Wait For Me: Carter

Epilogue

Simon slammed the car door and raced through the double doors at the entrance of the building, following the instructions he'd been given over the phone. Straight down the corridor, up the first set of stairs and to the left. He practically ran down the hall, almost bumping into a young family on his way past. He mumbled an apology, before focusing on the signs above his head.

He came crashing through the door and onto the ward, glancing around curtains for a familiar face. Finally, he spotted her.

She noticed him as he approached, and rose from her chair beside the bed. She offered him a comforting but weary smile.

"Am I too late?" Simon panicked, as she took hold of his arm to steady herself. She shook her head.

"He's just resting." She smiled lightly, offering Simon her seat. He refused it, instead helping her back down, his grip firm but supportive on her frail arm.

"Thank god." He said, before turning to the patient. "Hi dad. It's me, Simon..." He said, taking hold of Peter's hand. He stirred slightly at the sound of his sons voice, his eyes opening just a crack.

"Hi Si..." He mumbled, squeezing his hand lightly, as much as his frail state would allow.

"How are you doing?" Simon questioned, unsure of what he should say in the given circumstance.

They'd known this was coming for a while. At the grand old age of 93, it was a surprise to everyone that Peter was still around. But over the past few days, his condition had drastically deteriorated, and the family had been told to prepare for the worst.

"C... C..." Peter struggled to get the word out. Simon's eyes widened in concern, unable to understand what it was his dad was trying to say. He felt a hand rest gently against the small of his back.

"Why don't you go and get us all a drink, Si?" She suggested, softly.

Simon glanced back towards Peter, who nodded weakly in agreement. He gave his hand a gentle squeeze, before heading off towards the vending machine.

Peter allowed his head to fall to the side, trying once more to form the words he was desperate to get out.

"Car... Carla?" He questioned.

"She's waiting for you, Peter." Michelle smiled, softly. He sighed, a small smile drawing on his own lips. "She's ready for you. Whenever you want to go, you go."

He found comfort in her words of encouragement. He'd lived a long life without Carla by his side; keeping on the straight and narrow only to appease her wishes. Of course, it hadn't been easy, but with Michelle keeping an eye on him, he'd managed forty years without her. He wasn't sure he could leave it much longer.

However, it wasn't just him he had to think about. Over the years, he and Simon had bonded even closer than before, the latter becoming all of a sudden protective over his father following Carla's death. Peter had never told him the truth about where she was now. He wasn't even sure he'd believe it himself, had he not relived it in his sleep every night since.

"What about Si?" He stuttered out, a pained expression crossing his face. Michelle placed a hand on his, gently stroking the back of his hand with her thumb.

"I'll take care of him while I can. He's a man now, Peter, with a family of his own." She pointed out, softly.

Peter sighed, nodding slightly, before relaxing his head back on the pillow and allowing his eyes to drift closed.

Simon rounded the corner, three takeaway cups filled with coffee balanced precariously against each other between his hands, and felt his heart rate quicken at the sight of his father's eyes closing.