One Last Gift

                           By Judy Leigh Peters                        

(c)copyright Judy Leigh Peters

 

Liz Montgomery stood near the hospital bed, looking down at her ailing mother. Any resemblance to the once strong women she'd known was gone. The second blast of chemotherapy had taken most of her strength away and left her with severe breathing problems. For the last two and half months she'd watched her mother struggling to survive the dreadful Leukemia. If the chemotherapy didn't work this time she was going to lose her.

She gently pushed a single strand of silvery, gray hair away from her mother's face. That was all that remained of her once beautiful hair. Slowly her mother's eyes fluttered open.

"Hi mom." Liz rubbed her black and blue hand. "I see the vampires have been here again."

"Yes," Jeanne Montgomery let out a sigh. She pushed the button that raised her bed. "I've got a new guy now. He's the only one that draws my blood now. He's very good."

"The way your eyes are lighting up I'd say he must really be  something." Liz grinned at her mother.

"He's very caring and he comes in and sits with me after you're gone. Jonathan's not bad to look at either." She winked at Liz. "I think he's just your type."

"Mother, sometimes you're annoying." Liz walked over to the chair and plopped down. Today she felt every inch of her forty-two years. "Won't you ever give up on your match making?"

     "Not as long as I can draw a breath." Jeanne took a deep breath, inhaling the oxygen that ran through a tube into her noise. "It looks like that might not be too long. I'd like to go knowing that you had one of those heroes you always write about, watching over you."

"Please mother, we've had this discussion more times then I care to count." Liz leaned back against the chair. She now knew what weary to the bone meant. Today she felt like that. "I'm not going to risk my heart again. My life is perfect the way it is. In my book, love is always forever. In real life it never lasts. Derek proved that."

"Derek was a fool." Her mother took another breath of air. "Don't judge all men by Derek." she replied, in a raspy voice. "There are still some good ones out there. You just have to look a lot harder for them."

"Well, I haven't seen any lately." Liz rubbed the side of her temples. She was beginning to get a headache. She knew her mother met well but right now the stress of watching her worsen every day, was all she could handle. "Mom all that matters to me is getting you well so I can bring you home."

"Liz honey, get your head out of those books you're writing." Jeanne gasped as she took in more oxygen. "I'm dying and nothing can change that. The chemotherapy isn't working."

     "You're not going to die. Do you hear me mother?" Liz stood up. She didn't want to listen to her mother talking like this. "I'm going to get some coffee."

Jeanne shook her head and looked with sadness at her daughter as she watched her walk out of the room. She looked so tired. She'd give the last breath of life she had, to see the sparkle back in her daughter's eyes once again. The only time she saw that sparkle lately was when she was writing about the hero in her new book she was finishing.

The sweating was coming back. Jeanne could feel it. It felt as if her whole body was on fire. Her heart began racing as the after effects of the chemo hit her again. Thank God. She finally told them no more, she thought.

"Blasted," Jeanne gritted her teeth. "God, I'd like to ask one favor of you. Don't let Liz be here when I die. She has been through enough already. If only I could make things better for her. Liz has so much to give, to the right person."

A plan was suddenly forming in her head. With God's help she could give her daughter one last gift before she died. It just had to work, she thought. Jeanne lay back against the pillows and closed her eyes. Please God; make our plan work, she prayed. Soon he would be here. The man that she was certain could put the sparkle back in her daughter's eyes. Then, just maybe, she'd get her to believe that real love, no matter how long, was worth risking your heart for.

Liz sat in the hospital lounge drinking black coffee. When she looked up, she saw Doctor Thomas entering the room. She got up and began pouring him a cup of coffee.

"Hi, Liz."

 It looked like he'd just woke up.

"Another long night?" Liz asked, handing him the coffee.

"The longest." He took a big gulp of the coffee. "I lost two patients tonight. You know sometimes I swear I'm going to give this up."

"Na, you'd never do that," she smiled up at him. "You care about your patients too much."

"Don't you ever go home? You're as bad as I am," he smiled at her.

 It was people like Liz and her mother that kept him practicing medicine. He is going to loose Jeanne also and there isn't anything he could do about it. The other type of Leukemia she had was rare. They had no idea of how to treat it. So far they were blasting it with all they had but nothing was stopping it. He yawned, fighting back the need for sleep.

 "It doesn't do me much good," she smiled back at him. "When I'm at home I'm thinking about her so it's just easier to stay

here with her."

"Well doctors orders are, you go home tonight. You look really beat." He put his large hand on her shoulder. "If you get sick it won't do her any good. I promise to look in on her and I'll even call you and give you a report. Okay?"

