TOI: Sad
Word Count: 576
I sat in the cold hospital room, holding the small fragile pale hand of my six year old child, Peter. He looked down at me and smiled weakly. "I don't feel good momma." He said in a quiet voice.
"I know baby, I know." I said, tearing up as I looked at al his features. Peter has had Acute lymphoblastic leukemia before he was 2. The doctors told me that he wouldn't live to see his 4th birthday and he just turned 6 two days ago. He's been a strong little boy, fighting every day, but I can tell... it's almost that time to say goodbye.
I heard footsteps walk into the room. I looked up and saw that it was my husband of 8 years, Jack Gillinsky. "Hey little dude." he said as he walked over to me and sat down next to me. "How are you feeling?" Jack asked our only son.
"tired." Peter said. Jack nodded as I rubbed Peter's hand with my thumb. "Dad, when am I going home?" Peter asked Jack. I felt my heart break slightly.
"Eventually...." Jack said.
"I just wanna go home." Peter whined. "I hate hospitals, I hate it so much." Peter said. I teared up at the thought of how Peter's spent most of his life in a hospital. I felt Jack put his hand on my back, drawing circles on my back, knowing it would calm me down. i scooted closer to Jack and put my head on his shoulder, fighting back the tears.
"we have to take Peter for some more tests." I heard Nurse Jackie, the nurse that been treating Peter since he was a toddler.
"NO!" Peter yelled, sitting up.
"Peter." Jack said, sighing.
"I'm sorry Peter, I'll be fast I promise." Jackie said, taking Peter, and his bed out of the room. Once Peter was out of the room, tears escaped my eyes, a ton of tears running down my cheeks. "I can't bear to see him like this anymore." I spoke, crying.
"I can't either babe." jack said, hugging me tightly, "It's gonna be okay, I promise." He said.
"I think it's time..." I said.
"I agree." Jack said.
~~~~~
"You sure about this?" Nurse Jackie asked me, getting ready to take my son off the machines, which was the majority of him being alive this very day. Jack and I nodded. The nurse turned the machines off, then walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. I climbed into the bed and held my son. "Momma what's going on?" he asked me.
"It's okay." I said, crying. "It's all going to be okay." Jack climbed into the bed as well, laying down on the other side of Peter as we all squished onto the bed. "You're gonna go home little man." Jack said, causing me to cry more.
"Why's momma crying?" Peter asked.
"Momma's just really really happy for having a brave son." I said, kissing the top of his head.
"I love you momma and papa." He said, looking up at us. I felt my heart become whole once again as I hugged him tightly, Jack engulfing us in his arms. "We love you too." I said.
I held my child for 5 hours before he died that night. He lived on his own, with no machines, just him, my husband and I for five hours.
"Time of death, 11:11pm, August 12."
