A Time To Love

Chapter 24: "The Light At The End Of The Tunnel"

Katherine led them into the room where Emily was. She was lying upon the bed, barely moving an inch. They could see the sweat upon her head glisten in the moonlight.
"Thank God you two are here!" Mark exclaimed as soon as he saw them. "We don't know what's wrong. She just got really sick all of a sudden."
Emily looked over at them in her weakened state, "Audrey? Is that you?"
"Emily, I'm here now, okay?" Audrey said before placing her hand upon Emily's forehead and reporting back to Daniel, "She's feverish."
"Okay." Daniel took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves before going to Emily's side and checking her for himself.
Mark watched closely, holding his wife's hand and praying to God that she'd be okay.
Daniel looked over at him and asked calmly, "When is she due?"
"Not till January." He replied.
"Okay."
"Why?" Mark asked in a panic.
"It's nothing, Mark. I was just wondering." Daniel assured, before continuing, "I'm going to get some fluids and medicine into her, and then from there... we'll just have to wait and see."
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Audrey had convinced Daniel to stay over till morning had ended, for it was already into the wee hours of the day. Emily had been taken care of for now, and it was now time to just see how she progressed.
"Daniel," Audrey began, as the two of them stood alone in the hallway. She
continued, "Tell me...is she going to be okay? And, the baby too?"
Daniel didn't look her in the eye as he said, "I sure hope so."
"Daniel, that's not an answer." She reprimanded him. "She's my baby sister. The least you can do is be honest with me."
He hesitated before saying, "I think the baby's going to come soon, but...I'm not sure if it will be strong enough to survive."
"And, what of Emily?"
He looked over at her as she stood there with her arms crossed and a distressed look upon her face. He told her plainly, "I don't think Emily is strong enough to give birth yet."
"So,...are you saying she might die too?"
"There's a possibility, but...I'll try my best to make sure that doesn't happen, Audrey."
She turned away from him as she tried to hold back the tears that were now forming in her eyes.
"Audrey." She ignored him, so he spoke again, "Audrey, come here." Daniel pulled her close to him and held her gently. Her tears fell freely now as she leaned into his chest and sobbed. He whispered to her, "It's okay. We'll figure it out."
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That following week was the longest any of them had ever experienced. Thankfully, with Daniel and Audrey's constant attention, several medicines, and lots of fluids, Emily was beginning to look lively again. She had started the new year on a good
note, and it would seem as though she might just make it to her due date, too.
Daniel collapsed upon his bed, as the effects of the long day crept upon him. It had been a busy day of work for him and Audrey. He relished at the thought of slumber, so much so that he nearly fell asleep right then and there, but his rest was disturbed by
the ringing of the phone.
"Hello?" He answered, as a paniced Audrey said from the other end, "Daniel, come quick! Emily's not well again."
"I'll be right there!"
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He had basically run over there, but it still felt as though it had taken forever to get there. When he arrived, Audrey was there to greet him, to which she explained the situation. Daniel wasted no time in examining Emily once he entered the room.
Mark stood by worriedly. "Is she going to be okay?" He asked Daniel.
Daniel stopped and looked over at Mark, "Emily's in labour."
"What? Really? Right now?!" Mark paced around, unsure what to do with himself in that moment.
Daniel looked to Audrey and said, "Are you ready?"
Audrey nodded her head promptly, "Yep."
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Emily continued to push, even in her weakened state. Henry and the girls stood outside the door, pacing back and forth in anticipation. Mark held Emily's left hand while Audrey stood at her right side, wiping the sweat from her forehead and cheering her on.
"You can do it, Emily. Only a few more pushes, okay?"
Daniel looked up and reported, "I can see the baby's head. Keep pushing, Emily. You're doing good."
Emily put her all into the next one, and before they knew it, a cry of a baby could be heard.
Daniel held the baby up for them to see, as he declared with a smile upon his face, "It's a girl!"
He placed the baby in Emily's arms, to which she rocked her, and soothed her. Mark couldn't say a word, for he was totally enchanted.