"I do need to get the last of my chapters into the computer." She looked into his warm caring brown eyes. "Maybe just for tonight it wouldn't hurt."

"Good." He finished the rest of the coffee. "Well, I'm off on my rounds. It might be late when I call you."

"No, problem I'll be up." Liz let out a sigh, giving him a weak smile. "I haven't been sleeping too well. "

"Why didn't you tell me, I could give you something that will help?" He took his pad out of his pocket and wrote a prescription for her.

"That's okay, I don't much care for taking medicine like that."

He shoved the piece of paper into her hand. "Here take it,  just incase you need them. They won't hurt you."

Liz watched him walking to the door. He'd become a good friend in the past two and half months he'd been on her mother's case. She had a lot of confidence in him. He was one of the Cancer Centers best doctors. But he'd done all he could. It was in God's hands now.

The thought that her mother was dying tore at her heart. The doctor was right. She did need to get out of this place for a while. Liz decided to go back and tell her mother. She finished the rest of her coffee and threw the cup in the trashcan and headed for her mothers room.

Once inside the room she could tell her mother was asleep by her even breathing. Liz hated to wake her up. She gently shook her arm.

"Mom I've decided to go home for tonight, do you mind?" Liz held on to her mother's hand and softly squeezed it. "I need to put the rest of my chapters I've been working on in the computer. My editor has been climbing the walls waiting for this book."

"Of course I don't mind," a faint smiled crossed her face, as she breathed in more air. It made an awful gurgling sound. "I have to be here, you don't. Go out and look at those beautiful stars and listen to the ocean for me. Boy, what I'd give to hear that sound again."

Liz made a mental note to bring her mother one of those tapes with the sea sounds on them. It would soothe her soul. She needed that right now. Liz bent and kissed her mother's forehead.

"I hope your dreams tonight are pleasant mother."

"They will be if my friend comes in again just before I go to sleep." Jeanne winked at her.

"You've got a mischievous twinkle in your eyes mother. Are you up to something?"     

"Boy, are you paranoid." Her voice sounded raspier. The oxygen made that awful gurgling sound once again. "Have I ever done something without you knowing it?"

Liz laughed out loud. "Plenty of times."

"Oh," she gave her a sheepish grin. "Give me a hug and get out of here."

Liz bent over and hugged her. It seemed like her mother held on tighter then she usually did. No, she was just imagining things now. She let her go and walked to the door.

"Liz," Jeanne looked over at her daughter. "In case I haven't told you enough. I'm proud of you and so glad you're my daughter. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter. I love you, Lizzy."

Liz's eyes misted up. She hadn't called her Lizzy since she was a little girl. "I love you too, Mom. You're the best mother a girl could ever have."

She turned and headed out the door to the elevators. She had to get out of there before she started crying. Once she started, she was certain she'd never stop.

Jonathan Knight looked into the microscope. The slides of Jeanne Montgomery were bad. The last blast of chemotherapy had destroyed what was left of her bone marrow. He rubbed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jeanne." He leaned back in his chair. "I wanted you to win this battle. But the chances were slim because it was a rare form. One we know nothing about."

He labeled the slide and put it in the tray. Doctor Thomas was not going to be happy with these results, he thought. They were losing too many adults to this disease. Would it ever stop, he wondered. He looked down at his watch. It was almost 10:00. He'd promise Jeanne he'd come by and sit with her after visiting hours. Jonathan closed up shop. He wasn't about to break his promise to his favorite girl.

Jeanne open her eyes to see Jonathan standing along side her bed with a bunch of wild flowers in his hand. He was so handsome standing there in tight fitting jeans and a black tee shirt that showed off his broad chest and very muscular arms. Jonathan was well over six feet and his long shoulder length, coal black hair was tied back with a leather strip. Her heart quickened when he looked at her with his deep green eyes. Even at seventy-three she liked to see a good‑looking man. Jonathan Knight was definitely what her daughter needed in her life.

"Are those for me?" Jeanne asked, trying to hide the pain that was now consuming her body.

"They sure are." He winked at her. "Don't tell anyone but I picked them from the hospital yard."

     "You didn't?" Jeanne had a shocked look on her face.

"No, but I had you going for awhile, didn't I?" Jonathan's face split into a wide grin.

Jeanne smiled. Then she patted the bed. "Come and sit here. I want to talk to you."

Jonathan noticed that her expression became serious as he

sat down on the bed next to her. "Is something wrong?"

"I know the chemo isn't taking." Her breath became more labored. "My body is shutting down. I can feel it."

