Dying Wish

Chapter 22

In the morning, Aubrey called Andrew, Tobias, and Steven to let them know Laura was now hospitalized. Steven couldn't come immediately, but would come in a couple of days, but Tobias and Andrew both came within a half hour of the phone call.

First was Andrew. Carefully, he sneaked into sleeping Laura's hospital room.

As a reminder, Aubrey put a finger to her lips as a silent hush. He nodded in response. He walked up close to Laura's bed and observed Laura's quiet body. Her hairless head. Her skinny body. Her pale skin. God, please don't let her leave me. He silently prayed.

After looking at the young woman he raised up as his daughter for a few minutes, he took the seat closest to her. If this was it, he wanted as much time as possible to have with her.

Aubrey's face appeared to be tear-streaked and her eyes were red and swollen. She looked as stressed as the moment her daughter was diagnosed with cancer. Her death sentence. She fought for so long, she thought. Maybe she can make it longer.

My child, I am with you. A sweet, soothing voice rang in her head.

What was that? She wondered.

It is I, the Lord Your God. I promise to protect you all. The voice again!

But I don't believe in God. Thought Aubrey.

My child, have faith, the voice said, just because I am unseen does not mean I am not present.

At that, Aubrey questioned no more and simply ignored her thoughts and the voice. She watched her resting daughter, and hoped she would pull through once again. Because hoping was all she could do.

Interrupting her thoughts, Tobias then quietly entered. His face was fear stricken and he seemed unsure of what to do. He slowly walked over to Laura, his best friend of eight years. His beautiful, amazing best friend. He honestly envisioned himself at the wedding altar watching Laura glide down the aisle in a simple wedding dress. The dress wouldn't make her beautiful, but she would make the dress beautiful. He pictured the two of them in their twenties, cancer free. Laura would have her real hair and eyebrows and proudly style it, knowing it was actually her own. Andrew would get emotional escorting her to him, and so would her new found father, Steven, who would escort her from her other arm. Aubrey would cry watching her daughter being given away, but be happy anyway. His aunt and uncle would actually be proud of him and the lady he picked out for himself.

He envisioned them after the wedding. Two years later, a positive pregnancy test. There would be a baby shower and gender reveal party, not to mention their creative announcement of the pregnancy. After six more months, they would have a boy, Marcel. Not long after Marcel, Laura would get pregnant again with twins, Alaina and Katrina. In the mean time they would raise and eventually lose dogs, but always adopt from the shelter to give the seemingly unwanted dogs another chance at life. After every dog life gained they would celebrate, but after every loss they would mourn. They would also take care of stray kittens that would periodically arrive.

Tobias blinked, suddenly realizing he was daydreaming. He dreamed about every aspect of the future and hoped for it, including Laura. He just dearly hoped she would pull through and be cancer free, and that he would also be cancer free so they could have a happy life together. If only dreams came true. He thought.

But for now, all he could do was hope, wait, and pray.