Chapter Six
Alex
That night, Jennie called Kyla, Maeve, and Elizabeth in to help bathe Maddie, sending Alex out.
“I’m fine, Jennie.”
“Go eat, Alex. And I’ll not tell you again.”
“Jennie, when did you get as bossy as Brenna?”
Alex scowled but did what she asked. As soon as he stepped outside, he was surrounded by their family asking questions, but he just shook his head.
Gracie and Sela ran to get him food while Connor brought him a large goblet of their finest amber brew after settling him in his favorite chair by the hearth.
He took a few gulps, because he knew it was the only way he’d sleep. Listening to Maddie struggle for each breath was one of the most difficult things he’d ever done, but he’d do it until she no longer needed his support.
He ate, though he had no idea what it was, nodded when someone spoke to him, allowed all the hugs his bairns and grandbairns needed. The door banged open and banged shut, Logan leading Gwyneth and Brenna inside.
Brenna hugged him and entered their chamber.
Everyone was here, but his heart was about to shatter. He thought of their lives together—their bairns, their battles, their wonderful moments together over the years.
He moved about with a fog over his head, finally making his way back to his wee wife after Jennie, Kyla, Maeve, and Elizabeth left the chamber.
Brenna helped him to settle after he banked the fire.
He asked Brenna only one question, “How long?”
“It’s difficult to predict, but you are all here, which is a comfort to Maddie. She hasn’t awakened since the bairns were all in to talk about memories, so I’m told. Alex, don’t feel badly for her. You’ve had a wonderful life together. Mama and Da would be so proud of what you’ve done with the clan.
Ease her passing. That’s all you can do. It’s so hard to breathe with the sickness in her lungs, and many times if someone survives a bout such as this, they are sick again quickly. She’ll be at peace in a day or two.”
Brenna fussed a bit, then kissed Alex’s and Maddie’s cheeks and left.
And he held his beloved Madeline.
He held her until she no longer breathed.
Until she was no longer warm.
Until her heart no longer beat with his.
Until he didn’t know how long it had been.
People came in.
People left. He cried and stopped. Then cried again.
Yet he could not let her go. He’d loved this woman with every part of his being. He’d thought of all they’d gone through together. How would he live without her smile, her words, her touch? Dyna’s words came back to him, how she had another purpose. And he knew he should let her go, but he couldn’t.
He kept his arms wrapped around her until he couldn’t argue. One person convinced him to move.
Alasdair.
Everyone had left.
In the young lad came, sobbing. He came over to the bed, climbed up, kissed his grandmother and said, “Grandda, I cannot lose you too. Please come with me.”
He looked into the gray eyes so much like his own and agreed to go with him.
He settled Maddie in the bed until he knew she was perfectly comfortable, kissed each cheek, then he took his grandson’s hand and walked out the door.
His heart would never be the same.
THE END