Warning: Character Death

Part 63

Eddie drove Ash to the hospital with Gunter and Rosita. She ran to the ER reception desk. "I'm here to see Lance Beaumont."

The nanny goat looked at her with a bored expression and tapped on her computer. "And you are?"

"Ash Cohen, he's my boyfriend," she explained. Why were receptionists so tedious?

She nodded. "He's currently being examined by a doctor. Have a seat and the physician will be out to speak with you shortly."

Ash sat down and her friends sat around her. Rosita patted her back. "I'm sure he's alright and the hospital is just a precaution."

Ash nodded. "Yeah… yeah. I'm sure too. He works so hard anymore." She looked up as Tyler came in drinking a cup of coffee from the vending machine. "Thank you for calling me."

Tyler nodded. "No problem. I tried to convince him to go home but he just insisted he had to provide for his kids."

She smiled. "Yeah, that's it. Before, he was one of the laziest guys I knew but not now. He's gone the other way. He works too hard." She sighed. "I'll have to try and convince him to let me help once we're married."

The orangutan clapped. "Did he finally propose?"

She shook her head. "But I'm going to propose. On Valentine's Day."

Tyler chuckled. "Well, good luck and congratulations."

They waited. One by one, their friends arrived. At first, Ash was optimistic but when the wait started to drag on, the worry began to set in. "Why is it taking so long?"

"Ms. Cohen?" A wise old owl called from the double doors.

"That's me!" She hurried over. "How's Lance?"

The owl put a hand on her shoulder. "Come with me." She led Ash away to a nearby office.

Clay watched through the office window. The conversation started fine but he watched her face fall, shock filling her eyes. The owl offered her a tissue and she blew her nose. She came out of the office and looked at him. Their friends surrounded her.

"What's wrong?" Rosita asked gently.

Ash took a deep breath. "He has cancer. At this point, it's so far spread they can't even find the origin." Her breath hitched and she fell to her knees in tears. She sobbed, barely aware of Clay taking her into his arms, letting her cry into his red corduroy jacket.

Once she was all cried out, they all sat back. Johnny eyed her empathetically. "So… how long… I mean, we're still talking years right?"

She shook her head. "It's days now… I don't know what to do…" She looked at her watch. "How am I going to tell the kids? How do I explain this? How do I tell them their father is dying?"

Rosita rubbed her back. "How about I go pick them up for you?"

Ash nodded. "I'll let the school know… thank you… I just… I'm not ready for this." She wept softly. "I love him. It's not fair."

Clay and Sitara exchanged glances. "I'm so sorry…" he said. She was too young to find out about this pain but there was nothing he could do to fix it.

Johnny touched her hand. "You don't have to do it alone."

"Yeah, Ash," Meena reassured her. "We're here for you."

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Back in the hospital room, Lance sat, looking down at the blanket. He looked up as the door opened. He could see Ash had been crying. "They told you then…"

She nodded and sat beside him. "Did you know?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No clue whatsoever." He replied. "I'm sorry, Ash." He buried his head in his hands. Her arms encircled him and he cried. "I don't want to die. I'm scared."

She cried with him, rubbing his back. "It'll be alright. We'll get through this… And who knows, they could be wrong."

Trembling, he pulled back. "Where are Raquelle and Lil Lance?" He asked.

"Rosita is picking them up," she replied, holding his hand.

He squeezed her hand. "At least… At least, I know they'll be in good hands."

She nodded. "They are. I promise… I'll love them and I'll take good care of them." Tears hit his hands. She put her hand in her pocket. "It just really kind of sucks… I was going to…" She pulled out the ring box. "On Valentine's Day…"

He blushed. "Really? Me too!" He laughed despite the situation.

"What? Really?" Ash wiped her eyes, laughing with him. "Fate is mocking me. I love you, Lance. I can't lose you!" Quietly, they could only sit and hold each other, crying intermittently.

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When the kids got to the hospital, they were led back to their father. They climbed onto the bed with him.

"Aunt Rosita said you were sick, Daddy. Are you feeling better now?" Raquelle asked.

After taking the time to grieve, Lance and Ash had discussed the situation and how to deal with it. "I will be…" he said softly. "Kids, I've got great news."

Ash forced a smile. "How would you guys like to live with me?" Stay calm, stay upbeat.

They cheered and launched themselves at her. "Will you be our mommy now?" Raquelle asked.

Ash nodded. "Yeah… I'll be your mommy." She hugged them. Let them call her mommy as much as they wanted. They deserved that much.

Lil Lance clapped. "Yay! Now, we have a mommy and a daddy and we'll all live together!" He said happily.

