sincere and practiced, she said, her voice low “that “Steve?” Steven slipped into a coma this and soft. me. Jessica. I’m “It’s morning. I doubt you’ll be able to here. I’m sorry I’m . . . so late.” talk with him. I’m so sorry.” His fingers in her hand Jessica swallowed. remained lifeless. His closed eyes “I understand.” didn’t even flutter. leave you alone,” the She held his hand and “We’ll older nurse said, still whispering. studied him. Somehow, Stephen had been transformed to have the is the family? Are “Where face of an old man. of all “Think they here somewhere?” the years,” she murmured. all “Of The nurse met her gaze. the memories.” Her lips started to “I’m not sure.” tremble. She squeezed his hand and pleaded, “Steve?” Jessica averted her eyes. “I’ll only be ten or fifteen minutes. I He didn’t react in any way. know there’s really nothing I can The ragged beeping of the heart do here.” Her voice cracked. monitor seemed to fill the room. “And I’m not sure I can stand it any Jessica stood there for a long longer than that.” time, herself also immobile, his The nurse smiled and patted hand in hers. Finally, she leaned her arm, then left with her over, inches from his face. Her companion. eyes became moist as she said, got to go, Steve.” She kissed “I’ve Jessica stared into the slack him on the lips, whispered in his face of Steven. Tubes fed oxygen ear, then straightened. into his nostrils, and some type of Steve,” she said quietly, then monitor was clipped to one ear. grabbed her coat and shot out of She stepped forward and took his the room. hand, careful not to disturb the IV attached to his arm. His hand felt ran down her cheeks as so warm, so dry, she thought. she picked her way across the ice
sincere and practiced, “that Steven slipped into a coma this morning. I doubt you’ll be able to talk with him. I’m so sorry.” Jessica swallowed. “I understand.” “We’ll leave you alone,” the older nurse said, still whispering. “Where is the family? Are they here somewhere?” The nurse met her gaze. “I’m not sure.” Jessica averted her eyes. “I’ll only be ten or fifteen minutes. I know there’s really nothing I can do here.” Her voice cracked. “And I’m not sure I can stand it any longer than that.” The nurse smiled and patted her arm, then left with her companion. Jessica stared into the slack face of Steven. Tubes fed oxygen into his nostrils, and some type of monitor was clipped to one ear. She stepped forward and took his hand, careful not to disturb the IV attached to his arm. His hand felt so warm, so dry, she thought. “Steve?” she said, her voice low and soft. “It’s me. Jessica. I’m here. I’m sorry I’m . . . so late.” His fingers in her hand remained lifeless. His closed eyes didn’t even flutter. She held his hand and studied him. Somehow, Stephen had been transformed to have the face of an old man. “Think of all the years,” she murmured. “Of all the memories.” Her lips started to tremble. She squeezed his hand and pleaded, “Steve?” He didn’t react in any way. The ragged beeping of the heart monitor seemed to fill the room. Jessica stood there for a long time, herself also immobile, his hand in hers. Finally, she leaned over, inches from his face. Her eyes became moist as she said, “I’ve got to go, Steve.” She kissed him on the lips, whispered in his ear, then straightened. Steve,” she said quietly, then grabbed her coat and shot out of the room. ran down her cheeks as she picked her way across the ice
2015%20Summer%20S&S.docx