Rain patters against the window, droplets form on the glass. She breaths on the glass, and draws a heart in the fog. The beeping of her monitor disturbs the peace. The nurse, Carol, comes into the beige room and injects more insulin into the big liquid filled bag, which has a tube connected to her wrinkled, thin wrist. Sometimes when she moves, the needle pulls and pokes at her insides. She winces, but does not call Carol in. The nurses have been a nuisance to Thalia for the three months she has resided in the hospital.

“Thalia, you have a visitor downstairs.” Carol states.

“Who?” Thalia was not expecting anyone. Then again, Kim, her daughter, had stopped by the hospital whenever she could.

“Kim.”

Not a surprise. “Send her up please.”

In no time, Kim is rushing in, and throwing her jacket and purse on the vent below the window. A nurse had followed behind Kim, bearing a little Dixie cup with two pills as large and purple as fresh concord grapes. Thalia swallows them with no problem at all, knowing that she has had to take pills twice the size of them. The nurse gestures to the water she had left on the side of the hospital bed before opening the heavy wood door.

“Mom, when are you getting out of this place,” Thalia’s daughter Kim inquires as she stares out of the frosted window at the billowing blizzard outside.

“I don’t know. The doctors... they haven’t expressed when my release will be,” Thalia lies. She does not want her daughter to know, Kim will never know what the doctors say.

“Thalia the surgery wasn’t a success. Unfortunately, the test results remain positive.”

“Thalia, you have 2 months to live.”

Kim should not have to hear this. She doesn’t need the stress. It is hard enough that she has to balance four kids. It wouldn’t be fair, Thalia thought. It has been 2 months. In any given day, she could die. It would be the end of her misery. The end of a year-long battle.

Kim waltzes over, and sits in the oversized green chair next to Thalia’s bed.

“Are you sure you are okay?” Kim grabs her mother’s hand. Her eyes were like a dam, water pushing and pushing, attempting to force its way over the edge, but are being held back.

“Don’t cry. Don’t you ever cry. I do not even know why I am stuck in this place.” Thalia caresses her daughters face. The face that she will have to look at from above.

“It seems like yesterday when I took you home from the hospital. You were swaddled in a baby pink blanket, you had the cutest dimple and jet black hair. I swear it was as if I had given birth to Snow White.” Thalia grins, tears began to swell up in her eyes, until one escapes. Carefully she wipes it off, not wanting Kim to notice.

“Oh mom.” leaning in Kim embraces her mother. One tear falls onto Thalia’s cheek, but she doesn’t wipe it off. Someone knocks on the door outside. Carol comes in.

“Sorry for interrupting, Thalia, it is time to take your blood pressure.” Carol lifts her right arm and wraps the cuff around Thalia’s boney arm. Carol slowly pumps the cuff up, and simultaneously takes Thalia’s pulse.

“Much better than yesterday,” Carol grins.

“Thank you.” Thalia says as Carol walks out of the room. Thalia turns and realizes that

Kim had gotten her big mink fur jacket and purse from the vent where she had put them when she had first gotten to the hospital. Looking over at the clock, Thalia realizes that her grandchildren must be getting out of school by now.

“Sorry Mom. I will be back later. I just need to give the kids their snack and have them finish their homework.” Kim explains.

“Okay. Don’t forget your keys I think they dropped under the side table.”

“Thanks Mom.”

Thalia sat for a long time looking at the clock. She sat, and she sat, until finally the nurses came in and took another vial of blood for who knows what reason. Then, she fell asleep. She knew Kim wouldn’t come.

.
.
.
.


Thalia wakes up the next morning with a terrible kink in her neck, the sound of squeals entering the room, followed by Kim whispering at them to be quiet. Thalia sits up in her bed and looks at the door to the two little boys and the two little girls who walk single file into the room. They all stand at the front of the bed in a straight line.

