about things past, and when they finally reached the door, they knocked,
"Hello. Come on in." Joanne's husband, Mank, had opened the door for them.
"Hello. Tea? Cookies?" Joanne offered them some refreshments on a tray. David took a cup of tea, and a cookie, and sat down.
"We're sorry for the trouble over custody, Spring. It's just that, when you've raised him all your life, you get attached." Joanne jumped right into the conversation.
"Not at all. I know. Love is a powerful force."
"It certainly is. Let me get some." Joanne broke off in mid-sentence. She collapsed to the ground, and started having convulsions. After a few seconds, she stopped.
"OH MY GOD!" shrieked Spring. She dropped the cup she had been holding.
David bent down over Joanne, and felt for a pulse. Come on, come on.There! A faint pulse, and losing pressure fast.
"Someone call 911! Hurry!" He turned back to Joanne as Mank hurried to the phone.
"Joanne opened her eyes a tad.
"All I wanted." Joanne started.
"Hello, 911 emergencies, how may I help you? Yes, this is Mank Otny on 817 Montone Pass. My wife, Joanne, collapsed, and is having convulsions."
".was to say."
"How is her pulse? It's dropping fast. We're sending an ambulance as we speak sir. Please remain calm, everything will be all right."
"...that I loved you."
"The ambulance is halfway there sir. Is there anything we should know first? Allergies, a previous medical record? Nope, nothing. She's always been healthy, and isn't allergic to nothing."
".and I hope that."
"The ambulance drivers are having trouble locating your house. Where is it? It's the third house on the left."
".you'll always love.me too."
Her eyes closed, and her pulse stopped.
"No, don't do this to me. Come on! Don't die on me!" He started performing the resuscitation.
"One, two, three, four, five." He breathed into her mouth, then listened for breathing. Nothing. I have to keep trying!
Tears started clouding his vision as he worked. He heard sirens, then the door being broken down.
"Kid, move away! Let us handle her, we're trained professionals. Any pulse?" the doctor said, as he lifted her gurney.
"None. I need to ride in your ambulance!"
"Fine kid, now come one, we have to hurry!"
They loaded her into the truck, then David jumped into the back.
"Go!" the other doctor said to the driver. The siren was turned on, and they roared down the road.
"Clear!" He used two paddles on Joanne. They gave a small shock to try to restart her heart. Still no pulse.
"Clear!" He tried again. Same thing. Nothing happened.
"Clear!" Again.
"Clear!" And again.
"Clear!" And again.
They reached the hospital, so they took her out of the ambulance, then ran up to ER. He waited outside, passing the door every time he paced the length of the ward. About fifteen minutes later, they opened the door and a doctor came out. He started taking off his gloves and mask, threw them away, then turned back toward David.
Before he could say anything, he heard from the room, "Ok. Who wants to announce it?"
The doctor closed the door. David almost knew what was coming.
"We tried everything, but resuscitation didn't work. Her heart stopped because she had a small aneurysm that bulged sometime this morning. They can be caused by many things, we just haven't determined the cause yet. I'm.I'm very sorry. They have counselors here, if you'd like to talk to one. They help families of the.deceased cope. I'm sorry."
He walked away, leaving David there, tears leaking from his eyes. How could this happen? How had he let it happen? He should have noticed something sooner.
A week passed, and Spring and David stayed in Hawaii, waiting for the funeral. It was a small, private funeral. They had the priest stop by for the burial, and said some very beautiful words.
"Joanne will always be in our hearts and minds. She helped so many people and so many children, that her life was the ideal life to live. She will now rest in peace."
They lowered the casket into the hole, and ended the ceremony. He cried the whole length through. He now felt very alone. Everyone started leaving as the ceremony ended. Spring walked up to David in her black dress.
"I'll leave you alone for awhile. I'll meet you back at the house." She patted him on the shoulder, then left him standing there.
He looked down at the tombstone, and where the casket was now buried. He left a bouquet of Lilies of the Valley, her favorite flowers, then left the grave as well. After it all, they ended up moving into Hawaii, and lived there for their lives, as a family. And David would visit Joanne's grave every week, reading the caption on the tombstone:

Joanne Otny Beloved Mother and Wife Changed many lives 1932-2003 We will always remember.