Page 111 of Ghost

“Gone?” I shouted. “What do you mean, gone? Gone where?”

He cleared his throat. “She’s passed.”

“Heaven help me,” George blubbered.

“Dead?” The word came out as a whisper. “You’re telling me she’s dead?”

He nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“She can’t be,” I cried. “I just brought her in here. We were in bed together, sleeping.” I shook my head. He was mistaken. He had the wrong patient in mind. “I’m talking about Abby Northrop. Five-two. Pale skin. Dark hair.”

I reached for him, but a hand stopped me. I yanked my arm free. “She came in with a fucking fever,” I bellowed. “A fever. You’ve got the wrong--”

He reached shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

A lump rocketed into my throat. I began to shake. Someone touched me. I fell into one of the chairs. I looked up at the doctor.

I swallowed hard. “Is she…she’s…dead?”

“Yes, Mister Reeves,” he said. “We’ve lost her. Again, I’m sorry.”

I was in an all too familiar place. This time, it was so very much worse. It couldn’t be. It simply couldn’t. There had to be a misunderstanding.

His mouth moved, but I heard nothing. A dull pain took one limb at a time, until my entire body went numb.

George placed his hand on my shoulder, but I felt nothing. He wept. The light denim of my jeans became dark with tears that dripped from my chin. I couldn’t stand. I couldn’t reason. I was elsewhere.

Somewhere quiet. Where pain didn’t exist. Voices couldn’t be heard.

The doctor touched my shoulder again, and then turned away.

* * *

I stood over the gurney they’d placed her on. I wanted to take her hospital gown off, and replace it with one of her dresses, and her Converse sneakers.

Her skin was too pale. Much more so than normal.

I took her cold hand in mine. “I’m sorry, Baby,” I said, my voice quivering as I spoke. “I tried. I got here as fast as I could. I just…”

My legs turned to rubber.

George pulled me to my feet. As he steadied me, I continued. “I love you. With all my heart,” I sobbed. “I just…I love you.”

I traced my finger along her ring finger, where I’d failed to place the ring. I’d forever regret not having the courage to follow through with the proposal. Filled with regret, anger, and sorrow, I held her hand in mine.

“Mister Reeves,” A voice said. “We need to take her now. I’m sorry.”

I raised my right hand to silence him.

Then, I leaned over her, kissed her on the lips, and said my final words.

“Goodnight, Sweetheart. I love you.”

I shuffled toward the door, holding onto George’s arm for support. We stepped into the hallway and paused. As we both shed another tear for our loss, the doctor pushed the gurney past us.

My vision narrowed until all I could see was the doctor as he pushed Abby away. He reached the double doors at the end of the hallway, paused, and pushed a button on the wall. As he passed through the opening, going completely out of sight, what little faith I had in love vanished right along with him.