“What are you doing? You weren’t raised in the army,” Thalia chuckles, “ come give Grandma a hug.”

All at once, the four run into their grandmother’s arms. The youngest, Tommy, climbs up onto the bed and starts to play with the remote that reclines and inclines the bed.

“Mom, we got a little held up yesterday with the snow. It just wasn’t safe to be on the roads.” Kim apologizes.

Thalia glances out the window and sees what could have been around a foot, maybe even two, of white crystally snow. Big white pellets were still falling from the greyish haze. Thalia shook her head understandingly.

“Grandma, can you come to the lake house with us next week?” Cheryl, the oldest of the four grandchildren, asks.

“Cheryl, no, we aren’t going, you know that.” Kim exclaims

“But mom, it isn’t fair. We go ice skating on the lake every year,” Cheryl stomps her foot on the royal blue carpet.

“You know, I grew up in the lake house,” Thalia explains to her grandchildren, “every winter, my father would get me new figure skates, and I would go out and just skate. It took my mind off of everything.” Thalia giggles. “ Once, I even tried to draw a picture in the ice, then I would go to my parents balcony to see what it looked like.”

“Were you a good figure skater?” Kevin the second youngest asks.

“I...” Before she could even begin to speak Kim interrupts her.

“Grandma was the best figure skater I have ever seen. She used to do all of these flips, and turns, she even could skate on one leg. She didn’t fall once.”

Every single grandchild’s eyes widened and jaws dropped. They couldn’t help but stare at Thalia, the thought of their ill, fragile grandmother skating at such a level was astonishing and unheard of. Thalia could not help but laugh out loud.

“Are you guys alright?” she gasps between laughs.

Before she knew it, the whole room was filled with the explosion of laughter.

“In all the days and weeks I have been in the hospital, I have never laughed like that,” Thalia swips a tear from under her eye, having laughed so hard she had begun to cry.

“Oh mom,” Kim went in for a hug, but was turned down when Thalia began to cough.

“Kim grab me some water,” Kim gave her mother the water, but Thalia could not bring the water to her lips because her hand had started to shake profusely. She could not stop coughing. All of a sudden, Carol and two other nurses came into the room. They rushed to add more clear solution to the bag that was connected to a tube in her wrist, and lean the bed upright. Thalia grabbed her stomach in pain. She wheezed as if she could not breath. Carol but an oxygen mask over Thalia’s nose and mouth, and inserted a shot into her upper arm.

“Grandma!” Thomas squeals. Kim grabs the boys and girls and rushes to get out of the room, out of the way. Thalia’s eyes began to close, Kim opens the door, Thomas was crying, Cheryl was white, and then it was black.

. . . .

The monitors continually beeping was like an alarm clock. Thalia sighs. She did not want her family, especially her grandchildren, to see one of her episodes. She was embarrassed, ashamed anyone had to experience that. Looking over to the window, Thalia notices a coat across the vent. Immediately she turned her head. Kim and Greg, Kim’s husband, were sitting on the chairs in the corner of the room.

“Hi mom,” Kim smiled.

“Why did you come back?” Thalia was still in shock as Kim walks over and sits on the end of her bed.

“Tell me the truth Mom. What happened? You aren’t okay.” Kim grabs Thalia’s hand and looks at all of the extremely visible blue and olive veins.

“It’s just... a chest cold. The doctors say it could have been induced by the cold weather outside.” Thalia blatantly lies.

“Mom...” Kim was not convinced.


“Kim..”

“Hey how are we feeling today Thalia,” Carol, was staring down at her clipboard. She did not notice that Thalia had visitors, but she ended the conversation at a perfect time.

“I am sorry to interrupt. I did not realize...”

“It is perfectly fine Carol,” Thalia assured,” continue with whatever you need to do.”

Carol unfortunately had to administer another shot, this time to Thalia’s thigh. Before giving her the shot, Carol asked Kim and Greg to step out of the room for a minute.