"Let me go get the doctor." Jonathan tried to keep his emotions under control. "He needs to check what is going on. It's probably from the chemo."

"Please don't waste the time I have left." Jeanne grabbed his hand. "There's something I want to show you. Can you get my purse for me?"

Jonathan reached inside the nightstand and got her purse for her. He handed it to her.

Her hands were shaking as she reached inside and pulled out her wallet. Jeanne handed him the picture of her daughter. "This is my daughter, Liz. Pretty isn't she?"

"Very." Jonathan looked at the picture he was holding. He could see she favored her mother. "She's a younger image of you." He reached over to hand the picture back to her.

"No, you keep it. I have others." Her breathing seemed to become even more labored now. "She's much prettier. Are you married, Jonathan?"

"Come right to the point don't you?" He grinned at her. "No, Jeanne. My work seems to always stand in the way of a lasting relationship."

"I need your word on something." Jeanne took a deep breath of air. "When I'm gone will you make sure Liz gets this box?"

"Of course." He took the box from her. "Do you want me to send it to her?"

"No, you must deliver it in person. The address is on the box." She clung to Jonathan's arm. "I know you can help her through her grief."

"You have my word on that." He gently rubbed the side of her head. "I wouldn't have missed knowing you, Jeanne, for anything in this world."

"Jonathan, thanks for everything. Remember your promise."

 Suddenly pain shot through her head. Then bright lights seemed to open a door for her. Gone was the pain and only a warm loving feeling surrounded her. Then she saw her beloved husband with his arms reaching out to her. She was going home.

Jonathan walked out the hospital's back entrance. It was a beautiful night. There must have been a zillion stars in the sky as he looked up. Well, you're up there now Jeanne, he thought. No more pain for you. It's the rest of us that will have to endure the pain of losing you. His heart felt so heavy right now.

Part of him wanted to stay and talk to her daughter but he just couldn't right now. Losing her mother had really set him back. He found himself questioning what he was even doing in this hospital. Certainly not helping people, he thought. He had to get far away from her for a while. 

Tomorrow his vacation started. He'd head for Alaska, out there with nature he could but things back into perspective. Right now he wasn't any good to himself, let alone try and help Jeanne's daughter. He had to rethink his life right now. Maybe working in the lab wasn't what he was cut out for after all.

When he first started at the hospital he had all these high ideas of how he was going to be the one to find a cure for all these dreaded diseases like adult Leukemia. That was a laugh, he thought. Now many had they lost? He'd stop counting anymore. Now Jeanne was dead. It just shouldn't have happened. 

Jonathan unlocked the door of his white Chevy-Pickup. He slid inside and started the engine. In a few minutes he was heading down the highway for home with an old tape of Elvis singing "I Did It My Way."  

The small box sat on his dresser. Jonathan looked over at it. He wondered if he should look up Liz's address here and take it to her before he left? No, he thought. It would be better if he waited until he got back from Alaska. His mind would be clearer.  He knew he was just making up excuses. The fact was he didn't want to see her now.

Jonathan looked over at the picture that sat on his nightstand near his bed. The more he looked at her picture the more he found himself wanting her. Her flaming chestnut hair fell just below her shoulders. She wore a two-piece jumper of hunter green that really showed off her heavenly blue eyes. The figure was just as heavenly from what he could see of it.

She was sitting behind a table with books piled on each  side of her. What had Jeanne told him she did? Now he remembered, she was a Romance Writer. The job fit her well, he thought. Don't worry Liz, I'll help you through this awful time in your life. Just let me get my head on straight.

He grabbed the box and the picture and put it in his suitcase. He looked around the room. He had everything he needed now. Jonathan closed the door behind him.    

Liz had finished the last page and typed The End on the computer. She leaned back in her chair pleased with the finished product. She stretched. The ringing of the telephone startled her. Liz picked up the phone.

"Hello."

"Liz, it's Doctor Thomas." He took a deep breath. "I hate to tell you this over the phone. Your mother passed away a few minutes ago."

"That's not possible," Liz cried out. "My mother was all right when I left her this afternoon. Did you know this was going to happen? Is that why you sent me home?"

"No, Liz," he sighed. "I wouldn't do that to you. It was a massive stroke. She was gone in a few minutes."

"Was she alone?" Liz voice started to crack.

"No," He ran his fingers through his graying hair. "Jonathan Knight was with her. They were becoming good friends. He'd sit with her at night until she fell asleep."

"That must be the good-looking vampire," Liz's voice cracked again.

