All night I sit by the phone. Even though I know the hospital won't call until Curtis is well enough to see visitors, I can't bear to sleep knowing that my love is in a hospital bed being operated on. He said he would be fine. He said if something happens, to be happy. Does that mean something might happen? He said they would call, and I know they would. I wait, and wait. It seems like forever. I hold my breath countless times. I have bags under my eyes, my breath smells horrible, I haven't gotten any sleep. I can't. I can't imagine what his parents are like. They probably are at the hospital, waiting. I look at my watch. It reads: 1:00 A.M. Then, the phone rings. I immediately pick it up. "Hello?"
"Yes? Is this Susan?" A female voice asks.
"Indeed ma'am. Do you have any news on Curtis?" I ask, jumping to the chase. She clears her throat.
"I do, but you might want to come over here. I don't feel comfortable saying over the phone," the woman replies. I smile and hang up. He's ok! I run to my car and drive as quick as I can to the hospital. I race up two flights of stairs and straight to the desk. The registration lady nods over to his room and I knock on the door. Suspense is eating me alive as the grave- looking doctor from before opens the door. He looks at me blankly, clearly unable to say something.
"What?" I ask anxiously. He leads me into the room and I see the bed where Curtis was, empty. I feel confused. Where's Curtis? His operation was complete!
"He-" the doctor chokes. He can barely speak. I know why. He is afraid of my reaction. I know the answer, but I can't move or speak. Thinking that he's... Gone... Is too much of a burden that I can't even feel anything. "Before we could even operate... Susan the bleeding was very bad. It had spread nearly all throughout his chest. We didn't believe it was a big problem, his one broken rib, but it was. It caused the rest to collapse on the heart, which caused more internal and outer bleeding. Once we got inside the room, about to commence the operation, he was gone. There was nothing we could do. There would've had to been a miracle to save him. I-I'm so sorry Susan." I just stare at the empty bed. I walk over to it slowly and I can't even hardly breathe. He's dead. Curtis is dead. I collapse on the bed. The scent of him is all around me as I cry. I feel like he's hugging me as I cry even more. I see that there is dried blood on the covers still, but I don't care. This was the last hug I would ever get from Curtis. The last embrace. I would never feel this way ever again. I feel miserable, like I'll never get over him. I can't. I just can't. I remember Curtis' last words to me: "if anything happens, be happy." It echoes through my head and I get up. Those were his last wishes. Be happy.
