My Country Paradise

Chapter 11: Goodbye For A Little While

The shock of my own doing caused me to pull away from him sharply.

"Sorry...about th-" Andrew stopped me by putting his finger to my lips and looking tenderly into my eyes. What was happening? I mean...this couldn't be real. Tears rained softly down his cheeks and I reached up to wipe them away, shocked by the electricity that jolted through my fingers when I touched him.

"I have to go. My mother..." Andrew stopped for a moment, "My mother-" he started again, but still didn't find the confidence. I silently slipped my hand into his and pulled him to Aunt Darcy's car. He got into the passenger seat and I walked around to get into the driver's seat. I looked at him sorrowfully a moment, before backing out of the driveway and driving to the hospital silently.

A couple of minutes later we got out of the car and rushed up to his mother's room. Andrew thrust open the door and looked silently at the bed; the bed that was bare besides a white sheet. Tears began to rain down his face and collide on the white tile floor, a puddle of sorrow quickly forming beneath his feet.

"Andrew...you don't know. That could mean-" Andrew cut me off with an angry shout.

"I knew this was coming! She was going to die...all along, this was going to happen!" He shook with anger, causing me to leap back in shock only to collide with a women, probably a nurse with dark skin and sharp features.

"Are you looking for someone?" the women asked politely.

"Uh...yes, his mother was here..." I trailed off uncertainly.

"She was moved to the emergency section on the top floor," she smiled politely once again, but it seemed fake. I turned to watch as Andrew's mouth opened to apologize to me, but I pulled him out of the room and back towards the elevator.

"Look, Alli-"

"Don't worry about it." I offered him a fake smile and turned back to wait for the elevator.

"I shouldn't have-"

"Stop, okay?" The anger that echoed in my voice surprised me, "Your mother isn't doing well, you were stressed and afraid. I understand." My voice quieted back into my normal whisper before diminishing completly.

"It's not okay, Alli. It's not," Andrew took my hand forcefully and gave it a gentle squeeze. I pulled away from his grip and walked into the elevator, clicking the button to the top floor, and then looking down at my feet silently. "Please don't be mad, Alli..."

"I'm not mad," I said quietly, "I'm just...worried. Your mother..." I trailed off and looked back down at the ground. Finally, after seeming like hours, the elevator chimed and the doors snapped open. Andrew walked ahead of me, making a bee-line for the receptionist's desk.

" I'm Andrew Holland. I'm looking for my mother, Sara Holland," Andrew's voice faltered on the word mother and sympathy squeezed my heart.The lady told us the room number and we entered her room after navigating the halls.

"Mom," Andrew's choked up voice cried out as he saw his mother, frail, pale, and weak lying on a narrow bed. Her eyes were shut, but erratic murmurs came from her lips. Her lips, usually a bright pink, had a tint of blue in them and her skin was cold to the touch. A machine moved rhythymically, mimicking a human's breathing. She couldn't breathe herself. A doctor came in looking ancy and worried.

"Are you her son?" he asked and continued when Andrew nodded, "I'm Doctor Linsky. Your mother is in rapid degression. One lung has already failed."

"No!" The shock of his mother's nearing death, caused Andrew to cry out.

"I'm sorry," the doctor said sypathetically before backing out of the room. "Say your goodbyes." Tears rained down Andrew's face harder than before. I reached out to him and pulled him into a hug. Whimper's escaped from his lips and sobs racked his body.

"She was the only thing I had left," he managed to sob. "The only thing."

I pulled out of his tight grib and looked into his damp eyes. "Andrew you have me. I'll be here for you. And you have God. God's always here."

"How could God do this to my mother?" His saddened tone made my heart wrench.

"God has a reason for everything. Your mother will be up there smiling at you, safe in heaven, with the rest of your family. She loved you Andrew, I can see that. I know she'll want you to live your life to it's full potential. Be happy," I tried to get through to him. I wanted him to be happy to him too.

When I was sure he wasn't going to say anything, he whispered softly, "You're right." Andrew blinked away the tears and left me to stand by his mother's side.

I could hear his soft whisper from where I stood, "I love you Mom. You're the best mom God could have given to me. I want you to go to heaven and always be happy with Jesus. You deserve that, Mom. You were always so brave. You took care of me...when no one else was left. You could have given me up because I was so hard to care of, but you never stopped trying, Mom. Even though you didn't know, I could hear you crying in your room every night...when Dad left us. You could have given up, but you didn't and I owe you the world for that. And then...when the cancer struck you...you were so strong. You held on for me, when I knew you wanted to be in your eternal home. Even when the world seemed to be ending, you held on...when the chemo drained you of all your energy, you still held on. But now...now you can let go. It's okay. It's your time to shine now...go be with Dad. I can take care of myself now. You can watch over me from above," Andrew paused, his voice growing shakier, "And besides, I have my own someone to take care of. She's special to me and I want to be with her forever. I know you love her too Mom. I could see it. So go...go to heaven," Andrew's voice broke and a new wave of tears followed, "It's okay, Mom. You can go now..."

Sara's lips moved and barely a whisper escaped from her lips, "I love you." She reached up and caressed Andrew's cheek. The monitor beeped loudly as her body stilled completly and her hand fell limply back to the bed.