“No it is...” Thalia began.

“Please. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.” Carol apologizes.

“We will be right outside if you need us,” Greg said as he wraps his arm around Kim’s waist and ushers her out the door.”

“Turn on your side,” Carol states as she picks up the thin tube with the rather large needle on the tip.

“What is it? Why did you tell them to go outside?” Thalia was nervous.

“Thalia, yesterday wasn’t good. The doctor looked at your results we took when you were asleep. He said,” she could not seem to get it out, “only a few days.”

“Until what?” Thalia asks. Carol didn’t answer. That was when Thalia knew. She only had a few days until she would walk up to those big gold gates and hear the booming voice that would ask her to enter and join Him.

“Thalia..”

Thalia chokes back tears, “Do not tell Kim. Please. Do not tell Kim.”

She was scared, but she was happy. She was happy, but nervous. It would be the end of her suffering.

Carol slowly picks up her things. Sniffling, she pulls a tissue out of the tissue box, gathers herself before opening the door, and lets Kim and Greg back into the room.

“Kim, Greg, go home...”

“No.”

“You didn’t let me finish,” Thalia grins,” go home and pack. We are going to the lake tonight.”

“Are you sure?” Kim was shocked.

“Of course. On your way out, can you call Carol in. I need her to help me get ready and presentable,” Thalia asks.

“Ok,” Kim smiles, “I will see you soon.”

. . . .

Carol rushes in, “Are you crazy, Thalia!?”

“Please Carol,” Thalia begs, “I want to be happy before I go. I want to be with my family. I want to be in my happiest place... It is my last wish.”

Carol slowly steps towards her. Grabbing Thalia’s hand, Carol helps to pull Thalia up, and swing her thin legs over the edge of the bed.

“You have to be in a wheelchair. I can not let you out of here without one.”

“Fine.” Thalia agrees to stubbornly.

Carol pulls a sweater and a pair of dress pants out of the closet.

“I am going to have to drive you there. You aren’t going to be able to get in Kim’s car.” Carol wheels the black chair over to the corner of the bed. Thalia felt like the grandpa in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the one couldn’t walk after being in a bed most of his life. Thalia shimmies off of the bed and into the wheelchair. She felt like she could breath again. Her legs felt light because the pressure of having five blankets heaped on top of her was gone. Carol walks around to the back of the wheelchair and she began to leave the room.

“Carol..” Thalia said right before they had left the room.

“I am right here Thalia. What is wrong?” Carol kneels beside Thalia.

Thalia gazes into Carol’s eyes, “Thank you.”

“No problem,” Carol’s voice began to shake, ”I am just doing my job.”

They head down the hall together. Thalia looks around the hospital. She remembers the first day she had been admitted there. Everything was so familiar. From the time she had been of her admittance, Thalia had never been out of her bedroom. She did not want to forget the hospital. The place that tried give her everything possible so she could survive. The place that gave her hope. Before Thalia knew it, Carol pulls in front of the door. She grabs Thalia’s jacket and a big fluffy blanket.

“It is freezing out there,” Carol shakes from the cold, her teeth were chattering. Outside, there was a white van with a blue handicap symbol on the side of the door. Kim was standing beside it. Her hood was up, making her have a faint resemblance to an eskimo.

“Are you ready Thalia?

“I have one question.”

“Yes?” Carol asks.

“Can a wheelchair go on ice?”

. . . .

We slowly approached the lake house. Kim had decided to ride shotgun with Carol and Thalia. Carol knew not to tell Kim anything, Thalia had made that clear more than once.

“Mom, we are here,” Kim turns around and flashes Thalia a huge white smile that seems to glow in the dark. Carol went around to the handicap exit and climbs in the car to help Thalia out. The air smells like icey evergreens. “Ding ding ding,“ the chimes hanging from the corner of the old wooden house sing with the wind. Her thin vanilla hair flows through the wind, which seems to caress every strand with a comforting welcome home. Thalia looks at the lake. It was untouched. It was perfect. Thalia let out a huge yawn.

