Love lasts not only in life but in death, chapter 2
She admired artwork as Billie rushed into the room.
"Honey, get your stuff, We gotta go home NOW!"
Jem looked at him, panick growing on her face.
"Why? What's happened?"
"It's Gerard. He's been taken to hospital, he stopped breathing last night."
Jem crumpled to the floor and proceeded to cry her eyes and heart out.
Billie stumbled towards her, he too falling to the floor. He picked Jem up and cradled her in his arms.
"Come on baby, we have to be strong. For Gerard."
At the mention of Gerards name Jem sobbed even louder. Billie let go of Jem and packed up their belongings hurriedly. Within 10 minutes Billie had finished and was holding back his tears, he had to be strong for Gerard and especially Jem.
She had slowed down her sobs and was standing next to Billie Joe. She embraced him with all the strength he posessed. He took her by the hand and led her down to reception. He hailed down a cab which took them to the airport. Billie booked the tickets but the next plane wasn't for 2 hours so he took Jem to a table and got her a cup of tea. She cupped her hands around it and just stared into it. Billie wrapped her hands around her and rocked her back and forth. She started to cry again and he pulled her tighter.
The two hours went quickly and soon Jem and Billie were boarding the plane. Jem fell asleep soon after the plane had taken off. Billie watched and held Jem in his arms. The woman he loved was heartbroken and he soon fell asleep, it wasn't until the air hostess nudged him to tell him they were about to land that either of them stirred. A taxi was called and they were soon headed home. As soon as hte car had stopped Jem was out and running to the front door. She ran through the corridor , searching for anyone and anything.
She ran into the living room where she sound Ollie, she stood up and embraced Jem "I'm so sorry." Jem cried uncontrollably as Ollie tried to comfort her. Billie stood and watched as two of the people in his life cried their eyes out. He booked a taxi and told Jem it would be there in half an hour. Jem curled up on the couch still crying while Ollie took her son into the kitchen.
"Billie, I don't know how to tell you this but...the doctor told me Gerard has a hole in his heart and he doesn't have long left. You may get there in time before he...slips away." Billie stared into his mothers eyes, she moved closer to him and embraced him as he began to sob silently.
A horn sounded outside and Billie walked into the living room to get Jem but she was already waiting by the door. Ollie stayed and looked after the others. Billie decided not to tell Jem about Gerard's condition. They reached the hospital in no time at all and were soon at reception.
"Em...Gerard Armstrong." Jem asked trying not to break-down in front of everyone. The receptionist looked at them both then turned to the computer tofind their son.
"Ward 9.Room 3."
Billie led Jem through the crowds and both searched frantically for thier sons room. She found it and stood outside, watching him through the glass window.
A doctor came out, "Oh Mr and Mrs Armstrong, we need to talk." He led them to a waiting room at the end of the corridor and sat them down before he too sat.
"Well your son...he has a hole in his heart. It is growing rapidly and we can't stop it. We have made him comfortable but I am afriad there is nothing we can do."
"When will he die?" Jem asked as fresh tears broke the surface. She couldn't face the truth even though she knew what it was.
The doctor nodded "I'm afriad we have estimated he has less than 2 hours left. I'm so sorry."
Jem's tears broke free forming floods that would not stop even if she tried. Billie cried too and grabbed Jem's hand holding it tightly.
The doctor took them back to Gerard's room where they sat by his incubator. Jem put her hands in the spaces and stroked her babies head, the truth finally hitting her.
"I swore to myself when I was 16 that I would never have an abortion or kill my baby and now that decision has already been chosen for me."
Billie looked at her from the other side of the incubator.
"It wasn't your fault. There's nothing we can do."
An hour had passed and Jem had refused to leave her sons bed. Billie had gone to phone his mum. When he came back a doctor was standing over Jem. Jem saw Billie Joe and ran to him."He's going!" she said in between sobs, repeating it over and over again. The pair stood and watched as Gerard's small and fragile body took one last breath then ceased moving. "I'm afraid he's gone." the doctor said.
