It's Never Too Late to Love

Marcus

10 years previously

"It's going to be okay, Kate." He whispered to the frail shadow of a woman that lay before him. Deep down in his heart, he knew that what he said was true, and so did Kate, for she gave him a small smile as she reassuringly squeezed his hand. Funny, she was the one dying, and yet Marcus needed comforting. They both knew she would be okay, but what would happen to Marcus was unfathomable.

"It's going to be okay, Marcus." She sighed back at him, as her lids began to flutter closed. "Thank you."

By now, the frail 60 year old man was trembling with tears as he tightly clasped his wife's pale hand.

"For what? All I have done is fail you. I couldn't...couldn't..." He choked off into sobs.

"Shh..."it was so quiet a sound, and yet Marcus silenced instantly, "Marcus, you have saved me. You have saved my happiness." She croaked out as a tear ran down her cheek.

The old couple cried silently together, smiling at each other all the while, for no matter what was happening, they were happy. It isn't easy to understand, but that's how it was.

Soon, the tears quieted and they simply stared into each other's eyes until, with one last squeeze of Marcus's hand, a gesture that said more than any words ever could, Kate laid back and closed her eyes, slipping off into a deep sleep that she would never awake from.

As her heartbeat slowed more and more, getting to dangerous levels, doctors burst into the hospital room in alarm, but Marcus simply waved them off. He knew that she wouldn't want him to hold her here. This was her time, and she was dying as she always wanted, in the arms of the one she loved, in deep peace.

Tears flowed steadily down his cheeks, but he made no move to wipe them, no move to quite his sniffles or blow his dripping nose. He simply stared at Kate as her beat became nothing but a thin line, her warmth leaving her body. But even though Marcus knew Kate was no longer there, he clutched her hand and brought it to his lips, placing a soft farewell kiss that echoed the message of her soft squeeze.

Then Marcus Etherman stood from his chair, and with one backward glance at his wife's shell, he left the hospital room, his lips still tingling.

In his heart, Kate Etherman would never die, and beside him, she would always stand, hand forever squeezing his in farewell.