Based on a True Story>>The gift of life

Chapter 9: The unexpected

Two Weeks later... Angel grabbed the ball in the living room and tossed it to Dylan who walked over to take it then throw it back. Angel continued to fold laundry and watch Gracie in the baby swing. Angel looked to see James out on the back porch grilling his hamburgers. She already had the chips laid out. "Hey! Princess!"
She called for her older daughter by her nickname. Her daughter stuck her head out of her room with earbuds in, one hanging out. "What?!" Angel narrowed her eyes. She rolled her eyes. "Yes ma'am?" "Can you watch Gracie while I make that cole slaw and mix the tea up?" "Sure." "Don't let Dylan knock her over now, I know he tries to love on her but he could flip it over." "I know, I know." Angel walked in her kitchen and started pulling the supplies out. The mustard, apple cider, mayo, relish. She laid it on the counter. Pouring the cole slaw out and began mixing. When James walked in, "well, baby here are the burgers, I am going to go call the boys in..you almost got everything ready right?" Angel nodded. "Yes, yeah call them in and tell them to wash their hands." James nodded walking up behind her and kissing her on cheek..she placed a spoonful of slaw in his mouth. "M-hm, babe that's the best stuff..wow!" "You like it?" "Uh-huh."
James walked out the sliding glass doors to call the boys in. "Liam! Kyle! Come on now! Time to eat!" Just then, Angel felt a sharp pain in her chest, her vision got fuzzy..she muffled. "Ja—James! James!" James looked over and caught her as she began collapsing to the floor. "Angel! Angel! Talk to me baby! Talk to me!" He patted her cheek. "Ky—-Kyle! Kyle! Call 9-11! Your mother collapsed!" Kyle pulled out his cellphone to call paramedics as the other children walked up to look at their mother. "Angel! Angel, baby." Angel weakly opened her eyes and gave a weak smile. "I—love you." She whispered then her eyes closed.She lay there in his arms unresponsive.

     James paced back in forth in the waiting room, as he waited to hear back from the attending doctors. When his mother walked up, the children sat in the corner in silence. "James, what happened?" He shrugged running his fingers through his hair. "I don't know we were going to eat dinner together, I went to get the boys then..then she collapsed. " "what do you think caused it?" "I don't know Mama, if I did I wouldn't be standing out here would I?" He snapped. His mother threw her hand up to her face in shock, but she understood he was beside himself and would be so until he saw the doctors. James sat down, rolling his hands back in forth..this made no sense..she was in the clear, she was cancer free. Right? Maybe it was low iron? Or she hadn't healed properly from the c-section? James stood to his feet again to look outside the window at the passing traffic and the nurses helping their patients into the cars for home. "Please let that be us today God, please let that be us.." he mumbled under his breath. As he turned back towards the doors, the doctor came walking out, with his clipboard and he removed his glasses. "James, I need to see you." He remembered the elderly doctor throughout treatments. His face looked grim although he tried to camouflage it with his relaxed eyebrows. "Yes sir?" The doctor looked to his left at James mother. "Grandmother?" "Yes, we won't be a moment." James followed the Doctor through the doors. Past the fast moving machines and nurses. "Sir, I won't hesitate to tell you that it don't look good." James jerked his head to side. "What do you mean?" The doctor took a breath. "I don't expect her to make it through the night." James felt a rock crush his soul. "What..who? What happened..the cancer come back? Is that it? All those treatments for nothing?" "No, no...it's not that..it's her heart. Her blood pressure is steadily decreasing and there is nothing much we can do..I am sorry." James looked toward the waiting room then back to the doctor. "Where is she?" He asked. "Uh, right here room 432." "Can I?" "Yes, by all means." James walked to the entrance. Beeping and heavy breathing were in the room. He could sense the struggle between his wife's struggle for life. She had come so far, she had won the battle. Why this? Why now? Their baby needed her, he needed her. He walked over and grabbed her stiff hand. "Angel, my Angel don't go..don't leave me..you got some fight left in you..I just know it..Angel.." the buzzing monitors caught his attention. Indicted his worst fear. She was gone. Gone to be with her Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ. James weeped uncontrollably. This had to be another bad dream..it simply had to be. How would he tell his friends? His family, much less his children?