“Could you..? Yes, that’s exactly what I needed. How do you always know?” The nurse smiled as she put down the coffee.

“Everybody needs coffee”, the nurse said. “Plus you always call for it this time of day” she grinned.

Always. I haven’t been here that long. Won’t be for much longer either. I’m dying. Nobody is saying it, but we all know it. I know it. And everybody wants it. How can they not. It is torture to take care of a loved one for that long. I’ve done it myself, years ago when my father got sick. Few months later my mother. I was so, so tired. Yes, I loved them, but at some point it just has to end. With all the love in the world, you can still want somebody to die. Ugh. She falls back in her pillow.

" Nobody wants you to die”, said the nurse. “Don’t worry, your thoughts are safe with me”

For a second or two there was no heartbeat and certainly no breath!

" Breath, you are not dead yet”, the nurse continued. " Your children are just like you were. They want you to live, but not like this. They love you to much for that. Just like you did your parents.”

Tears were welling up and unstoppable. Like a stream finally overflowing.

The nurse sat with her for a while. Silently.

Her nursecall rang. She had to go. " I keep you secrets, you keep mine?” She winked as she headed out of the room.