Fading into the Clouds

Fading into the Clouds:
Short Story version.

They were a wonderful couple, Lily and Sanders. They had so much fun together, it seemed impossible that they ever fought about anything. This is surprisingly true. Lily first met Sanders when she went to the school prom dance. She was talking with her friends when he walked up to her with a flashy grin, and he asked her to dance. She accepted just for the chance to finally dance with someone, and she asked one of her friends to hold her drink for her. As she and Sanders danced, they talked a bit, and he revealed to her everything about himself. She always wondered why he poured out his past, present, and what he wanted to do in the future to only her. She asked him one day as they were out on a date, and he replied, "I just thought you were the most beautiful and intelligent, honest, and loving girl, I just had to tell you." She was greatly surprised, but she was happy. He asked her to be his girlfriend on March 5th, and she accepted gratefully. They lived their lives happily, their family getting along quite well, they were both Catholic, and they were excellent in school. What more could they ask for?

Later, as the end of school was drawing nearer, Lily found out she had cancer. She was deeply depressed by the news, and she told Sanders at school as soon as she found out. It was June 1st. Sanders was concerned, and he asked, "Is it curable?" "It should be. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow. Let's hope and pray for the best." Lily answered. Sanders nodded, and he kissed her to reassure her.

As Lily lie in bed that night, she tossed and turned, crying uncontrollably at the thought of death. She wanted to spend a lifetime with Sanders. They saw a future together, but now her plans were ruined. As soon as she calmed down, she turned over on her stomach and said, "But not my will, your will, Lord." And she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

In the morning, Lily's parents took her to the doctor. He examined her, and when he was done, he led Lily out to the waiting room to her parents. "Well doctor? Will she…?" Lily's mom asked, holding Lily close to her. The doctor sighed and rubbed his forehead. He said, "I'm terribly sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Kindal, but your daughter will not survive, for the cancer has spread throughout her body and only has a week to live." Heartbroken, Lily's mom burst out crying, and her husband hugged her to try and calm her down. He wasn't doing too good himself, either. He had tears running down his cheeks as well. Lily simply stared at the floor, shocked. She never knew she would have a death as terrible as this.

"No! That's impossible!" Sanders exclaimed when Lily told him on a Friday through the phone. "I'm sorry, Sanders." Lily said, holding back the tears. Sanders calmed down and said, "It's not your fault. Listen, I'll do everything to make you well again." Lily laughed dryly and replied, "There's nothing you can do." Sanders breathing became staggered; it sounded like he was crying. Lily groaned and felt the tears coming, too. "Please don't cry." But he didn't answer and kept it up. After awhile of just silence and sniffling, Lily said, "Please come over tomorrow. It's a Saturday tomorrow, so…" "Of course I'll come." He replied immediately. Lily smiled, and Sanders seemed to feel it, and he said, "At least you have a smile on your face." Lily knew he was smiling, too.

Saturday came, and Lily waited at the door until Sanders showed up. She opened the door for him, and they hugged at the door for a long time. He rested his chin on her shoulder while she buried her face into his chest.
  
They went to her room and just sat on her bed, comforting each other. "You'll be just fine, you'll get through this." Sanders said, a comforting tone in his voice. Lily nodded as he pulled her close and hugged her, but she knew it was too late for her. But she didn't want to kick the bucket just yet. Not yet…

"Sanders…" She whispered. He kissed the top of her head. "What is it?" He asked. She sat up and looked into his brown eyes. He smiled a bit confusedly, so Lily said, "I'm looking into your eyes for the first time." And then he recalled when she simply refused to look into his eyes because she was always so nervous. His smile was now certain and simply…beautiful. He chuckled and said, "Oh yeah, I remember. You're brave now, huh?" Lily giggled and nodded, trying not to break the stare. He leaned closer to her and their foreheads met, and he put his hand around her waist. "I love you." He said. "I love you, too." She responded. And he kissed her again. They both enjoyed the moment.

It all happened too soon; just way too soon. It wasn't long after the start of a new week, Lily was shipped to the hospital in an emergency vehicle on a Monday morning. Sanders heard from Lily's parents, and he urged his parents to let him skip school. After an argument, his parents drove Sanders to the hospital Lily was staying at. He rushed in and asked the lady in front where Lily Kindal was staying. And before his parents walked through the door, Sanders raced through the hall to find Room #7. Her favorite number. He thought as he found the door, and he knocked.

Mrs. Kindal answered the door, and she looked very relieved to see Sanders. "She's crying and she refuses to stop. She needs you, Sanders." Sanders went to Lily's bed and sure enough; she was balling her eyes out. He knelt down and held both of her hands. Lily turned at his touch, and without warning, she leaned forward, pulled her hands free, and squeezed Sanders in a tight hug. Surprised, but touched at the same time, he chuckled a bit and hugged her back to try and make her smile and feel better. "It's ok, I'm here. I won't go anywhere, I'll stay right here. Right here." She nodded, feeling slightly better. Mr. Kindal put a hand on Sanders's shoulder and said, "We're going to go. She only needs you right now. We'll come back tomorrow and see how she's feeling." Sanders nodded, and without another word, Mr. and Mrs. Kindal left.

Sanders's parents waited in the waiting room, and they talked to Mr. and Mrs. Kindal for awhile before they left. Sanders and Lily, after she had calmed down and was lying on the bed, talked to each other about everything, anything, stupid things that seemed to be important at the moment. But then Sanders could take no more of it, and he said, "I'll stay by your side. You won't be alone as you go through this." Lily looked at him. "I won't live much longer. God is calling me; I can feel it." Sanders's body began to tremble, and he looked down. Lily took his hands in hers and tried to make him calm down. He stood and kissed her. When he pulled away, he said, "Please don't go." But as he looked at Lily, her eyes were closed and she felt cold. Sanders glanced at the meter; it went off, one loud, long, and terrible sound. She was dead. Sanders fell to his knees and wept dreadfully, taking Lily's lifeless hands in his and kissing them repeatedly. He just wanted his angel back.

The next morning, the doctor came into Lily's room and froze at what he saw. The young boy named Sanders was still there, kneeling at the bed, eyes closed and peaceful, holding onto Lily's hands. The doctor walked over to Sanders and prodded him gently to wake him up. But he fell like a ragdoll to the ground, as lifeless as Lily. The doctor stood there, frozen and mouth open in disbelief. "Is it possible," he asked himself as he lifted Sanders from the ground and placing him in the position he was before, "that he could have died from love?" He sighed, for he was amazed. "Love…it's bitter-sweet in a way." He found a piece of paper on Lily's bedside table and, curious, he picked it up and read it. As he read what it said, his hands trembled in fear. He dropped the note and ran out of the room. The note said:

Dear Doctor,
if you think I died because I loved my dear Lily,
you were wrong.
I died because I can't live without her.
God knew that.
so I prayed that I'd forever be with Lily,
and he answered me,
taking me with my love to her true home.
Love is a wonderful thing,
Anything but bitter-sweet.