Dylan looked into the eyes she needed to see. Tigger’s. No fear, no sadness, only his smile. His face close to hers as she lay on her side. “You know,” she reached and touched him, “all these people can take a lesson from you right now.”
“Why’s that?” Tigger asked.
“Look how strong you are.”
“I’m trying.” Tigger reached out and grabbed the intravenous tube. “Is this your medicine?”
“Yep,” Dylan said. “Almost done, see?”
After looking to the IV bag, Tigger nodded. “Then?”
“Then I go to sleep. That’s why I wanted to just, you know, tell you I’m hoping you’ll keep Mick in line for me.”
Tigger glanced to Mick who was right there. “That’s a tough job.”
Dylan inched closer. “You think Chris can handle it?” She shook her head. “Pap will kill him.” She smiled. “You’re the tough one. Look how good you’re being right now.”
“I’m still sad.”
“I am, too. Come here.” She pulled Tigger closer and embraced him. “You get going. Go wait downstairs. I love you very much.”
“I love you too, Mommy.” Tigger backed from the embrace with a small pout. “I’ll miss you.”
“Ditto.” Dylan fought her tears as she promised herself she wouldn’t cry. She let Tigger’s hand slip from hers as he stepped back.
Chris stepped forward; he dropped. He dropped to the floor, head to the bed and he grabbed on to Dylan. “Mom.”
Watching it made Mick unable to breathe. He laid his hand on Chris’ shoulder and squeezed.
“Chris,” Dylan whispered, “look at me. I wanna look at you.” When he raised his head she saw the tears. Reaching out, she wiped them. “I know it doesn’t seem fair right now. But think about it: I think all this happened for a reason. You guys will stay here with Mick and Pap, and I’ll be up there taking care of Dustin. I think he needs me, Chris.”
“I need you here, Mom.”
“I know, sweetie. But I’ll always be around, you know that? We’ll be watching you, me and Dustin. Now there’s something you have to do for me. Okay?”
Chris nodded.
“You go downstairs, take Tigger. You put in your favorite wrestling show. And you watch it. You watch it and you enjoy it. Okay?”
“But, Mom…”
“No buts.” Dylan kissed him. “We’ll just say our goodbyes now, like I’m leaving for a long trip. Okay? Give me a hug.”
Chris moaned out his pain into that embrace, squeezing and holding Dylan, not wanting to let her go. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too.” She kissed him, dropping her voice to a whisper as her hands cupped his face. “I love you.”
Chris wiped his tears and stepped back. “Come on, Tigger.” He grabbed his little brother’s hand and slowly they walked to the door, then they both paused with a heartbreaking look back at Dylan, and Chris tried to smile. He lifted his hand in a wave, and walked out.
A slight whimper escaped Dylan and she closed her eyes. She sniffled hard, one that was in unison with Mick’s.
Tom’s hand glided up his daughter’s calf as he walked to the side of the bed and Mick moved back. “Well…” He sat on the edge of the bed. “I see that bag’s just about done, now. I won’t dally in here.” He leaned down and kissed her, grabbing her hand. “I’m proud of ya. You make sure you tell your mom, I said ‘hi’. Okay?”
“I will.”
“I love you.” Tom kissed her again. “You make sure, if you can, you pop back and visit us.” He gave a hard squeeze to her hand, gazed upon her with a proud look and stood up to leave.
Mick was somewhat confused. “Tom?” He followed him to the door. “You’re not staying?”
“It’s my child, Mick.” Tom gazed over at Dylan. “I don’t want to see my child leave this earth. And besides…” he shivered, “she’s the love of your life. You take this last moment.” After a pat to Mick’s cheek, and another glance at Dylan, Tom slipped out.
Mick closed the door and leaned against it, but not for long. He felt the door press into his back, and when he stepped away, Lars walked in. Mick’s heart dropped and he whispered a painful, “Oh my God.”
Lars only nodded and walked to the bed. “How are you feeling, Dylan?”
“I don’t feel sick,” Dylan replied.
“Good.” He laid a hand on her leg and walked to the intravenous bag.
“Mick?” Dylan called him.
“I can’t believe this is happening.” Mick walked over to his chair, pulled it as close as he could to the bed and grabbed Dylan’s hand. He watched Lars remove the IV shunt. “Dylan, how… how are you being so strong right now?”
“I’m not really.” She clenched his hand. “I’m not. But you know what makes this all easier, Mick? I get to see my son. Dustin was always my buddy. I get to be with him. And my mom, too. And…” feeling herself ready to break, she smiled, “Sam.”
Mick’s eyes lifted.
“I wanna fight with you one more time, Mick.”
“No.”
“Please?” Dylan asked. “I know that’s been running through your mind. About Sam.”
“No it hasn’t.”
“You thought of it at least once?” Dylan questioned. “Me, Sam, Dustin…”
“All right, fine.” Mick cut her off. “Okay, yeah. And I’m jealous.”
“Kind of ironic. All our lives I’ve kept going back to him. Now you secure me, marry me and…”
“Dylan,” Mick grumbled out her name, “why do you have to go do this, right now?”
“Because this is us. This is you and me.” She squeezed tighter to his hand. “You’re my soul mate, Mick. I love you.”
Lars cleared his throat. He pushed the intravenous pole aside. “Ten minutes,” he said softly then walked out.
Mick’s chest began to cave again and his eyes closed tight. “That’s all I have left with you.”
“Don’t do this, Mick. Let’s have a good moment.”
“Am I allowed to just slip into bed with you, and hold you?”
Dylan’s lips quivered and she fought her emotions “Please?” She peeped out the word. “This is one time in my life I really, really need to be held.”
With no hesitation, no delay, Mick stood up, walked over to the other side of the bed and lay down. He spooned Dylan from behind, placing his arms under her body and holding her tightly to him.
“This is nice…” Dylan said.
Mick kept his lips to her cheek.
“I have to tell you. I’m glad I married you, Mick.”
“We should have done it sooner. But it was everything I needed. You made my life so complete, Dylan.”
“I’m glad, Mick, my boys have you. I feel so secure that they’ll be loved and all right.”
“They will be, Dylan. I’ll dedicate my life to them.”
“I know you will. And this isn’t something you want to hear right now, but… I named the baby.”
In his anguish, Mick’s eyes clenched shut.
“Harry.”
Mick’s eyes opened. “You named our baby Harry?”
“Yeah. It just popped into my mind.”
“Harry?”
Dylan smiled. “Harry. So when you talk about me and the baby, you can say, Dylan and Harry.” She exhaled. “Mick, about this time, a lot of wives will tell their husbands, if you find someone you love, you move on.”
“Dylan…”
“Not me,” Dylan said enjoying the slight chuckle Mick let out. “I don’t want another woman to have you. I’ll come back and haunt you.”
Throaty, his words filled with emotions, Mick choked out, “Please do. And Dylan, I can honestly say there will never be anyone else. Ever. Any time in the past I tried to date you ruined it.”
“True.”