One last kiss

Kathy turns and locks her front door. The day had started with a sunny sky but now they were being overrun by fast-moving clouds, Giving an ominous feeling to Kathy's normal happy disposition. A cold wind blew her black hair around her face, another blow to her mood for the day. She had spent extra time combing and blowing out her hair, hoping to be able to wear it down all day, but it seemed like Mother Nature had other ideas. Once in the car, she turned the radio to the weather station to hear that a severe thunderstorm was coming.

"Well, this is starting to be a wicked day," she said to her steering wheel. She then dialed the lobby nurse and told her what she needed as soon as she arrived. The nurse stated she would take care of everything, then informed Kathy, that they had a new nurse starting today and she was scheduled to shadow Kathy during her shift.

After hanging up she tuned her radio to her favorite 80s station and began to sing along with one of her favorite songs from the movie Beaches. Kathy found out years ago that singing before a shift usually improved her shift. Usually. She parked and as she began the long walk into the home, the wind whipped her hair around, destroying any work she had put into it while getting ready for work. Halfway to the front door, the clouds let loose. Kathy jogged the rest of the way to the front doors, so as not to get completely soaked.

Billy rolled over and saw Janna was still sleeping. Her thick black hair hung about her beautiful face. A face that still made him smile even after 25 years of marriage. He marveled at her clear tan skin that seemed to have wrinkles installed by a Hollywood makeup artist. The wrinkles simply seemed to enhance her beauty. He still could not believe his luck that she had fallen for him as quickly as he had fallen for her. He reached over and pushed a lock of hair off her face. The movement of the hair was enough to wake Janna. She blinked her hazel eye twice then stared at Billy. 

"What are you looking at?" she asked, pulling the rest of her hair off her face. 

"The prettiest woman I know." Billy said with a smile. 

Janna smiled, leaned over and kissed Billy's forehead. "You are still the craziest man I know." She then rolled out of bed and headed to the bathroom, laughing. 

Billy laughed himself as he rolled out of bed, then began to make the bed. 

Over breakfast they discussed what they needed to do today. Some cleaning, and shopping. As normally they split the chores and easily completed the list in a short time. They debated making lunch at home or eating out. They both decided that eating out would be much more fun. They decided to eat at a local deli that they both enjoyed and had outdoor seating. On the way the weather turned, the sun succumbed to heavy rain clouds. Billy parked as close as he could to the deli, which was good because the rain began as they were walking toward the front door. After an enjoyable and tasty lunch, they ran through the heavy rain back to the car. They were both laughing once they made it back into the car at how wet they were and decided to head home to change put off shopping until the rain stopped. Janna's phone rang, as she lifted it to her ear, their life's changed. 

"Hello" she said then her side of the car exploded. 

Shards of glass, plastic and metal, blood hair and bone. Billy's world then begins to spin and turns over and over again. When his world stopped, Billy found himself upside down. He was disorientated, he could feel something running down his face. 

"Janna, what happened." Billy uttered, his ears still ringing. He tried to turn his head to look at Janna, but the pain was too intense. Billy tried to move his arm to unlatch his seat belt. But again, it was met with a sudden bolt of pain that knocked him out cold. 

A loud clap of thunder work Billy up. Opening his eyes he looks about the unfamiliar dark room. Rain pelted the window. While an old tune from a movie played in his head, Billy could not recall either the movie or the song, he was focused on the rain belting the window. They race to the bottom of the window. Some of the streams of water increased their speed when hit by other fresh rain drops. An explosion of sound and light shook the window and startled Billy. He went to sit up, but his back and arm still hurt. I'm surprised I didn't break anything in the crash he thought to himself. He fumbled around the bed looking for the nurses’ call button but could not find one. Standing up he felt a pain in his right knee, his right arm began to throb with pain now.

"Nurse," he croaked, then cleared his throat, then called out again for the nurse. Rubbing his right arm, he turned and looked out the rain-soaked window. How long has he been here? Where was Janna, she was in the car with him, when, when. When what, what happened? Billy screamed to himself 'get a hold  of yourself.' "Okay, we had lunch, and started driving home." told the empty room. Limping back and forth across the room rubbing his right arm. Billy racked his brain trying to recall exactly what happened. "It was raining, we finished lunch, we were driving home. Janna was singing along to that song." He tapped his forehead hoping to dislodge the name of the song Janna had been singing, before…before. "WHAT?" It seemed as if Billy's mind had trapped that memory in a hidden vault deep within his mind. As Billy walked and thought his breath began to quicken, the room seemed to be getting smaller, the air harder to intake. Billy limped his way back to his bed as the room began to tilt. Tears began to fill his eyes. He lowered his head and let the tear drips fall onto his jeans. 