Daniel placed his hand upon Audrey's shoulder as they happily watched the new parents in their sudden world of bliss.
Audrey looked up at him, "She's sure beautiful, isn't she, Daniel?"
"She sure is."
Audrey looked back at Emily and asked, "So, I don't suppose you two have a name yet?"
Emily looked over at Mark with a smile before answering, "Lillian. Her name is Lillian." Emily gazed at her baby girl and while stroking her cheek said once more, "Lillian Rose Anderson."
"That's a wonderful name." Audrey expressed joyfully as the door opened, and the rest of the family entered.
"Look, Charlie!" Katherine told her little boy, who sat upon her hip, "It's your cousin. Isn't she cute?"
Charlie giggled to himself before hiding his face in the nape of his mother's neck.
Emily chuckled and remarked, "I'm sure they'll be the best of friends, Katherine."
"They sure will."
Daniel met eyes with Mark, who finally seemed at ease for the first time in a week. Mark gave Daniel a nod and a smile, to which Daniel returned the favour, as though they were both saying without words, "Good job."
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It had been two weeks since Lillian was born, and she continued to grow more healthy and strong each and every day. Emily, on the other hand, had remained ill after the baby was born, and she was just now beginning to recover from it. Daniel was sure she'd be back to new in no time, though.
Audrey cleaned up before beginning to blow out the lanterns, signaling the end of another day of work. She joined Daniel in his office, where he sat at his desk deep in thought.
"Daniel, are you ready to go?" She asked as she walked up to him.
He took a moment to speak. "Huh?" He finally replied before adding, "Oh, right. I'll be ready soon."
"What were you thinking about?" Audrey asked with curiosity.
He hesitated before answering, "I was just thinking about the fact that over three years ago, I was at my lowest point, feeling as though I was stuck in a dark tunnel, with no way out." He paused and went on, "Now, I'm here,... doing the thing I always dreamed of, finally a physician, and taking care of the people in the town I always called home. It's a dream come true. There's one thing I never could've dreamt up myself, though."
"And what's that?" She asked, to which he looked her in the eye, and answered, "You."
She remained silent, for no response seemed worthy.
He added, "I never would've thought I'd have the best nurse in all of Maple Grove by my side. All of this. My whole dream would never have been possible without you."
She lowered her head in an effort to hide the ever growing blush upon her face, "Oh my, you're just saying that."
"No, I mean every word of it." He said it with utmost certainty as he sat up to be face to face with her. Her eyes left the floor, and found his once again as he continued, "You were my light at the end of that dark tunnel, Audrey. Since the day I met you, I knew. Even in my drunken state of mind at the time,... I knew. I knew you were the one. I love you, Audrey. Since the time I first saw you, till now, I've loved you."
"Daniel. I don't know what to say. I wish I had some poetic words or some sort of fancy speech, but there's only a few words that come to my mind right now to say to you." She paused before adding, "Now that I think about it,... these words have always been on my heart, I've just never had the courage to say them till now."
"What is it?"
"Daniel, I love you too."
There was no need for any more words after that, nor was there any time for them either, for Daniel pulled Audrey near to him and placed his lips upon hers. He kissed her slowly and gently, for he knew it was her first, and in that moment of
pure ecstacy, it almost felt as though it was his first as well. He wished to go on, to keep kissing her forever, for he dreaded the moment their lips would part, but he faced his fear, for if he continued any longer he wouldn't be able to stop himself.
Her eyes hesitated to open, but when they did, she saw him, and for the first time she looked at him as so much more than her friend, and she didn't wish to see him any other way for the rest of her life.
"Audrey," He began softly, "Stay with me...forever, would ya? I can't ever be without you. Would you marry me, Audrey?"
There was only one word that lay upon her tongue, and she said it proudly, without a moment of hesitation, "Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"I've never been so sure of something in my life, Daniel." She assured, to which he embraced her, and with his body against hers, he felt her steady heartbeat, and in that moment, he realized it beat at the same rhythm as his.