Just Breathe Again - Mia Villano Page 0,39

Hooty.

“Hooty, don’t take her from me yet. I can’t bear to see her die,” screamed Jeannie. Her face, distorted and her body shook. Marsha must have heard her screaming and came out to the driveway with her and Hooty.

“What’s wrong, Hooty?” Marsha asked, trying to help pick up her best friend.

“It’s time for the box, Miss Marsha. We have to start Miss Lydia on the morphine. Her time is comin faster than we wanted it to,” said Hooty.

“Oh God, no. I can’t breathe. Oh God. Why can’t you stop this? ” screamed Jeannie. She looked up at Marsha. Her face was unrecognizable covered in sadness and despair. She rocked back and forth grabbing at her clothes trying to make the reality go away.

“Jeannie, listen to me. She needs to have the medicine. We promised her we would not let her suffer. She can’t have pain. Lydia’s getting disorientated, and she’s sleeping constantly. She needs peace and we have to help her through this next part of her journey,” said Marsha. Marsha was on the ground now holding and rocking her once again like she did in the hospital.

Jeannie screamed and pulled at her hair and the grass, still rocking back and forth.

“I want Vince. Why can’t he be here with me? Dear God, I can’t handle this,” she screamed.

“Jeannie, if this keeps up I’ll have to have her transported to our hospice facility. You cannot be carrin’ on like this. She needs you to hold yourself together. You have to stop this! You hear what Hooty is sayin’ to you? I don’t want to take her out of here. If I have to, I will for her sake,” said Hooty.

Marsha agreed. “Jeannie, I love you to death, but I have to agree with Hooty. You have to get yourself together.”

“You know I gave birth to her. I gave her life. I’m not prepared to see her life leave. I’m supposed to be with her on her first date, her prom, and her wedding. She won’t be able to have a baby or love a man or go to college. This is so unfair. Why? Why?” yelled Jeannie.

Grabbing her arms and trying to hold her still so she would not hurt herself, Hooty told her,

“You have to look at it like this. God gave you this angel for a short time. She was a gift to you from him ‘cuz he loved you. He knew when he gave you Miss Lydia the time would be a short one. She was sent down here to be with you while you made it through the horrible time with your husband. God knew you needed her, and now, he needs her back, Miss Jeannie. He loves you so much he done gave this angel to love and take care of even though the time hasn’t been long enough,” said Hooty. Marsha wiped the tears from her eyes.

“You have to take comfort in knowin’ she’ll be with you, and one day, all of you will be together again. I know it. I have seen too many miracles at death. People almost passed seein’ loved ones and talkin’ to them. Like givin’ birth to Miss Lydia was a miracle, bein’ with her while she passes to the other side is goin’ to be a miracle, too. She needs to be at peace when she goes. She needs to not be in pain so she can transition to the other side peacefully. It’s inevitable, Miss Jeannie. It’s happenin’ faster than any of us thought. Now we have to get our butts back down there and give Miss Lydia her morphine and be with her through this like strong women. She’s the lucky one, don’t you know? Soon all her sufferin’ will be over and she will be in the glorious arms of Jesus. You ready?” asked Hooty.

Jeannie sat there and looked up at Hooty. With tears still dripping down her red cheeks, she nodded.

Marsha helped Jeannie up from the wet lawn. Her legs couldn’t hold her at first and she collapsed again. As if to give up, Jeannie sat there and didn’t move. Hooty grabbed her and pulled her to her bosom.

“You can do this, baby. I know you can. I won’t leave you. Hooty be right here till she passes, you hear me?”

Jeannie nodded. Once they had her up and moving, they walked back into the house. Marsha made coffee and Jeannie noticed she wiped a tear from her eye as she looked at Lydia lying