"Shit" Dec mumbled "I don't think I can face her"
"We don't have any choice Declan" Ant frowned "whatever we've been through,she's about to go through a lot worse"
"I guess" Dec sighed.
"Ok" Ant nodded towards the security guard "she can come in"
Ethan beckoned to the woman who was waiting outside the hospital room and Ant and Dec felt heartbroken about the looming conversation.
Maureen have already guessed the outcome,but having her fears confirmed wasn't going to be easy.
"Hi" the meek woman said gently,while holding out a hand for the boys to shake "I'm Maureen"
"Hi" Ant smiled sympathetically "I'm Ant and he's Dec"
"May I?" Maureen pointed towards one of the chairs.
"Yeah,of course" Ant replied "pull it closer if you like"
"Thanks" Maureen whispered,as she pulled the chair up to Ants bedside "I um...I don't really know where to start,or what to say"
"It's ok" Ant replied with understanding "I just want to say that I'm so sorry for your loss...we both are,right Dec?"
"Yeah,of course we are" Dec agreed "I'm so very sorry"
"My loss?" Maureen asked confused "what do you mean?do you know what happened to Andy?where he is?"
'Shit' Ant thought to himself,why had he just asssumed that this poor woman already knew thst her husband was dead?how could she?all she knew was that Ant and Dec had been found alive,so why shouldn't she assume her husband had been too?
"I'm so sorry Maureen" Ant replied sadly "but Andy didn't make it"
"Didn't make it?" Maureen repeated.
"I'm afraid so" Ant continued "he had a heart attack on the boat and I swear to you,we did everything we could to bring him back,didn't we Dec?"
"Yeah,we did" Dec confirmed "but it was hopeless,we couldn't save him,I'm so sorry"
"He's dead?" Maureen questioned,with tears now streaming down her face "how can he be?I need him,we've got kids"
"I know,I'm so sorry" Ant replied "I really wish we could have done more"
"Wh...where is he?" Maureen sobbed "did you bring his body back?"
"Umm...no" Dec shook his head "that would have been impossible,we were stranded on an island for three months,we buried him there"
"I promise you that we were as respectful as possible" Ant assured her.
Dec cringed inwardly and stared down at the floor as he remembered his request to throw Andy's body overboard and let it be washed out to sea.
Maureen did her best to compose herself through her grief,as difficult as that was,she still wanted to get as much information from Ant and Dec as possible.
"So,where is this island?" She questioned as she dried the tears almost as fast as they were falling "I'd like to visit his grave,maybe bring him home for a proper burial if it's allowed"
"Oh Maureen" Ant replied,with tears now forming in his own eyes "I'm so sorry,but we can't tell you where it is,we spent days drifting out on the ocean,we have absolutely no idea where we were"
"Oh" Maureen whispered sadly,not knowing what else to say.
Ant and Dec felt awful.
This poor,bereaved woman couldn't even say a last goodbye to her beloved husband,or have his final resting place close by,so she could visit it and have a place to lay flowers.
