Disclaimer- none is mine
Note from the author- the second in the poor Emily chronicles
Poor Emily II
Emily hated the hospital. She hated sitting in the dark room, hour after hour, day after day. The one thing it gave to her was time to think. Think about herself, her life, her friends, and her beloved Arvin.
She loved her friends. Sydney and Jack were two of the people closest to her. Especially Sydney. She meant the world to her. Jack too, was special. Being the most important people in Arvin's life, they had developed a friendship of their own. It was Jack who she had told of her diagnosis first, so she could tell Arvin with him there. It was Jack at all the dinners who would tell her stories of the bank as they watched Arvin entertain their guests, before coming over to see how she was feeling. Emily thought it nice of Jack to make up stories of a false profession to keep her entertained. He didn't know, nor did Arvin, that she had known the truth for so long.
Jack had changed so little over the years, whereas Sydney had changed so much. From meeting Sydney when she was a new employee of Arvin's, to Sydney visiting her in the hospital; the young lady had grown so much. She loved her as a mother, and a friend; just as Arvin loved her as a father. It was why she had told Sydney the truth that she knew all about SD-6.
Her husband was the most important person in the world to her. She loved Arvin with all of her heart, and was worried for him, what would happen once she was gone. She knew her illness was hard upon him, though he tried not to show it. She was happy that he spent more time at home with her. He would never know how much it meant to spend as much time with him as possible. She loved him, and knew he loved her. She was so proud of him for staying in the CIA, after they betrayed him. It made her even happier to be his wife, to be in the life of this wonderful, kind, brilliant man. She felt stronger thinking about him.
She knew, she could feel her life coming to a close. In a way, to her, her life ended three years ago when she was diagnosed. She had become quite reclusive, looking to books and newspapers for the love she knew only friends and family could give her. It was Arvin who had brought her out of her shell, and got her talking again to people she cared about.
"This is so hard on you sweetheart. I just wish you wouldn't hide from the wonderful life you lead." He had told her. And it had worked. She didn't go out as much anymore, but was happy to have people over for dinner or other short periods of time when she would have time to rest up for their visit. That had got her more closely tied to Sydney and Jack, business associates of Arvin and all, they were common conversation. She found it hard to stay in contact with all her friends, and they found it hard to try to stay in contact her. She didn't mind, she was happy to spend time with Arvin and close family friends instead of endless acquaintances.
She had loved life, Emily really had. And she was happy that at least in her time of passing, Arvin was close-by. The hospital door opened, interrupting her from her thoughts. Arvin walked in and sat on the bed.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her softly.
"Better, now that you are here." She whispered to him smiling. He held her in his arms, and sobbed.