Paula took her dinner in Franzi’s room. She was still technicaly a patient so there were no complications. Paula spent the day sitting by Franzi, reading to her, singing A-Capella, making like they were having conversations over anything. Only at very special moments did Paula hold Franzi’s hand in a loving way.

Nurse Abel came in quietly and asked, ‘It’s late right now. Do you want me to take you back to your room?’

Wiping the drool from her mouth, Paula said, ‘Nah. Can’t I just stay here for the night? I won’t bother anyone and I really need to be here for Franzi.’

With a smile, Nurse Abel answered, ‘Sure, miss. I’ll tell the night staff to change your room assignment to this one.’ Putting her hand on Paula’s shoulder, Nurse Abel said, ‘Don’t worry. It will all be okay.’

Paula said, ‘Thank you.’ When Nurse Abel left, Paula whispered to Franzi, ‘You hear that? Everything’s going to be okay. And I’m not going to leave you.’

Paula changed into her pajamas that Philip brought in the afternoon. He didn’t do any talking; he just brought Paula some clothes, pajamas, some hygiene items, and went back home to John and Emily. The closest he came to talking to Paula was a simple nod and grunt to assure Paula that he’d give John her kindest regards and best wishes.

Paula kneeled and prayed, ‘Please watch over John and Philip. I didn’t mean to hurt them in their time of need. And please bring Franzi back to me. She deserves to be alive with the one she loves. Amen.’ After crossing herself, Paula sat in a chair beside the bed and laid her head down facing Franzi. With their right hands joined, Paula tried to keep her eyes open all night just to see a move.

At 2:17am, Paula woke up to go to the lavatory. She kept the bathroom light on in case she had to go again and so that she wouldn’t bump into anything. When Paula got back to the bedside chair, she took a moment to look at Franzi. Even under these circumstances, Franzi had a sort of glow over herself that made Paula smile and leak a tear from her left eye.

Franzi’s grip tightened while Paula looked at her. It was probably a muscle spasm. Paula rubbed Franzi’s forehead, kissed it and then her cheek, and whispered, ‘Come back to me.’

As if a response, Franzi’s middle finger twinged. Paula looked at Franzi’s hand then up at her face. Paula whispered, ‘Franzi’ and waited to see what would happen next.

Looking into the darkness of her eye lids, Franzi tried to open her eyes. Paula whispered again, ‘Franzi?’ Then Franzi opened her eyes to see Paula joining their hands, looking over her, and Paula was ready to cry as though she’d never cried before.

Choking on her words, and drowning in tears, Paula brought Franzi’s hand to her right cheek and said, ‘I….I knew….you would come back….to me.’ Then Paula kissed the palm of Franzi’s hand.

Seeing that Paula had been beside all this time, without even being told, Franzi said, ‘Paula.’

Paula tried to control herself and sat up looking Franzi in the eyes. ‘Paula.’ Franzi took a moment to look in herself and find the next words, ‘please….stay with me.’ Then Franzi’s tears started to build up.

Standing closer to Franzi, still joined at the hands, Paula didn’t let go when she said, ‘I’m here, Franzi. I’m right here.’