Lance bit his lip. "Well, it is true that I'll always be with you… even if you can't see me. I'm there." He hugged his son. "But Ash will take good care of you for me."

Precocious as always, Raquelle was starting to understand. "You're going to get better, right, Daddy? What's going on? Why won't we see you?"

His other arm wrapped around her. "Sometimes, Raquelle, we reach a point in our lives when we're not meant to get better. The truth is, honey… Daddy is going away but it'll be okay. You'll be okay. Ash will be a good mother for you. She'll love you and care for you in my place."

Feeling wetness on her quills, Raquelle looked up at her father. He was crying and that made her cry.

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In the waiting room, Tyler was feeling horrible. Logically, he knew there was nothing he could have done but that didn't make it any better.

"Poor Ash," Meena said sadly. "Those poor kids." She cried on Alphonso's shoulder.

"I should have made him go home," Tyler said. "I should have made him rest."

"That wouldn't have helped," Clay interrupted his thoughts. "It's cancer, not the flu."

Sitara nodded. "This isn't your fault, Tyler," she summed up. "It's no one's fault."

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Eventually, everyone had to leave. They needed to get ready for the show that night. Eddie offered to refund the tickets so they could all stay with Ash and Lance but she waved him off.

"What good can that do?" She asked. "Go on. We'll be okay… Clay, thank you for looking after Raquelle and Lil Lance for me."

The lion nodded. He held one sleeping porcupette while Sitara held the other. "My pleasure."

After they left and it was just the two of them, Ash took his hand. "I love you, Lance…"

He touched her cheek. "I love you too, Ash. I'm sorry this is happening. I'm sorry I wasted so much time. With Becky and…" He kissed her. "I should have asked you to marry me then."

She kissed him back. "Don't. No apologies. No sorries. No Becky. If all we have is a few more days then I want to spend these few days with you just savoring every moment."

He nodded and bit his lip. "Ash… I wonder… would it be possible… for us to marry here. Now? Or… tomorrow or something… I want to… to be your husband before…"

Ash forced herself to smile. "I… I would like that…" This wasn't how she wanted to get married but she didn't want him to have anymore regrets.

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Over the next few days, the troupe decorated the hospital room with flowers and streamers. Ash bought a simple, white dress. Alphonso was able to convince their pastor to come to the hospital. He'd been unsure at first until the elephant explained the situation.

In those few days, the porcupine's condition rapidly deteriorated. His face became sunken and his eyes had dark circles.

They gathered around the hospital room. Johnny and Ryan comforted each other. Meena sat with Alphonso. Rosita and Norman stood with Ash. Eddie and Gunter stood on the other side of the bed.

The pastor read the marriage rites and guided Ash and Lance through the vows. His breath was raspy and he could barely speak without having to gasp for air.

She held his hand while she made her own vows. "To love and honor and cherish, in sickness and in health, until… death do us part…"

"By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife," the priest said. "You may kiss the bride."

Tears staining her cheeks, Ash leaned over and kissed him. He smiled up at her, too weak to even return the kiss. She squeezed his hand.

Her friends each gave her a tight, supportive hug before they left, leaving them to themselves. She stroked his cheek.

"I… I'm sorry, Ash. I'm sorry we lost so much time," he apologized again. "I'm sorry for marrying you when I'm… I'm sorry I can't…"

She shook her head. "It's not your fault. It's going to be okay. I'll be alright. I'll miss you so much but I'll be alright." She stroked his quills. "Raquelle and Lil Lance will be alright. I've got their room ready and everything." She squeezed his hand.

He tried to squeeze back. "I guess… at least… at least… we were able to make things right… I got to be with you. In the end… I love you…" he whispered. His breathing was shallow and she heard the rattling.

Ash kissed him again. "I love you too. It's okay. If you want to rest…. I understand…" She rest her forehead on his.

He smiled up at her and he looked just beyond her shoulder. "Hey… your friend is here…" he said softly.

She turned around to see who he was talking about. There was no one there. She jumped when she heard the tell-tale tone of the heart monitor going flat-line. She looked down at him. "Lance?" She said his name futilely.

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Sitara had taken the kids back to their house for the night but Clay couldn't bring himself to leave. When Ash had pushed for him to leave the safety and privacy of his lake house, he wanted to challenge her. She couldn't possibly understand how he felt and how much he hurt. He was glad he hadn't because now it felt cruel. She had brought him out of his grief only to be put through the same pain.

He looked up as the doors back to the rooms opened and she came out, looking at him with eyes shining with agony. He opened his arms to her and she ran to him, burying her head in his jacket and sobbing.

AN: Yes, I did just kill off Lance. And yes, cancer is STILL that deadly today. You could be diagnosed today and dead tomorrow. Especially the silent cancers.