Chapter Two
"Look, Sharon, I'm done!" Lizzie excitedly held up her picture for the nurse to admire.
Sharon smiled warmly at the little girl. "That's beautiful, Sweetie!"
"Can we go see Mommy now? I wanna give her my picture."
"Mommy needs to sleep right now, but I'll tell you what: I'll give that picture to your Mommy's doctor, and he'll hang it right where she can see it, first thing when she wakes up."
Lizzie smiled and threw her arms around the nurse, who embraced her warmly. "Thank you, Sharon." She turned to her little brother. "Steven, I'll help you build now, ok?"
Sharon's really good with them, Jaime noted, her hand firmly in Steve's.
She already loves them, Steve said softly.
You mean, Sharon and - and...Michael?
No, not yet; not for quite awhile, but eventually - yes.
Good... My babies...seem to like her. Jaime felt the warmth of Steve's essence reaching out to comfort her, and she longed to feel his full embrace.
She'll help Michael a lot, Steve explained, watching the kids, cooking for the whole family and...just being his friend. He'll have a really rough time...
Michael...Jaime whispered, a small sob in her voice.
She'll help him - all of them - through the pain. He won't even begin to think of her as more than a friend for nearly two years -
I might just have to give him the same kind of nudge you gave me, Jaime mused.
Maybe you will, Steve agreed, already knowing that, one day in the future, that was exactly what she would do.
Rudy leaned over Jaime's bed, his brow furrowed as he checked his patient. When he had the stats he'd come for, he turned to the weary but alert man in the bedside chair. "She's still slipping, Michael."
"I know." The younger physician reached out to tenderly caress his wife's face.
"We could put her on a respirator -"
NO! Jaime protested, but only Steve could hear her.
Michael shook his head sadly. "We'd only be prolonging the inevitable, and probably hurting Jaime, too. Besides...I've seen the brain scan. At this point, Jaime would want us to let her go."
Satisfied, Jaime turned her attention back to Steve. What about the baby? You said she'd save lives. What did you mean?
You'll know soon, Sweetheart. After...
Please...I can't leave her unless I know...I mean, I know I have to go anyhow, but -
When Lily grows up, because of the way she lost her mother, she'll discover a procedure to prevent what happened to you from taking any more lives.
And Lizzie and Steven? What about them? My God, Lizzie's already lost one parent!
She and Steven will help each other. And yes, they'll have a really hard time but they'll grow up to be partners: the world's foremost authorities on grief counseling - famous. Jaime, you blessed the world with three great kids. And you will be with them again, but not for a good, long time.
Steve stood in front of her and the mist began to swirl and fade until Jaime could see all of him. He beamed lovingly at her.It's time to go, isn't it? She stated, knowing the answer but no longer hesitant or afraid.
Yes. For the first time, Steve held out his arms to her, and Jaime slipped from the adoring arms of her second husband into the embrace of the one she'd married first, with one lone tear and a smile.
END