Status: Complete!
Missing Numbers
Chapter 1
Lilly was lying on the bead taking shallow breaths and trying to drink the water that had been poured for her by the nurse. Jared was due to visit within the next two hours and Lilly had decided that today would be the day she told him she wanted him to stop visiting. She knew she was dying and she didn’t want her husband seeing her like that; she wanted him to remember her how she was before she got ill. Jared was the type of man that would watch his wife dying and then never try to love again; he would spend the rest of his life alone. Lilly had to fix that for him, it was the least she could do. Since she had gotten ill Jared had cared for her almost entirely; he had quit his job, stopped going out with his friends on Saturday nights and stopped visiting his sister just so that he could make sure Lilly was alright. A terrible guilt pressed down on Lilly as she thought about all of the sacrifices that Jared had made, and how little she had protested against these sacrifices.
“Hey sweetheart! How are you feeling today?” Jared smiled as he walked into the room holding a bunch of pink roses- Lilly’s favourite.
“Hi hun, I’m feeling a little better today. How about you?” Lilly smiled appreciatively, but a heartbroken glimmer floated in her eyes.
“I’m alright; I finished doing the garden yesterday for when you come home.” Jared’s voice was filled with hoping.
Lilly smiled appreciatively, and sighed knowing what she had to do. The thoughts had been flowing through her mind constantly for the past few weeks, she had spoken with the nurses about it and also her sister; no one agreed with her but she knew she was right.
She took a deep breath and began; “Jared, listen to me. I love you so much, I love you more than anything else and this is impossible for me to do but it has to be done. I’m dying, and we both know it- don’t interrupt me please. I’m not going to be alive for much longer, and so I think it is time for us to say goodbye. I know you’re going to protest but I don’t want you to see me dying, I want you to remember me how I was. You need to go and have a life of your own; you’ve sacrificed so much for me and I don’t want it to continue. I want you to love again; I want you to honour my memory by loving again! Please leave now, and try to get on with your life.”
The tears flowed down her face freely as she finished what she was saying.
“No, how can you ask me to do that? You’re my wife, I love you!” Jared’s voice cracked as he realised the love of his life was dying and he couldn’t stop it.
*******
The weeks passed, and so did Lilly. She felt ready to die when the time came. It was a beautiful summer’s day when she closed her eyes and drifted into the afterlife.
Jared was heartbroken, he couldn’t bring himself to go outside and see the world carrying on.
During Lilly’s funeral Jared glanced at his wrist watch, which had been a Christmas present from Lilly, and noticed the number 4 was missing. Lilly had died at four o’clock on the 4th of April, and she had wanted four children. He vowed there and then to never get the watch repaired.
Jared walked alone from that day onward
“Hey sweetheart! How are you feeling today?” Jared smiled as he walked into the room holding a bunch of pink roses- Lilly’s favourite.
“Hi hun, I’m feeling a little better today. How about you?” Lilly smiled appreciatively, but a heartbroken glimmer floated in her eyes.
“I’m alright; I finished doing the garden yesterday for when you come home.” Jared’s voice was filled with hoping.
Lilly smiled appreciatively, and sighed knowing what she had to do. The thoughts had been flowing through her mind constantly for the past few weeks, she had spoken with the nurses about it and also her sister; no one agreed with her but she knew she was right.
She took a deep breath and began; “Jared, listen to me. I love you so much, I love you more than anything else and this is impossible for me to do but it has to be done. I’m dying, and we both know it- don’t interrupt me please. I’m not going to be alive for much longer, and so I think it is time for us to say goodbye. I know you’re going to protest but I don’t want you to see me dying, I want you to remember me how I was. You need to go and have a life of your own; you’ve sacrificed so much for me and I don’t want it to continue. I want you to love again; I want you to honour my memory by loving again! Please leave now, and try to get on with your life.”
The tears flowed down her face freely as she finished what she was saying.
“No, how can you ask me to do that? You’re my wife, I love you!” Jared’s voice cracked as he realised the love of his life was dying and he couldn’t stop it.
*******
The weeks passed, and so did Lilly. She felt ready to die when the time came. It was a beautiful summer’s day when she closed her eyes and drifted into the afterlife.
Jared was heartbroken, he couldn’t bring himself to go outside and see the world carrying on.
During Lilly’s funeral Jared glanced at his wrist watch, which had been a Christmas present from Lilly, and noticed the number 4 was missing. Lilly had died at four o’clock on the 4th of April, and she had wanted four children. He vowed there and then to never get the watch repaired.
Jared walked alone from that day onward