On the Brinks

They sat in the coffee shop. One of his large hoodies engulfed her small frame as she held the warm cup of tea. Her gaze held a small knot in the wood of the table.

“Faith.” She looked up at him and offered a weak smile.

“Faith, what were you thinking?” She shrugged.

“I wasn’t, Dale, I was having fun.” He sighed as he looked down at his hardly touched coffee. Looking at him, she reached over and placed a cold hand on one of his large, warm ones.

“Maybe I’ll get lucky.” Though she knew that wasn’t likely.

An hour later they were sitting in the living room of a bed and breakfast honeymoon suite. She leaned against him as they watched Wizard of Oz. Her wig was off and a bandana covered her head. She hated seeing the empty scalp.

Dale played with her fingers as he focused his attention on her, just enjoying watching her. Each day with her was a gift. Every time he woke to her smile was a blessing.

“What are you looking at?” She looked up at him as she felt his stare. Blond strands fell from his ponytail as he shook his head.

“Nothing.” He smiled.

She smiled at him before leaning up and softly kissing his lips. A calloused hand rested on her cheek, as he returned the kiss before frowning as he pulled away.

“You’re warm.”

Faith gave him a look. “I’m fine.”

“Faith, come on…”

“Come on what? So I’m a little warm, maybe it’s just warm in here.” He shook his head before slipping out from under her.

“I’m getting the thermometer.” Leaning back against the sofa, she sighed. Why couldn’t he just let it be? Maybe she did have a fever, but she didn’t want to go back, not now. Couldn’t they just see if it passed? She knew there was little chance of that. An infection had settled into her system.

“Open up, babe.” She looked up at him before eyeing the small tool that was about to decide her fate. For a moment she bit her chapped lips before opening her mouth, allowing him to stick it under her tongue.

He sat beside her, waiting for the thermometer to go off. This was what he had learned to hate. They never knew when she would get sick and every time she did, it meant a hospital visit. Every hospital visit left him a mess as he worried even further over her health.

As it beeped, he gently took it from her lips, his gut clenching as he read the digits.

“I’ll let the hospital know we’re coming.” He stood up and took the phone to call.

Tears stung Faith’s eyes. Moments like this left her wanting nothing more than for it to all end, the hospital visits, the needles, the doctors, sometimes, even her life. This was a battle she had grown weary of fighting.