"Her what?" He choked.

"That's what we called the lab guys that took her blood every day. I'm sorry I never ran into him while I was at the hospital. He sounded like a nice guy."

"He is." She could hear a slight chuckle in his voice. "That sounds like something your mother would call him. She was quite a lady, Liz. I don't think any of us will ever forget her. If it's any help we learned a lot about this form of Leukemia, thanks to her courage."

"It does help," Liz choked back a sob. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Liz hung up the phone. For a few minutes she sat there not moving. Then tears came like a flood. All the pain of the last

few months caught up with her. From now on she would be alone,  completely alone. Never again would she hear her mothers voice or feel her arms around her. The thought saddened her beyond anything she'd ever known or felt before.

 Liz stood looking around the small chapel at the friends that had gathered to say goodbye to her mother. They watched her as her hands trembled as she opened the piece of paper to read. She was all that was left of the family now. So it was important to her to say the right things today.

"My mother and I had a good relationship. She was always there for me and I'd like to think that she knew I would always be there whenever she needed me." Liz cleared her throat and went on. "I found this newspaper clipping from Ann Landers' column in my mother's bible.  On top of it she had written these words. "I'm so glad my Lizzy will never have feelings like this. So sad."

Liz looked up. "I think these words were what she left behind to all of us. To live now and not be afraid to show how we  feel."

Liz looked down at the news clipping and tried to keep her composure intact as she read the words off the page.  

The Time Is Now

"If you are ever going to love me,

Love me now, while I can know,

The sweet and tender feelings

Which from true affections flow.

Love me now while I am living.

Do not wait until I'm gone

And then have it chiseled in marble,

Sweet words on ice-cold stone.

If you have tender thoughts of me

Please tell me now.

If you wait until I am sleeping,

Never to awaken

There will be death between us,

And I won't hear you then.

So if you love me, even a little bit,

Let me know it while I am living

So I can know and treasure it."

Liz wiped the tear away that slid down her cheek. "Mom was a very special lady. Remember the words I just read to you. You still have time."

She stepped down off the stage and as she did she noticed a very handsome tall man standing in the back. Their eyes met. Suddenly warmth seemed to surround her and she was lost in the message his eyes were sending to her. She looked away. When she looked back the man was gone. Liz blinked her eyes several times. Was she going crazy, she wondered. She tried to forget what she'd just seen. But she found she couldn't because she wanted to feel that wonderful warmth once again.  

Liz walked over to the casket and gently put her hand on it. "You're with Dad now Mom. I hope you both are happy."

The service was over. Now the rest of her life would have to go on alone. If only the handsome stranger would come back again, she wouldn't have to be alone. Maybe her mother was right, she'd been spending too much time in her books. That's why she'd imagined the man that made her feel so warm inside. What a storyline that would make, she thought. Liz shook her head as she went to stand in the back of the chapel..

Jonathan sat in his pick-up outside the funeral home. That had been a cowardly thing to do. What had ever possessed him to come here? It was plain crazy. Her words had touched him so. She had been in so much pain that he just wanted her to know that he cared. But when their eyes met he found himself lost in the moment. All he wanted to do was hold her and make the pain go away. He wasn't ready for that yet. So he'd walked away when she had turned her head away from him. "You're an idiot, Jonathan. The poor woman probably thinks she's crazy now."

He started the engine as he saw the people coming out the door. Slowly he drove pass the crowd hoping he might see her one last time before he left. But she was still inside. He gunned his motor as he headed down the street to the expressway that would take him to the airport. Jonathan looked up toward the sky. "I'm

sorry, Jeanne. I can't do this right now. But I will, just give me time to get over this too. I'm going to Alaska for a couple of weeks. When I get back I'll go to her. I promise."

It had been a few weeks since the funeral. Somehow she'd gotten through Christmas and New Years. Liz had gone back to Destin, Florida to the condo that she and her mother had shared. She sat on the floor surrounded by boxes that contained the memories of her mother and father's life together. At least now they were up there having a good time together, she thought. Just looking at all the pictures brought both pain and joy. Somehow just being here made her feel close to both of them.

Her mother and father had found such joy in each other. She'd never know two people who loved each other as much as they did. But no matter how much they loved each other they still gave her the love she needed. Liz had come to them as a surprise. Jeanne wasn't supposed to be able to have any children. So they'd always thought of her as their miracle baby and spoiled her rotten.

Today she would spread her mother's ashes here in the same place where they had spread her Dad's ashes just two years before. He'd died of a sudden heart attack. They both had loved the white beaches and beautiful blue-green water. Once you saw this area, it was forever engraved into your mind. There was no place on earth as beautiful, Liz thought.

