- The story follows Irene as she visits her dying husband Aaron in the hospital and cares for him in his final days. Though weak, Aaron finds joy in briefly meeting his newborn child before passing away with a smile. Irene is overcome with grief at losing her husband but finds solace in their child.

1. Not Yet
Written by Jessica Jauregui
The white and bright narrow hallways were relatively quiet. They were filled with that stench that
reminded her of rubbing alcohol. She clutched the cold door handle, knocked lightly on the door, and walked
inside the room. He was sitting in his bed, quietly staring out the window. His blue eyes locked at the small
bird nest that decorated the large tree outside.
“How are you feeling today?” She whispered.
He didn’t turn around to look at her. She heard him take a deep breath, but no sound from his
mouth. She just stood there silently, staring at him. Eventually, he sighed and turned towards her. He forced
himself to smile. He motioned her to walk towards his bed. She took slow steps towards his bed. He looked
more exhausted and thinner. She sat at the edge of his bed and took his hand on hers. It was cold and wet.
She felt the hot tears down her face. He didn’t look at her. He had turned his attention to the small digital
clock he had requested. It was 3:34 P.M. When he was first moved here into this room, it was decorated
with flowers and “Get Well Soon” Banners. They were thoughtless gifts; he had always though, since he knew
the reality of the situation. He was 25 and dying. He wouldn’t get well soon and soon the flowers will slowly
wither away like his life. He didn’t hate or blame anyone. He couldn’t even blame Thanatos. He knew it
wasn’t anyone’s fault he had accepted his death after the doctors had given up.
“Is it finally time?” He managed to ask Irene.
Irene only looked up and shook her head. He knew she was crying but he couldn’t comfort her. He
was tired. He didn’t even have enough strength to embrace her anymore. He didn’t even have the energy to
keep his eyes open for much longer. She knew all this. He saw her wipe her tears away as she stood up. She
cleared her throat and smiled.
“Not yet” she simply replied.
She just stood there quietly. Hoping he’d understand what she was asking. He didn’t respond he just
collapsed on his pillow and closed his eyes. His breath was uneven and harsh. She knew they were running
out of time. She stared at him for a few more minutes before she bent down and kissed him on his forehead
and left his room.
When he opened his eyes again, his eyes automatically moved towards his clock. It now marked 8:05
P.M. It was getting harder to even open his eyes. His muscles were stiff and hard to move. He heard a light
knock on his door and the door open slowly. He knew it was Irene at the door. She was always there.
Attentively watching and caring for him. He loved her for that.
“Is it time?” he croaked. His vocal cords were losing strength. He sounded weak, unrealistic. She
noticed it too, but she didn’t comment. She just came into the room, slower than usual. She sat down
carefully and slowly before she grabbed his hand.

2. “Not yet” She breathed. His hands were colder than the last time she had been in the room. She
smiled but there was no response in him. She let go of his hand and stood up. She walked towards the door
slowly as she had come in. Before she left the room she heard him whisper, “I love you both”. She held back a
sob and replied with, “We love you too.” Just as quietly as she had come in, she was gone. His eyes closed
once again, tuning out the noise outside the door. Even if he could not hear her or see her, he knew she was
broken and crying her heart outside his door.
He heard the door open once again. He wanted to open his eyes, but there was no longer any
strength left in him. Even if he wanted to, the tubes attached to his body prevented him from bolting himself
awake. He laid there, fully conscious of the visitors inside his room. He wanted to call out to Irene. It had to
be her. No one came into his room except her, but his voice, no longer came to him. He couldn’t even open
his mouth. The pain is chest was aggravating and unbearable.
“It’s me” He heard her say. Just as those words came out of her mouth he heard the most symphonic
cries throughout the room. The cries rang through the entire room, lighting up the faith and the strength that
he had lost. The child’s cries were strong and full of life, everything that at that moment in time, he was not.
His eyes opened and he saw her. Irene was sitting in a wheelchair, her eyes full of tears and her face was
decorated with a painful smile. She was holding a small bundle in her arms. He could see a tiny hand reach up
to her nose. She giggled. It was the first time he had seen such joy overcome her since the doctors had given
up on him. The doctor and the nurse that had come in with her helped him up and handed him the child. The
child ceased his cries and slightly opened his eyes. Blue clashed with blue. Aaron, with the strength he’d not
possessed in a long time took the child in a gentle embrace and look at his wife.
“I … I l-love you b-both” Just as that wave of strength and joy had come, it slowly went away. His
body began to shut down once again. The fatigue and the coldness returned as if had never left. Everything
returned at once and it was unbearable. Then there was nothing, nothing except serenity. Aaron closed his
eyes, with a smile decorating his face. Irene just sat in her chair full of tears. The room was silent. Even the
doctor, who had known this moment was coming, said nothing. The nurse took the child away from Aaron
and placed him in Irene’s arms. The doctor stated the time of death to the nurse when he looked at the
digital clock. She wrote it down and watched the doctor quietly leave the room. Irene looked up at the nurse.
She numbly stated her new born child’s name and made her way to her husband. She gripped his hand one
last time. She kissed it and said, “It’s finally time love …”
The End.