Page 126 of Consumed By You

“I thought there was more time,” I whisper, looking up at Benjamin.

He nods. “We all did.”

“Were you upstate all weekend?” Kevin asks.

“Yes.”

“So, you two aretogethertogether now?” Kevin looks between us, expecting an answer.

Benjamin raises his hand to my face, pushing back the loose strands of hair. “Yes, we are.”

My cheeks are heating up by the minute, even in this unromantic atmosphere.

“Good. I’m honestly glad, but Iwillkill you if you hurt her again, Scott,” Kevin warns.

Benjamin smiles slightly, nodding once. “I understand.”

Kevin huffs, his face transforming back to the loveable man I know. “All right, I hate to go, but I have to get some hours in at work.”

I nod, touching his arm. “I’ll stay with her.”

“Okay. Tell her I’ll be back in the morning.” He plants a kiss on my cheek and picks up his jacket. “See you, Benjamin.”

“Good night.”

I hear a vibration and Benjamin reaches into his pocket. He checks the number and then says to me, “I have to get this.”

He leaves through the sliding doors and all I can do is wait for one of them to get back.

***

After about ten minutes, Doris returns, her shawl wrapped around her hunched body. I stand immediately, scared.Godno…

I run up to her. “What is it? Is he okay?”

Her red-rimmed eyes are glazed. “They’re taking him off life support tomorrow.”

“What?” I gasp, covering my mouth. “No! They can’t. There’s still a chance. Kevin said—”

She takes my arms gently. “Things have changed. He has no brain activity. The doctors can do nothing else…and Arthur wrote a statement that he wouldn’t want to be put on life support if something like this were to happen.”

“There has to be some way.” She shakes her head and all I can do is stare at her, paling by the second as the truth of the matter sinks in. “I’m so sorry, Doris.” I crush her to me tightly and hold her even tighter as her body starts to shake. Her soft sobs echo through the room. “I’m so sorry.”

I hold her for a long while, breathing deeply to calm myself. I swipe under my eyes as I see Benjamin reapproaching. His face, already upset, falls even more upon looking at us.

“Is it?” He lets out a sigh of relief when I shake my head.

“You two go in and see him. Room 815. I think I’m going to sit here for a moment,” Doris says, sitting down on a chair. Benjamin grasps my hand and leads me away into the cold hallway.

“They’re taking him off life support tomorrow, Benjamin,” I whisper as we pass room 801.

“What? No. He’s barely been here. Maybe he’ll wake up.”

“He doesn’t want that.”

“He said so?”

“Yes, Doris just told me. The doctors told her there was barely a slim chance he could come back, and considering he didn’t want to be on life support…she’s going to respect his wishes.”