End of an Era (Book 7)

A Father's Prayer

|Paul's POV|

I sat next to my daughter holding her hand, silently praying. I looked over to my grandson. He was keeping it together better than I thought he would. I knew how close he and Isabella were and how closer they've grown since he went off to college. The love he has for his parents, the trust he has in them, I'm so proud of Isabella and Tyler and the amazing job they've done in raising him.

We sat in a comfortable silence. He then laid bowed his head, holding her free hand. For the first time since he's been here, I saw tears. It started off as a small whimper before he started sobbing. I got up and went to his side. I rubbed his back providing as much comfort as I could in this moment. He took a deep breath and began to speak.

"I knew something was wrong when I came home for Thanksgiving. She was putting up Christmas decorations and she got dizzy. Her hands were trembling, gramps. At Thanksgiving dinner, her words were slurred. We just laughed it off like it was the wine. I knew it was something more. My gut was telling me it was. How could I just go back to Cali and not press the issue? If I would've brought it up to dad again, I know he would've checked."

I watched him squeeze his mother's hand apologizing to her over and over. Both my son-in-law and grandson were ridden with guilt. I'm sure everyone was blaming themselves in some way shape or form in seeing something off and not taking further action.

"Logan, you can't put the blame on yourself."

"How can I not? I ignored my gut and now look!" he cried out, his voice cracking.

I sighed.

"I wish I had the right words to ease the pain inside of you, but I don't. We don't know why things like this happen. I will tell you this and I told your father the same thing. Look at me, Logan."

I knelt next to him, our eyes meeting. He was so broken. I felt helpless as a parent to have any of my children feel this way. My grandchildren weren't excluded.

"Your mother is still here. Don't let the tubes and all these machines take away from the fact that she is still here. Her body is resting to prepare for this surgery and then it will rest some more before she wakes up. She is going to come out of this. You hear me?"

"You can't guarantee that, gramps."

I slapped him upside his head.

"Ow."

"We're not speaking of any negativity. I know you feel it and think it, but don't say it out loud. Your mother isn't going anywhere and I'll guarantee that a miracle is going to happen and she will wake up. No, I don't know when, but I know in my heart she will wake up."

He nodded.

"You hear me?"

"I hear you, gramps."

"It's hard, but you have to fight off the negative thoughts. The doctors said this is operable."

"Yeah, but they're opening up her skull."

"I know that this is frightening. It's okay to be afraid. It's normal to feel that way. I just know... Trust me, from personal experience, you can't put this on you. It'll eat you up inside. Right now, I need you to trust your gut because deep down in the pit of your stomach, you know there's hope for her. You know your mother is a fighter and will do everything in her power to get back to you, to us."

He nodded and I watched as more tears fell. I stood up and pulled him out of the seat and into a bear hug. I let him cry as he held onto me. He calmed down letting me know he was going to step out for a minute to get some air.