A Life Well Lived

The End.

Liam looked at the monitor that was hooked up to him and wondered when it was going to end. Surely it was soon, the doctors had told him he had at most a month to live, and it had been 3 weeks since that prediction. He felt as though it was his time, and he was ready to go. His wife, Martha... he thought about her much in recent. He couldn't wait to see her again, couldn't wait to kiss her, to hold her, to be with her again. He closed his eyes and recalled all of their time together, all of the memories, all of the days they spent on the couch. He looked back at the monitor and then to the nurse that had just walked in to check on him Tell me the bad news, tell me it's time to go, I'm ready he thought. "Sir, your family is here to see you." The Nurse stated, stern, but soft. "I'd love to see them," Liam began "let them in immediately..." His two sons and one daughter walked in next to his bedside. His oldest son brought Liam's grandson Richard, and the 6 year old lit up when he saw his grandfather laying there, "Grandpa! It's been so long, I missed you!" Liam looked at his grandson and smiled brighter than he had in weeks. He saw Martha in all of them. In their smiles, in their solemness. In every fiber of their body. "Hey dad, we just wanted to stop in and say we love you, and that we've been thinking about you..." It was his daughter, Veronica. "Thank you all, you're all so wonderful... I couldn't ask for a better family, ever," Liam said, getting choked up, knowing the real reason they were here "God has blessed me with quite possibly one of the best families ever in history. After all, who could have holidays like the Harris family?" They all chuckled at this, Veronica and Ben, his oldest son tearing up. There was a long silence, filled with nothing but dead air. Ben was the one to break this silence "We've been thinking about you, and about mom... and about how much time you have... and we know that the doctors say you don't have long, so we came to visit you... quite possibly for the last time." After this, Liam looked at his feet, looked up and made eye contact with each one of his children, "I'm proud of all of you, you've all been the greatest children a man could ever ask for, and if your mother was here, she would say the same thing." Tears began to fall from his eyes, he began to get choked up, but he continued, "I am not long for this world, and I simply know that my body is in a civil war that I'm losing. But don't feel sad. Whatever happens has always been meant to happen, it's my destiny, and I will face it with as much courage as I did life." "Dad, I love you..." His middle son, Liam Jr. started, but with this he started sobbing uncontrollably. They all sat in silence, as the man with no emotions for the first time, cried for his father.

A week passed after they left, and for that time he looked at the walls, littered with pictures, memories, all of them happening again in his head. He stared at these memories and relived them until the doctor came in and told him the news. He was going to die tomorrow, the tumor in his brain was growing at a rate that would render him brain dead within 24 hours. He was advised to say good bye to his loved ones while he still could, and made the decision that when he reached his vegetative state, the doctor would pull the life support and he would die.

Ben was the first to visit before he would have to go. He walked in with Richard and his wife Felicity. Liam had always liked Felicity, in a way he was reminded of himself and Martha when Ben and Felicity were together. Felicity was holding Richard, and as they entered she set him down and he went running to his grandfather. He hugged Liam tight and refused to let go. Liam just laid there, paralyzed by his grandson's display of affection. He had despised this day ever since Ben was born. He knew that he would have to let go of his life and leave so many behind. He tried to speak, but he was crying, and all that he was able to stammer out was "I love all of you" "I love you too Dad..." Ben was able to put together before he joined his son in hugging the old man.

Veronica was the next one to walk in, the youngest of his kids, walking in and seeing her dad being surrounded by his son and grandson. "Oh dad... I just got the news..." she said, calm as can be. Ben and Richard turned around, Richard immediately latching onto his grandfather's arm "We're not gonna let him go, right Aunt Veronica?" "Richie... come here baby, I'm sorry..." Veronica formulated. "No! I'm not leaving grandpa!" Richard yelled, beginning to sob uncontrollably, crying into the arms of his grandfather. "Hey Richie," Veronica begins to walk towards the bed, Liam looking around and making eye contact with her. "Richie, grandpa is going to be okay, he's going to go to a better place, okay?" "Okay..." Richard whispers. Liam, unable to recollect himself looks at his grandson and says, "I'm going to be with grandma, okay? And someday you're gonna get to see the both of us again, and you're gonna be able to see us forever, alright?" Liam smiles and so does Richard. "Promise?" "I promise Richard."

After they all leave Liam is left alone. He looks at all of his memories and smiles, happy that he lived to the ripe old age of 77. He hears a knock on the door and smiles. Junior is standing in the doorway in business attire and with cell phone in hand "Did you think I would miss the last opportunity to see my dad for some dumb island in the south pacific?" Liam smiles bright as Junior walks to his bedside "What do you think the company assistants are for?" "I'm so happy to see you Junior, I'm sorry that my dying interrupted the business, after all you're a busy man, I would've understood if you couldn't have seen me in my final hours." Liam stated, happily. He was simply so happy to see the busiest of his children. "I mean, yeah, I'm probably about 4 hours of paperwork behind now, but you taught me that family is the most important of all, and you also taught me all I know about business!" He chuckled "Why wouldn't I come to see my mentor on his death bed!" They both laughed, and shared memories for hours, until Junior had to leave. "I love you Dad" "I love you too"

Hours later, the doctors pulled the plug, and the very last essence of Liam's life was drained from him. He went through a painless death, when many were asleep. He was pronounced dead on the 4th of October at 3:05 A.M. and the doctors prepared to store his body for his family.