TEARS IN HEAVEN
Chapter Twenty-Two

Jack blinked as he came to, wondering why the hell there was such a bright light in front of his face. In the distance, he could vaguely hear a voice.

"Hold on. He's coming around," it seemed to be saying.

Jack became aware that someone was holding his hand, and so he squeezed it.

"Dad? Dad, can you hear me? It's Alicia."

Upon hearing those words, Jack's eyes flew open, and he regained complete consciousness. The light hurt his eyes, but he forced himself to look at his daughter. "Alicia...what's going on?"

Alicia glanced from Jack to the doctor, who nodded, indicating she could tell him. "You were in a car accident last night...you're at the hospital in Eau Claire."

Jack struggled to push himself into a sitting position, panic written all over his face. "Where's your mother? Where's Rose?"

Alicia's face blanched. "Mom...she's not doing too good. She hasn't woke up yet."

In a rush, the previous night's events flashed before Jack's eyes. The crunching metal, the squealing tires, being trapped underneath the car, Rose screaming that she was losing so much blood...and he cringed. The doctor quietly asked Alicia to leave so he could examine Jack, and then took her place next to the bed.

Jack glanced up at him. "Please tell me she's going to be okay. Please," he begged.

Sighing, the doctor shook his head. "I honestly don't know, Mr. Dawson. Your wife has lost a substantial amount of blood. She was pierced in the stomach by quite a few large pieces of glass and received quite a blow to the head."

Jack closed his eyes to gather his thoughts, reopening them and staring at the doctor. "You have to make her survive. I don't care what it takes or what it costs. You cannot let her..." Jack stopped, unable to even let himself formulate the word.

The doctor nodded. "We're doing our best."

*****

Twenty-year-old Elisa Monroe glanced up from her work as a young woman approached the desk. "Can I help you?"

The woman glanced at her sharply. "Where are my parents?"

Elisa smiled. "Are they visitors or patients?"

The young woman's blue eyes narrowed. "Patients. My sister--"

"NELLA!" A voice suddenly screeched and a young child flung herself at the older one.

Janelle smiled slightly and picked the girl up, leaving the nurse's station. "Hey, baby Tay. Who's supposed to be watching you?"

Taylor grinned sheepishly. "Jay."

Janelle shook her head, and spotted her brother coming around the corner, looking scared. "Jay? Yoo-hoo, Jay!"

Jay glanced up and relief broke out across his face. Walking over to them quickly, he hugged Janelle, whispering in her ear. "Alicia and Kayla are in with Dad...room 241."

Janelle nodded and handed Taylor to him. "Thanks. What about Mom?"

Jay shrugged. "Don’t know. Nobody's been allowed to see her."

Janelle swallowed hard and headed down the hall.

*****

Jack looked up as Janelle entered the room and managed a weak smile. "What are you doing here?"

Janelle returned the smile, equally as weak, and gave him a small hug. "Kayla called, and we took the next flight out. Andrew and Angie will be by later."

Jack nodded. "I'm glad you're here."

"I was worried. How are you doing?"

"Not too bad, physically anyway. Emotionally, I don't know. I'm worried sick about your mother."

Janelle sighed. "Have you heard anything?"

The pain in Jack's eyes was unmistakable when he recounted what the doctor told him. Afterwards, Janelle excused herself and headed out to find the doctor.

"Dr. Ingle?"

The doctor glanced up and nodded. "Yes?"

Janelle smiled slightly. "I'm Janelle Morris--er, Dawson...I was hoping you could answer a few questions about my mother."

"Of course. How can I help you?"

"My Dad told me what you told him...I was just wondering...what are her chances of survival? And please be honest," Janelle said, her eyes pleading with him.

Dr. Ingle sighed and pulled her aside. "To be quite frank, Mrs. Morris, there isn't a very good chance. She's been unconscious since last night, and we haven't been able to remove all the glass from her stomach, so there's still some internal bleeding. We're pretty much just waiting now."

"Oh, my God," Janelle gasped, burying her face in her hands. If Rose died, not only would the foundation of their family die with her, but that would be the end of her father. Taking a deep breath, she looked back at the doctor. "Are you sure there's nothing you can do?"

