It seemed like it was taking forever for her to hear anything from the doctor on how andy was doing, she was starting to get worried, She sat with her team and her son as they patiently waited for the doctor or someone to come out to tell them something. Rusty sat down next to his mother and she turned and gave him a sad smile as he grabbed her hand, she leaned over and laid her head on his shoulder, "Is there anything I can get for you mom? He asked, "No honey I'm not really hungry and I just want to sit here, "will you sit with me she ask looking at him, It made him feel proud that she needed him at that he was the type of person she could depend on, "of course mom I'm not going anywhere, she sighed as she laid her head back on his shoulder,
Louie had been sitting with them he hadn't said much he just sat and stared at the floor again, Patrice had been watching him for a while, "honey something bothering you? She asked puzzled, he looked at her, "Just thinking about what will happen if he doesn't make it, and what it will do to sharon, she loves him with everything she is and if something happens to him I honestly don't know what it will do to her, "honey you can think like that she said as she took his hand in hers and rubbed her thumb across the back of his hand.
After several more hours Doctor Szermer, finally appeared, she spotted sharon first, "Well we have done all that we can for him, I was able to fix the hole in his heart that led to the blood and fluid in his lungs, but he's still not breathing on his own which concerns me, he hasn't regained consciousness yet which isn't out of the ordinary, but he hasn't responded well to the medication and that worries me, Sharon gasp as rusty stood behind her, "As I told you before the next few hours will be crucial there is a good chance that he will never wake up, "I hate to be so blunt about it I feel it's better to be straight forward then not to, "Thank you Doctor I greatly appreciate it.
Sharon said as she sat down, "Well I will leave you to your thoughts, "if you need anything just let me know, Rusty spoke up for his mother, "Thanks doc, Sharon sat with her head in her hands, she felt someone sitting next to her she looked up to see nicole, "hey honey, "hey sharon, "how are you holding up? Nicole asked she wrapped her arms around nicole, "I'm holding on, "how about you? "I can't lose him sharon, I just got him back in my life, sharon felt the tears welling up again, "I know baby I know, "how about we go and check on him and see how he's doing, They walked back to andy's room and as they entered he looked so pale and he didn't look like the same andy, there were tubes and wires everywhere, they both each side of the bed both holding his hands, both of them hoping and praying that he would wake up, they sat there staring at him for what seemed like hours, Rusty entered the room to tell his mother that he was leaving and that he would be back in the morning and if she needed him to call him, "Try and get some rest honey, "I'll be ok nicole's here with me, "Ok mom just call me if you need me, "I will, with that rusty left the room and the rest of the team stopped by to tell her that they were leaving as well, leaving her and nicole alone in the room, after a few minutes she sent nicole home so she could rest, with the promise that she would call if something changed, as the hours passed only the nurses came in and out, sharon felt herself getting tired and she pushed the chair as close to bed as she could and laid her hand back in his and drifted off to sleep.
Several hours later her and nicole were jolted awake by the machines beeping and chiming, The nurses came running to see what the problem was, after a few minutes the doctor came in again and check his vitals, The doctor looked at her "Sharon we have done all we can do for him, he's not breathing on his own, It's just a matter of time, Sharon looked at her, "This can't be happening! She shouted, "There's got be something that you can do? "Sharon I'm sorry we have done all we can do, we have taken off of all the medicine and the machines with the hopes that he would breathe on his own, "it just hasn't happen, "He's gone, there's nothing else we can do, Sharon felt like someone had punched her in the gut, She could feel the tears falling down her cheeks, she didn't care who saw her, the doctor stepped out to let her have some time alone, she sat down and held his hand again, gently kissing his knuckles, she sat there and cried and held his hand as the heart monitor flat lined, The love of her life was gone and he wasn't coming back, Now she had to call his children and hers and the team to tell them the bad news.
Nicole was the first one to get to the hospital followed by the team and rusty, all them standing around his bed crying and holding each other, as sharon held onto nicole and to rusty, She looked at nicole "what do we do now? "I have no idea sharon, She wrapped nicole in a tight hug as they cried together letting their grief overtake them, Rusty just stood there with louie and Patrice and the rest of them looking at him mother who by now was exhausted and there was nothing that he could about it. Sharon turned around to see louie staring at her, she walked over and hugged him, "he loved you, you know that don't you, Louie looked at her, "yeah I know he did, as Patrice stood behind him trying to comfort him.. They all stood in silence as they all mourned the loss of their dear friend and as sharon mourned the loss of the love of her life.
The next few days went by like a flash, They had a small memorial service for him with just family and friends, after the service they had gathered at sharon's condo her and the team along with nicole and her family, "sharon I can talk to you a minute nicole asked, "Sure honey, "what is it? She asked puzzled, I found this letter address to you in dad's things, "I'm not sure when he wrote it but I wanted to give it to you, Sharon could feel the tears stinging her eyes as she took the letter from nicole, "Thank you honey, I'll read it later, They all sat and told stories and shared memories of Andy, after several hours everyone made their way to their respective homes leaving sharon and rusty alone, "Mom are you ok? Rusty asked concerned, she had said much the last several hours, "Yes honey I'm fine, "ok I was just concerned, "well I am going to go to my room now hopefully I can get some sleep, "Good night honey she said he started down the hall, he stopped and walked over to her and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek, "Good night mom, " I love you, he turned and walked away leaving her standing there in shock, After a few minutes she made her way to the sofa with the letter nicole gave her in her hands. She opened it and began to read it to herself, she realized it was from when he had to go out of town a few weeks ago for Chief Taylor, he must have written it while he was on his flight..
My Dearest Sharon,
"You have made me the luckiest man in the world, I am amazed at what a beautiful woman like you could ever see in a guy like me, I love you more than you will ever know, I want you to know that no matter what happens I will always be with you I will always protect you, You are the love of my life, and I will always cherish you and love you until the end of time, " well I know it's getting late, "I will see you when I get home, "Goodnight, sweetheart, sleep tight, God hold you in his arms while we're apart
Though you're far away your love will stay ,Tucked away here in my heart
"I will see you in a couple of days my beautiful girl… love you always and forever Andy,
She folded the letter back up and put it back in the envelope and sat there and cried, then suddenly she had the most peaceful feeling wash over her, she thought to herself, he's in a better place and he is watching over me, she sat there a few more minutes, then made her way to her bedroom where she slept peacefully for the first time in days, he would always watch over her and protect her,