"Honey, get your stuff, We gotta go home NOW!"
Jem looked at him, panick growing on her face.
"Why? What's happened?"
"It's Gerard. He's been taken to hospital, he stopped breathing last night."
Jem crumpled to the floor and proceeded to cry her eyes and heart out.
Billie stumbled towards her, he too falling to the floor. He picked Jem up and cradled her in his arms.
"Come on baby, we have to be strong. For Gerard."
At the mention of Gerards name Jem sobbed even louder. Billie let go of Jem and packed up their belongings hurriedly. Within 10 minutes Billie had finished and was holding back his tears, he had to be strong for Gerard and especially Jem.
She had slowed down her sobs and was standing next to Billie Joe. She embraced him with all the strength he posessed. He took her by the hand and led her down to reception. He hailed down a cab which took them to the airport. Billie booked the tickets but the next plane wasn't for 2 hours so he took Jem to a table and got her a cup of tea. She cupped her hands around it and just stared into it. Billie wrapped her hands around her and rocked her back and forth. She started to cry again and he pulled her tighter.
The two hours went quickly and soon Jem and Billie were boarding the plane. Jem fell asleep soon after the plane had taken off. Billie watched and held Jem in his arms. The woman he loved was heartbroken and he soon fell asleep, it wasn't until the air hostess nudged him to tell him they were about to land that either of them stirred. A taxi was called and they were soon headed home. As soon as hte car had stopped Jem was out and running to the front door. She ran through the corridor , searching for anyone and anything.
She ran into the living room where she sound Ollie, she stood up and embraced Jem "I'm so sorry." Jem cried uncontrollably as Ollie tried to comfort her. Billie stood and watched as two of the people in his life cried their eyes out. He booked a taxi and told Jem it would be there in half an hour. Jem curled up on the couch still crying while Ollie took her son into the kitchen.
"Billie, I don't know how to tell you this but...the doctor told me Gerard has a hole in his heart and he doesn't have long left. You may get there in time before he...slips away." Billie stared into his mothers eyes, she moved closer to him and embraced him as he began to sob silently.
A horn sounded outside and Billie walked into the living room to get Jem but she was already waiting by the door. Ollie stayed and looked after the others. Billie decided not to tell Jem about Gerard's condition. They reached the hospital in no time at all and were soon at reception.
"Em...Gerard Armstrong." Jem asked trying not to break-down in front of everyone. The receptionist looked at them both then turned to the computer tofind their son.
"Ward 9.Room 3."
Billie led Jem through the crowds and both searched frantically for thier sons room. She found it and stood outside, watching him through the glass window.
A doctor came out, "Oh Mr and Mrs Armstrong, we need to talk." He led them to a waiting room at the end of the corridor and sat them down before he too sat.
"Well your son...he has a hole in his heart. It is growing rapidly and we can't stop it. We have made him comfortable but I am afriad there is nothing we can do."
"When will he die?" Jem asked as fresh tears broke the surface. She couldn't face the truth even though she knew what it was.
The doctor nodded "I'm afriad we have estimated he has less than 2 hours left. I'm so sorry."
Jem's tears broke free forming floods that would not stop even if she tried. Billie cried too and grabbed Jem's hand holding it tightly.
The doctor took them back to Gerard's room where they sat by his incubator. Jem put her hands in the spaces and stroked her babies head, the truth finally hitting her.
"I swore to myself when I was 16 that I would never have an abortion or kill my baby and now that decision has already been chosen for me."
Billie looked at her from the other side of the incubator.
"It wasn't your fault. There's nothing we can do."
An hour had passed and Jem had refused to leave her sons bed. Billie had gone to phone his mum. When he came back a doctor was standing over Jem. Jem saw Billie Joe and ran to him."He's going!" she said in between sobs, repeating it over and over again. The pair stood and watched as Gerard's small and fragile body took one last breath then ceased moving. "I'm afraid he's gone." the doctor said.