Dr. Ingle shook his head grimly. "We're doing our best, but there's no certain way to ensure her survival."

Janelle bit her lower lip to keep from crying. "Can I see her?"

Hesitating only a moment, he nodded. "All right."

Just as they turned down another corridor, Colin came running towards them. "Janelle!"

Janelle turned and broke into a huge grin. She hadn't seen her twin in nearly three years, and even in this horrible situation, it lifted her spirits a bit. "Colin!" The two embraced, and then Janelle pulled away. "Have you seen Dad?"

Colin nodded. "Yeah. He's a wreck."

"I know. Oh...Colin, this is Dr. Ingle. Doctor, this is my brother, Colin."

The two men exchanged greetings and then they started down the hall again. "Where are we going?" Colin whispered.

Janelle looked up at him, a little nervous. "To see Mom."

*****

A few moments later, Dr. Ingle stopped in front of a door. "I understand you probably want to be alone with her, but due to the severity of her condition, I'm afraid I have to advise against it."

Janelle nodded. "That's fine."

The doctor smiled and opened the door, letting them in. Janelle clutched her brother's hand tightly, already feeling her eyes swell up with tears. Slowly, the twins approached the bed and she could no longer hold back. The tears sprang forth as she stared down at her mother, one who had endured so much in her short life. Only at the age of forty-three, Rose hadn't even begun to get old. Colin draped his arm around his sister, trying not to cry himself. Had they not been her children, they wouldn't have recognized her. Covered in bandages and bruises, it was hard to believe there was a real person lying before them.

A few feet away, Dr. Ingle watched from his spot by the door. He truly wished there was some way he could save this woman's life, but she was in God's hands now. By the look of sadness and distress on the six children and her husband's face, he could tell she was very much loved. A nurse entered then, handing him Rose's chart. "Dr. Ingle...she's getting worse."

Janelle overheard this and turned towards them. "My mother?"

Dr. Ingle nodded. "I'm afraid so."

Janelle squeezed her eyes shut. "Get my father in here."

"Mrs. Morris--"

Janelle opened her eyes and glared at him. "Get him in here NOW!"

"Mrs. Morris, your father is in no condition--"

"I DONT CARE! If my mother is going to die, he has to be here. That's just the way it is. If you won't bring him here, I have four other adults that would be glad to assist me in doing so," Janelle seethed.

"Dr. Ingle...I realize you don't know our parents personally," Colin began. "But we do. We all know that she isn't going to make it...but she's not going to let go until our father lets her know it's okay. And as much as it kills us all to watch our mother die, we'd rather she go than suffer like this."

Dr. Ingle looked at them sadly and then turned to the nurse. "Have Mister Dawson brought in here immediately."

"Of course," the nurse said, and left the room.

*****

Jack, in his wheelchair, with Taylor in his lap, entered first, a half hour later. Behind him, the three other children filed in. Taylor jumped off her father's lap, and into Colin's arms, as Jack wheeled closer to the bed. Janelle stepped back, allowing room for her father. There was an unsettling silence in the room, like that of a cemetery. Only the faint beeping of the machinery made a sound.

*****

Jack's heart cracked into a million pieces as he gazed down at Rose. His wife, his soulmate, his life, lying broken and unfixable. Shaking slightly, he reached for her hand, which was cold. He glanced up for a second to see his children...the six lives they had created out of their love for one another...and involuntarily, a sob escaped his throat. He then turned his attention back to Rose, speaking low to her.

"God, Rose...I can't believe I have to do this, that I have to let you go like this. But I won't be selfish...as much as I want to scream and demand you stay here with me, that we still have so much time ahead of us, I can't. I can't because I love you. I don't want you to suffer. You don't deserve it. You go be with Josh now." Jack paused, the tears he shed not only for his wife, but his lost son, landing on his wife's hand. "And wait for me...we'll be together for always. It was written that way since the beginning of time. Just...just help me be strong. Be there when I need you, even if it's not in flesh. I love you, Rosie. It's okay. You can go."

Epilogue
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