A Night to remember : Book 3

Epilogue

Max
****5 yrs later****

I stare at the beautiful bouquet of calla lilies and white roses in my hand before I crouch down and brush the leaves off the headstone before me.

I trace the engraving:
'Loving wife, mother, and daughter'

I'm still reeling with grief because this could have all been avoided.
I could have prevented this.
It was my fault.
If....only I listened.

I place a handful on her grave and my sons, then the remainder on her fathers. They were buried side by side. It's what she would have wanted.

A kaleidoscope of colors form in my eyes as the back of them burn with tears, I'm too damn chicken to shed. Because they won't bring them back.

I've come to terms with the loss. She is resting in internal peace with our son and I must go on with my life.

Suddenly, I'm aware of the presence at my side as another single white rose is gently placed on each headstone.

Warm small fingers reach for mine.

"Can we go home now, daddy?"

I turn to look down at Miliana. 10 years of age and the spitting image of her mother.

"Sure, princess. Go on ahead I'll catch up."

She slowly turned away and walked toward Wilson as he held the car door open. I give one last glance at the tombstones then I leave.

I climbed in and shut the door. I sat back and took a deep breath. I looked out the window as Wilson started the car and drove away from the cemetery.

Away from the loss, sadness and gloomy grief and where our loved ones rest.

I glanced at Miliana, wondering if any of this had any effect on her. She was only 4 yrs old when everything went down.

I reached over and playfully tugged a loose ringlet under her bonnet. She turned to me and smiled.

She gingerly scooted over and reached for my phone in my pocket and settled against me to watch videos on YouTube.

I settled in and rest my head back on my seat. I felt overwhelmed with memories of the past and today of all days, they came back to haunt me.
I closed my eyes and tried not to relive it all.

I had to choose:
'My wife or my child'  I was livid and past any coherent thinking.
How do you ask such a question?
How the hell do you chose?
I had to pull it together. All I could remember was the desperate, terrified plea to save my wife and my child. No matter the cost.

We were leaving the hospital together. Not one without the other.

I was numb and angry. I missed the birth of my first child and I was at the brink of missing the birth of my second and lose him and his mother all in one night. What fucking gives?

But the call from my father changed it all.

The long walk down that hall, the white tiles that blurred with each step, took me further and further into my nightmare.

Then the voice over the intercom shrieked in my ears.

Code blue. Code blue.

I'm suddenly running and following the chaos of white jackets and scrubs down the hall in a panic.

Code blue. Code blue.