"NURSE" he called much louder this time. 

The door to Billy's room swung open, and Dr. Kathy walked in with a younger-looking nurse following behind her. Billy looked up surprised to see the doctor’s wet hair pulled back into a tight bun on the back. 

"Mr. Holland, are you okay." Dr. Kathy asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. The young nurse just stood near the doorway, looking confused and a little scared. 

Billy drew in a ragged breath. "Where is Janna?" he asked fearing the answer he was sure was coming. A quick shiver ran down his back, then seemed to spread to the rest of his body. When Dr. Kathy put her arm around Billy's shoulder she could feel his whole-body trembling. She patted his back, as she leaned in a little closer to him. 

"Billy, you were in an accident,"

Billy let out a sob followed by more tears. "Is Janna dead?"

"No, but we are not sure how much longer she can hold on. Would you like to see her?" Kathy looked up and looked at the new attendant standing scared and wide eyed at the door. She nodded at her to let her know everything was okay. 

"Come on Billy." Kathy said to him. "Let's go see Janna." 

She then gripped him tighter and stood up with him, with her are over his shoulder and the other gently holding his right arm the two began walking out of the room. 

The new attendant, DaVitta, still wide-eyed and mouth a gap stood back and let the two pass. She followed the two a few steps behind down the carpeted hallway, past other residents' rooms. She could hear Kathy explain that this person, Janna, had suffered several internal and external injuries. The doctors did everything they could, but they were unable to save her. DaVitta was so confused at what was going on that she nearly ran into Kathy and Billy, who had stopped at a door. 

"Billy, I need you to be strong for Janna now. You’re a Marine, you can do it." Kathy told him then opened the door. Billy took a deep breath and followed Kathy into the room. 

Walking into the room, the smell of antiseptic was strong, a few machines stationed at the head of her bed set off a soft glow in the room. Billy saw Janna lying in the bed, her black hair splayed on the white pillow behind her, a soft light above her bed casting a soft light on her face. Billy wiped the tears from his face and walked toward the bed. Pulling up a plastic chair from the side of the room he sat next to his wife. He took her hand in his and kissed it gently. 

"My baby, I'm so sorry." he placed her hand on his forehead. A flood of memories ran through his mind. Their first meeting, first kiss, laughing together. "I am not sure how I can go on with you. You can go now; I will figure it out. Wait for me on the other side, I love you forever and ever." Billy stopped speaking and just looked at Janna's face. 'Be strong' he told himself.

Kathy walked up behind Billy and gently put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "She's gone Billy, we should go now."

Billy stood up and gently laid Janna's hand back by her side. Then leaned over and kissed her forehead for the last time. As he did this, he felt a breeze brush gently across his face. When he stood back up, Kathy again put an arm over his shoulder and tenderly took his right arm and walked him towards the door. As they passed, DaVitta looked back into the room and only saw an unmade bed and chair. DaVitta then turned away from the room and followed Kathy leading Billy down the corridor. As they walked Kathy began to hum the song she had heard on the drive into work. Billy suddenly stopped limping and looked at Kathy. 

"What song is that?" He asked. 

"It's 'Wind beneath my wings' by Bette Midler. 

"Janna sang that in the car before the accident." Billy said, then looked at Kathy. "That was three years ago."

"Yes." Kathy said sadly.

Billy dropped his head as they kept walking. 

DaVitta had stopped to help another resident whose shoe had come untied. She did not hear the conversation. She tied the shoe and was awarded with a big smile and thank you. When she caught back up to the two of them. Kathy was putting Billy back in bed. 

DaVitta waited at the door of Billy room for Kathy to exit. 

"Not the way we normally start a shift here at Shady Elm Convalescent Center." Kathy said removing her white jacket. 

"I didn't think so." DaVitta responded. "What did you do with Billy, that seemed very odd."

"Billy lost his wife three years ago in an automobile accident. It happened in a thunderstorm just like tonight, with his condition he thinks it’s that same night. So, I kind of reenact the night so he can say goodbye to her." 

"That seems a little cruel to make him go through that again." DaVitta said a little curtly. 

"Is it." Kathy asked, stopping in the hallway. "I give that man a chance to see the love of his live." Kathy paused to get her anger under control. "Allowing him to have one more last kiss."