1201

Day 298087

Ellie stared at the ceiling. The sound of the TV buzzed annoyingly in her ear. The blue smurf continued yabbering on in the small screen on the daily game show. Her head ached, and her heart beat in synchronicity with her pounding head. She knew every beat meant she was drawing nearer to her end. She had come to terms with me, watching her silently in the corner of the room. She just didn't want to leave everyone she loved, especially if they had to deal with the pain and grief of loss after she left them. Ellie didn't want that. Particularly for all of her boys, the three people in her life who she cared for more than anything. She didn't want what she had gone through after her husband, Max, passed away, to happen to their children after they lost their last parent.

It was not something she wanted anyone to go through.
She watched the balding man on screen question contestants about their lifestyle at home, and wondered about her boys. Ellie hoped Jack had won his football game the other day, and she had hoped Douglas was there to see it. Jack deserved his father to be around as much as possible, especially after his divorce. Dianne was a nice woman, however she never suited Douglas. Arguments occasionally stretched unsolved, and untold, for months, and Ellie had seen their relationship dwindle from a bonfire, to a flickering candle, until it finally burned out last year. Douglas was still recovering. She could tell that her son was deeply troubled since the break-up, and her grandson even more so. It was such a shame, but she supposed it was better this way, instead of a different kind of fire being fuelled between the couple, and arguments rising into a different kind of bushfire. Hopefully, it was the right thing. Ellie knew Douglas was one to brood, but she thought with the right push in the right direction, he might overcome his troubles.
She looked over at Cindy, who was adjusting the compression bandage around her arm, and inflating it. A thought occurred to her as Cindy smiled back warmly. Hopefully she could do one good thing to each of her boys in return for all of the happiness they had given her, before I would take her away.
There was one way to find out.
'Cindy, are you single?'
Cindy was blushing, Ellie could tell. Her face had suddenly turned quite beetroot. Cindy fumbled as she deflated the bandage and took it off Ellie's arm.
'Just to be a bit blunt, huh?' Cindy forced a smile, although her face was still bright crimson.
Ellie chuckled heartily. 'I can't help being nosy. Have a look at this thing,' She tapped the side of a relatively pointed nose. 'That is certainly not blunt.'
Cindy shook her head, smiling all the while. 'You certainly aren't, either. And yes, I am single. My ex and I broke up a little while ago, but I'm not looking for anything at the moment.'
Ellie stared deeply into Cindy's bright blue eyes. 'Douglas isn't either. You two are a perfect match.'
Cindy shook her head again, this time, morose. 'I'm sorry, Ellie. I really am. But I honestly don't think that would be wise. For both of us.'
Ellie sighed. It was worth a shot. They may have gotten along quite well. 'Well, if you ever are, make sure you give him a call. He's on my emergency contacts list.'
Cindy laughed lightly, as she exited with the blood pressure monitor and Ellie heard the gentle thud of the door closing behind her.
Ellie smiled gently and returned her gaze to the balding TV host on screen. He was seriously going bald. Ellie had alopecia for obvious reasons, but this guy could have called up Ashley and Martin at the touch of a button. Especially after being seen on TV. Ellie was openly considering calling up his hair stylist, if he even had one. He looked like a young vanity smurf who spent too much time looking in the mirror and not enough time doing anything about it. Sighing, Ellie angrily pushed the power button on the remote, and the babbling presenter was mute; the TV switched off to a silent room.
She rolled onto her side, painfully, and placed a hand on the front cover of a well-loved book. She had read it numerous times, but that didn't mean she was going to stop. She had begun rereading it a few days before, when Douglas had given it to her to ease her boredom. It worked. She had already read most of the first book, but Ellie opened it onto yet another chapter, and started poring over the pages, eating the words like a sandwich. There was no doubt the amount of hours Ellie had spent in the Wellington Library, perusing the shelves for more interesting stories than her own. However, I think her story was quite extraordinary, personally. I think everyone's life story is worth being told, and so I watched Ellie from a distance, hoping that she might see it from my perspective. She didn't. Sadly.
The tinkle of keys sounded as the door to her private room was opened. A tall, thin man stepped into view, with shaggy, blonde hair down to his shoulders. An untidy black suit hung from his slender frame. His brown eyes crinkled when he saw his mother, and his pale lips cracked into a smile.
'Hey, Mum. How you doing?' The man leaned in and hugged her gently.
Ellie laughed gently, 'Just fantastic, thanks, Marvin.'
Marvin laughed back, and he went around her bed to deliver a small bouquet of flowers to her bedside table.
'Oh, Marvin, you didn't need to do that,' Ellie stared up at her son gratefully, 'but thank you. I need to spruce up this boring, featureless blue room. It's about as dull as this stupid TV presenter!' She gestured towards the small, balding man displayed on the television screen.
Marvin laughed; a loud snort accompanying his giggle. 'Typical. Very typical of you, Mum.'
Ellie smiled at her son's unique laugh. She had missed him. 'In my defence, if you see him from the back, you can spot the giant bald patch, smack bang in the middle of his head. Just watch, and you'll see.'
Marvin sighed, knowing the wise choice would not be to argue with his mum. Instead, he eyed the book beside his newly placed flowers on her bedside table. Written by Douglas Adams, he leafed through the well-worn pages, where a comedic and crazy story took place about Arthur Dent being saved from Earth's total destruction by being taken away into outer space, where he meets several interesting characters, such as President Zaphod Beeblebrox and a pessimistic, Paranoid Android known as Marvin, all whilst trying to find the meaning to life. It was an interesting story. It was strange to think that he and his brothers were named after such people. Although, Marvin got the short straw by having a depressed robot as a namesake. He chuckled silently at Ellie's insistence on their names. Max didn't have a choice. But at least nobody was named after Zaphod Beeblebrox.
He wondered how his brothers were doing. Ellie wondered the same thing.
'How's Arthur?' Her brow creased as she stared up at him. 'You still keep in touch, don't you?'
Marvin nodded, silent. It was not often that she spoke of him.
'Give my regards, if it even matters to him, please.' Ellie said, curtly. A smirk tugged at her lips, and she slowly continued, 'and tell him I have unfinished business with him, so I'm not going to leave until he comes over and visits himself. I want to see the real him, not these stupid postcards.' She poked a finger at a small pile of cards next to Marvin's flowers.
Marvin smiled. Ellie wouldn't give up without a fight; whether it be with her sons, or for her sons. He sighed, 'I'll talk to him, but I can't promise anything.'
'Good.' Ellie smiled; wonky teeth and all.