The End - Third book to I.P.O.D.F & I.T.Y.F.T

Chapter 56

*Rosa's P.O.V*

After visiting Becca in hospital, I drove straight to Alex and Niall's house as Alex wanted to speak to me about Niall.

I pulled into the driveway and waddled to the front door. Before I had the chance to knock the door Alex came rushing out towards me, hugging me and crying.

I hugged her and walked inside with her by my side.

We went to the kitchen and I made us a cup of tea and got some biscuits out.

"What's wrong Al?" I asked.

"It's Niall. He's dying Roz. I found his letter and medication from the hospital. He's got Alzheimer's. I thought that when he was forgetting little things like forgetting where his car was, what he was getting from the kitchen and how to use the bathroom, it was due to his old age. But I was wrong. I'm going to lose him Roz. I can't deal with that alone." She cried.

"Oh my god. I can't believe it. Niall will be alive for a while Alex, he won't give up without a fight. I know it."

"That's not true. He's forgotten his own grandchildren. He's forgotten that he was in a band. Something so huge, and he's forgotten it. He asked me who I was last night. He was lying in bed and I went to go lie down with him and as soon as I got into bed he frowned at me and pushed me out of the bed, panicking that his wife was going to come home any minute. I told him I was his wife and he told me that I wasn't, he didn't know who I was..."

"It's going to be okay, I'll help you out Al. I won't let you go through this alone. I promise you I will help you. Both of you. Niall will only get worse, this is the sort of thing that happens in life. It'll be okay. I'll go see him now." I smiled.

I climbed out of the chair and walked into the garden where Niall was sat. I sat next to him and smiled at him.

"Alright Ni. How are you?" I questioned.

"I'm good thank you Tash. How are you?" He smiled.

"Ni, it's me Rosa? Tasha's gone away remember?" I weakly smiled.

"Oh yeah. Sorry. I'm fine thank you Rosa. How are you?"

"I'm fine thank you Ni. Why didn't you mention about your memory?"

"What's wrong with it? There's nothing wrong with it?" He replied, looking puzzled at my question.

"You're not well. But I promise you something. I promise you I will not let you go through this alone. I'll be by your side every step of the way." I smiled.

"I want to go to Louis and Courtney see how they're doing. Last I heard they were ill in hospital. I want to check up on them then I'll see the others." He smiled with glee.

"Ni... They're not here. They're not here anymore. They all passed away Ni. There's only me, you, Alex and Tasha left of us oldies. We've all got to go one day. But at least we'll all be together again." I softly spoke.

He looked at me with despair the same way when first found out that they passed away. The fact he would forget about them dying again hurts as it's going to have to be up to us to constantly remind him that they're gone and not coming back.

We will have to work with him to ensure that he takes his medication and help him to remember things.

It's going to be a hard journey but we can all get through it if we work together.

Alex came over to us with three cup of teas and sat next to Niall.

"Alex. Did you know that they died?"

"Yeah I did Ni..." she shyly replied.

"Why didn't you tell me? I deserve to know that my best friends are gone." He spat.

"Niall. I told you plenty of times... You keep forgetting babe." She softly said.

"I'm sorry." Niall simply said before getting up and walking into the house.

**

"Rosa. What do I do? Do I put him in a home? Do I carry on like nothing's happened? Do I remind him he's got Alzheimer's? What do I do?"

"Al, you just need to love him. He's still the same person. He's just forgetting some things. He's still the same guy you fell in love with, the same guy you had a family with, the same guy you shared all those memories with. He's still Niall. Memory or no memory that doesn't affect how much you love him, how much affection you show him. It doesn't matter." I replied.

"I know. I just need to love him just as much as I always have. It's just hard sometimes you know?"

"I know, but think about how hard it must have been on him. He's been doing this alone for months. He's kept it from you so that you didn't have to be hurting with him. Now that you know about it you can help him to feel safe and comfortable through his journey of Alzheimer's."

"I didn't think of it like that though Roz. Maybe you're right. Maybe I should speak to him and figure out a plan so that when he does pass we have planned what he would like at his funeral and so on." She weakly smiled.

"I agree. It wouldn't do any harm. It's just a bit of talking, you need to discuss things like that with him before it gets even worse because he wouldn't be able to tell you what he wants and then may not like what is chosen for him."

"I know. I'll sort it. Thank you for helping me. It means a lot, I swear to you it does." She smiled

We talked for a little while more then went inside. Niall was asleep in his chair so we made lasagne and talked until he woke up.

After eating some of the lasagne I went back home. I'm going back up the hospital tomorrow so I can see Becca. I'm going to need a good sleep.