Chapter 5 - The Worst Night
Three weeks later, Lily stopped breathing.
The alarm sounded just after midnight.
I was the first one in the room.
"Lily?"
No response.
Her oxygen level was dropping fast.
Doctors rushed in.
Shelby was sleeping in the family lounge.
Roman had gone home two hours earlier.
"Call respiratory."
"Already coming."
"Lily, sweetheart, open your eyes."
Her chest barely moved.
Shelby appeared in the doorway.
"What happened?"
"Stay back."
"That's my daughter!"
"Hannah?"
Her voice terrified me.
"Tell me what's happening!"
I grabbed her shoulders.
"Her breathing is unstable. They're helping her."
Shelby looked inside.
"No."
"Let them work."
"No, no, no."
She pulled out her phone.
Roman answered on the first ring.
"What?"
"It's Lily."
Silence.
"I'm coming."
He arrived twenty-three minutes later.
Shelby was pacing.
Roman grabbed her arms.
"What did they say?"
"She stopped breathing."
"Is she alive?"
"Yes."
"Then look at me."
Shelby shook.
"I can't lose her."
"Look at me."
She finally did.
Roman's voice lowered.
"You're not running."
"I'm not."
"No matter what happens."
"I'm not running."
"Say it."
"I'm not running."
The doctor stepped out.
Both turned.
"She's stable for now."
Shelby nearly collapsed.
Roman caught her.
"But her disease is progressing."
The doctor paused.
"We need to discuss goals of care."
Roman's face became hard.
"What does that mean?"
"It means we need to talk about what interventions Lily would want if this happens again."
"She's nine."
"I know."
"You expect her to decide?"
"With her mother."
Shelby stared at the floor.
Roman looked ready to argue.
I stepped between them.
"Roman."
"What?"
"This isn't about fighting the doctor."
His eyes met mine.
"You think I don't know that?"
"I think fighting is what you do when you're scared."
His expression changed.
Shelby looked at him.
"She's right."
Roman said nothing.
Later that morning, Lily woke.
She looked weak.
But awake.
Roman sat beside her.
Shelby held her hand.
Lily whispered:
"Everyone looks terrible."
Roman exhaled.
Shelby laughed through tears.
"You scared us."
"I know."
The doctor came in.
"Lily, can we talk?"
She nodded.
They talked carefully.
About breathing support.
About comfort.
About what she wanted.
Lily listened longer than anyone expected.
Finally, she looked at Shelby.
"I don't want everybody screaming."
"No one's going to scream."
"If it gets bad."
Shelby swallowed.
"Okay."
"I want Mom there."
"I will be."
"And Uncle Grumpy."
Roman's eyes dropped.
"I'm not going anywhere."
"And the music box."
Roman nodded.
"Done."
Lily looked toward me.
"And Hannah."
I smiled.
"I'll be here whenever I can."
She nodded.
Then she whispered:
"I don't want to die alone."
Shelby's face broke.
Roman leaned closer.
"You won't."
"Promise?"
May you like
He didn't hesitate.
"I promise."