Liz was about to get up, to get a drink of tea before she went on her walk with her mother's ashes, when she heard the doorbell. She wondered who it was. She hadn't really let any of her friends know she was back yet.

She walked to the sliding glass door. When she got closer, she sucked in her breath. Standing outside was the gorgeous looking man that she'd seen at the funeral home. He was well over six feet since she still had to look up at him. And she was five feet ten inches tall. His ebony shoulder length hair hung loosely.

The light blue tee shirt he was wearing fit snuggly against his muscular chest. He wore denim shorts that showed off his tanned powerfully built legs. Liz couldn't help think how great he'd look on the cover of the novel she'd just started. But it was his deep Aqua eyes that touched her heart.

"Liz Montgomery." The handsome stranger fingered the small box he held in his hand.

"You've found her." Liz shaded her eyes from the late afternoon sun.

"Your mother was a patient of mine. She said if anything happened to her I was to bring this box to you." He handed her the box.

"That's strange she never mentioned it." Her hand trembled slightly as she touched his fingers. As she looked into his eyes she felt that wonderful warmth again. Did she dare ask him if he was the man she'd seen? She decided not to.

Liz began unwrapping the box. Slowly she opened the lid. There was a small piece of pink paper inside. She put the box on the table near the door. Then she opened up the paper and began reading the note.

"My Darling daughter,

     How do you like your own personal vampire. (Smile) His name is Jonathan Knight. Isn't he something else? Life is for the living Lizzy. Enjoy the happiness that you can make together like your father and I did. He's worth the risk."

                                     I love you,

                                      Mother

 

Liz's eyes started misting up. Even in death her mother's thoughts had been on her happiness. How much she was going to miss what she and her mother had shared.

"What was in the box?" Jonathan asked, smiling at her.

"It was just a note telling me how much she loved me." Liz hoped he couldn't tell she wasn't telling him the truth. "I was just going to get some tea. Would you like some?"

"Sounds good to me." He followed her to the kitchen. "This is a nice place you have here."

"Thank you." Liz opened the refrigerator door and got the tea out. Then she got the glasses and put some ice in them. She poured the tea into the glasses. "Do you like lemon with yours?"

"That's the only way to drink it, isn't it?" Jonathan reached for the glass. Once again their hands touched.

Liz felt the warmth once again. "I believe you're right."

They both sat quietly drinking the tea.

"I know you're going to think I'm crazy but I have to know." Liz licked her lips. "Were you at the funeral home the day of my mother's funeral?"

"Yes, I was Liz." He took a big gulp of tea. "There was so much I wanted to say to you that day. But when I looked into your eyes I just couldn't. It was a coward's thing to do but you see I was trying to get over your mother's death too. I wasn't sure I wanted to keep on doing the work I was doing."

"Thank God." Liz let out a sigh. "For a moment there, I thought I was going off the deep end. It's good to know you were real. I'm sorry that my mother's death upset you so."

"It just seemed like we were losing so many people." He looked deeply into her eyes. "I wanted to save your mother. But we just didn't know enough about that type of Leukemia."

"I know, Jonathan." Liz touched his hand. It felt so good.

"How did you know my name was Jonathan?" He gave her a surprised look. "I didn't tell you my name yet."

"Let's just say an angel did." Liz managed a slight smile.

"Her name doesn't happen to be Jeanne does it?" Jonathan smile sent a warm sensation through out her body.

"She mentioned you in my note." Liz looked his way. "If it will help, you meant a lot to her and what you did was important to her. She doesn't want you to give up. And I don't either."

"Well, I thought about it while I was in Alaska." He took another drink of tea. "I figure that eventually I'll have to hit the right combination. I've just got to work a little harder at it."

"There's more to life then working all the time, Jonathan." Liz played with her napkin. "I know because that's what I was doing. Well, no more. I'm going to start living my life instead of letting everything pass me buy."

"That's good to hear." He stretched back against the chair. "I hope I'm not keeping you from anything."

Liz wonder if she should asked him to come with her? So she did. "I was just getting ready to do something special."

Liz got up and walked over to the mantel where her mother's urn was. She carefully picked it up. Then walked back to where Jonathan was standing. She clutched tightly to the urn.

"Mom wanted me to put her ashes with my father's." Liz took a deep breath until she was strong enough to look into his eyes. "Would you like to come with me?"

"I have a feeling your mother wanted it that way." He managed a warm smile.

"You're right, she did." Liz shook her head as she headed for the door.