I rarely say you MUST listen to the music but on this one you MUST even with the annoying lady talking in the beginning just please do it. I'm actually really proud of this chapter and think it might be the best most difficult thing I've ever written in my life. I hope you guys think I did it justice. Let me know what you think.
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February ended and March came. Between the team’s season kicking down the stretch, training with Mal for the upcoming marathon and spending as much time with Jason as she could there was little time for much else in Sarah’s life. Her relationships with her family, friends and Kris. He was being kind and understand as she grew more standoffish as her young friend slowly slipped away. He even went to visit a few times. The end was near though, the end of training for the big race, the end of the regular season and the end of a young life.
Sarah had been keeping Jason company. It was to the point where he could barely tell she was there but she was there reading him stories while his Parents kept his other sibling occupied. Sarah knew what it was like to never have and to lose Parents but she could never imagine the pain of having to lose her Brother.
The time was passed by reading stories and sleeping. Sarah spent the little free time she had there which overlapped the time she had for sleep. Kris brought food when he could for her but he rarely saw her eat. She had been losing weight since he met her due to her running but she was crashing since spending more time at the hospital. She was in a downward spiral with a little boy she couldn’t help. He would eventually hit bottom where as she would continue to fall for no one knew how long.
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Kris crept in beside her putting the cool foil box with plastic lid on her lap. Sushi. One of their favorite treats. When she didn’t respond he opened the cover and opened the chopsticks putting them in her hand.
“I’m not hungry.” she said not taking her eyes off the little boy who looked especially tiny now that he was hooked up to the many machines helping him function.
“This is sad.” Kris said taking the sushi off her lap putting the lid back on. He knew she would eat some of it eventually.
“I would expect so he’s dying.” Sarah said plainly. Finally she brought her eyes to Kris’s face. “How was practice?” she asked. Sure, she had been there but she was keeping her head down focusing on her work rather than watching them with their sticks and pucks.
“Fine. Playoffs soon so everyone is intense. The arena closing add more pressure.” he confessed. Sarah put her arm around his back letting her palm flatly move over his t-shirt.
“I’m sure it’s a lot of pressure on you guys. I can honestly say the fans will love you no matter what.” unless it was something having to do with Flower in which case the radio personalities would have a field day taking calls about it.
“Yeah.” Kris paused looking back to Jason again. “How much longer do you think?” he had asked the question before. It sounded impatient but that wasn’t how he meant it.
“Less than a week I would expect.” Sarah leaned back in her chair. “I’m ready to go home now.”
This was how it went. She would be there for awhile and Kris would come and then they would go home. Sarah would run and then they would sleep. The next morning they would get up and do it all over again.
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The call came at 4am. Sarah got out of bed dressing in sweats. It was down to hours for Jason. Sarah woke Kris up to tell him where she was going. He nodded sleepily and said he would be down after morning skate. It was a game day.
The hospital was always quiet in the early morning. Kids were sleeping though their fevers, Parents weren’t worried yet. The first chicken pox hadn’t been noticed this was the blissful time of paperwork for nurses. Not for Sarah though as she ran up the stairs to Jason’s floor. She had beaten his family there. They were coming from farther out of the city.
“Hey little man it’s me.” she said sitting down at his bedside. “I know you hate it when I call you little man now. You’ve gotten so tall in the last year.” she reached up brushing the sandy blond hair from his forehead. “I’m glad we have minuets to ourselves. I think you should know that someday when I have little boy I want him to be just like you.” she chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right it would be great if he got some awesome hockey playing genes. It’s still early days for that kind of talk.” she took his hand in hers. “I want to tell you not to be scared.” her eyes welled and her bottom lip quivered. “You’re the bravest person I know already so I know you’ll be strong on this trip. I wish I could ask you what it’s like once you’ve gone. I think it’s beautiful though. I know my Grandma will be waiting to meet you. I never got to tell her about you but she’s the kind of lady who couldn’t resist a cutie like you.” There were full on tears streaming down her face as she continued. “I really want you to wait for me while you’re there. Not like wait around and do nothing wait for me but just know I’ll be joining you someday. I know you have a Mom already but I want to be there with you. We’re closer than you’ll ever know little man. I lo…” she was interrupted as his Parents rushed in. Sarah hugged them both giving her seat and their sons hand. She was close by though there the whole time. She was even there at 10:23am when time of death was called. She was there an hour later when the bed was cleaned and fresh linens were put on.
Kris arrived at noon meeting Mal in the hall. She gave him a hug and walked with him to Jason’s old room. “She hasn’t come out yet. Even his family is gone. I think they were more ready than she was.” Mal explained resting a hand on Kris’s shoulder as they peaked in seeing Sarah sitting by the bed.
“I do not know what to do.” he confessed standing there in the door.
“Just be yourself. You’re exactly who and what she needs.” Mal knocked on the door jam. “Look who I found wondering the halls.” She offered a little Mal smile pushing through the pain as was her stile.
“I’m ready to go home now.” Sarah said plainly getting up. “I need to shower and change there’s a game tonight.”
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