Listening now, he heard his son, Jake, tell the other two boys what a valiant fight their father had waged against the cancer, which was now consuming his body. With pride they spoke in reverent tones each wondering how much longer their father could persevere. Lila sat close to her mother, tears streaking her face, waiting as she always had. The thought of dying with family so close was not on his agenda. Over the last two weeks, Joshua rarely had a moment alone. He knew his family was tired. All the in-laws had gone home and he heard his wife tell their children that they needed to go home too. If something happened she told them that she would call. Amid objections, each child finally gave in and went home but swore they would be back early the next morning, which was really only an hour away.

Once the children left, Margie pulled her chair to the side of his bed, took his hand and looked into his eyes. “Joshua,” she said, “I love you and will until the day I die. I have always been proud of you and don’t ever think I haven’t. Don’t try anymore to hide the fact that you are suffering. I know you don’t want to hurt us by leaving.  And I really never wanted you to go without me but I don’t want you hurting any longer. The children have gone home and you can too now if you would like.”

With that, Margie lay her head beside her husband’s hand and within seconds started the smooth, even sound of someone who is sleeping after being very tired. Joshua listened to the sounds of her sleeping and was grateful that he had her as a partner for all the years he had.

The nurse quietly slipped into the room at one forty five A M. Joshua held his finger to his lip and pointed to Margie’s head. Nurse Betty smiled and left the room blessed by the thoughtfulness of a man who could endure such pain and still tell the nurse to be quiet enough for his wife to sleep.

At two thirty AM, Nurse Betty, re-entered Joshua’s room to find his hand on his wife’s head. She was still asleep but Joshua was no longer breathing. The nurse went silently to the bedside to find that he was indeed dead. Good for you, she thought, you don’t have to hurt anymore.

The nurse reached for Margie and gently shook her. Margie looked up and Nurse Betty told her that Joshua was gone. But he wasn’t really gone. Joshua’s spirit stood beside the bed and had watched when Nurse Betty came into the room. He heard her thoughts just as easily as if they had been spoken words. To him, this was amazing.