“Mom, it’s late. Let me take you to the guest room,” Kim went behind Thalia.

“Wait, turn me around Kim.” Thalia looks back to Carol and mouths the word “Goodbye” and blows her a kiss. Though it was not very noticeable Thalia knew Carol was crying, and Thalia wanted to cry with her.

.
. . .

The next morning, the kids ran into Thalia’s room and woke her up. The aroma of buttermilk pancakes and maple syrup filled her senses. Luckily, there was an elevator in the lake house, so Cheryl wheeled her to the kitchen.

“Good morning,” Thalia exclaims.

“Hi Mom. How was your sleep?” Kim inquires.

“Bearable. And yours?”

“Pretty good.”

Kim places a plate of mouthwatering pancakes in front of Thalia. Thalia had decent food at the hospital, but it was nothing compared to Kim’s cooking. In no time, Thalia was staring down at a completely clean plate.

“Grandma, do you want to go outside after Dad finishes shoveling a path to the lake?” Thomas asks with his famous puppy dog eyes. No one could say no to that face.

“Alright. I am up for some fresh air.” Thalia pinches Thomas’ cheek. He runs off to go play with his other siblings.

About an hour or so later, Greg walks in.

“Done..” he gasps as he removes his hat.

“Kids!!” Kim yells upstairs, “ Dad is done. You can start getting ready.”

Before Greg had the chance to sit down, the kids were running down the stairs and both Kim and Thalia were getting their jackets, mittens, hats, and ear muffs on.

“Let’s go, Dad!” the four yell in unison as if they had planned it.

“Ok. I have to help Grandma. Go out with Mom.” Greg began to put his snow shoes on, then turns to help Thalia.

“Ready?” Greg asks.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Thalia replies.

Greg walks outside, and Jack Frost had already began nipping at Thalia’s nose and toes. The sun was shining bright above the lake, so much so that Kim was sitting on the bench under the canopy with sunglasses protecting her vision of the kids. The sight was unbelieveable. The snow around the lake was twinkling like the stars in the night sky. Beautiful white swans and doves were flying across the sky. There was absolutely no wind. Everything was still and peaceful. It was a truly gorgeous scene taken from a movie. Picture perfect.

By the time Thalia had finished admiring her surroundings, the children were skating off of the ice. Thalia looked over at Kim.

“Wait. Kim, I want to go out there.” Thalia looks out over the lake.

“No Mom.”

“I wasn’t asking you a question. Wheel me out onto the ice.”

Kim rolls Thalia out to the corner of the lake.

“Thank you for taking me to the lake house, for caring for me, for letting me skate for the last time I bet,” Thalia smiles.

“I love you, Mom,” Kim hugs Thalia, “On 3, okay.” Kim removes her sunglasses.

“Okie dokie.”

“1.. 2.....3”

The wheelchair glides across the ice with no problem at all. Thalia tilts her head back to consume it all in. She didn’t want to forget this moment. She would never forget how loving and caring her family had been. She would never forget Carol, or any of the doctors at the hospital. She would never forget what it felt like when she used to skate across the lake, making the pretty pictures. She would never forget anything. As Thalia approached the middle of the ice, she felt a sharp pain, one that she has never felt before. Thalia got her wish. She skated on the ice. She died on the ice. Kim looked behind herself at her kids. When she turned around, Kim saw her mother, motionless, in the middle of the lake. Kim attempts to call out “MOM” but nothing seems to escape her mouth. A tear began to roll down her cheek. She knew her mom was in the place she felt happiest.

Kim began to recite her mother’s favorite quote, “Love is a rose. It blossoms, it is beautiful, and it dies.” But, Kim knew her love for her mother will never die. So... Kim put on her sunglasses---- looked out over the frozen lake, and her life was never the same again.