PART 4 ~ 7

The flowers were the most beautiful when they bloomed in the early morning. We sat side by side on the somewhat cold bench. I had my arms around him as he leaned on me.

            “Smells nice, doesn’t it?”

            He nodded and smiled, his eyes closed. When the nurses weren’t paying attention, I pluck one of the flowers right from the bushes. I placed it on Yoongi’s mouth, right in front of his nose. His eyes shot open.

            “What’s this?” he tried to speak without eating the flower. I picked it up for him.

            “This is a cape jasmine,” I said, showing him the delicate white flower. He held it with both hands.

            “It’s beautiful,” he breathed in the fragrance. We laid back and just took our time enjoying the morning breeze.

Yoongi had been strong enough to take trips to the hospital garden now. He’d been smiling more often too. I kept telling him jokes just to see him laugh. His face glowed and he looked better.

“I even feel better,” he said, smiling at me, “Honest.”

“That’s great, Yoongi,” I replied, giving him another kiss.

We had our lunches and even dinners in the garden. We stayed outside as much as we could. Thankfully, the doctors and nurses permitted us to do so. We sat until the sky went dark and after the sun had set underneath the horizon.

Then, it was time for us to get back to his room again. I wheeled him as slowly as possible, just so he could get to enjoy a little bit more of the nature and the outside world. He had the jasmine I gave him in his hands. He caressed the petals softly with his thumb.

“I’m going to place this beside my bed,” he said, looking up at me, “The room’s going to smell better.”

I pushed open the door to the all so familiar room. White concrete walls surrounded us, again. I knew Yoongi hated it. But he had gotten so used to it he didn’t even complain anymore. I sighed softly.

“Can you hold me…for one last time?” he asked, suddenly.

I didn’t like how he asked that question but I nodded and smiled. He extended his arms towards me as I bent down to carry him bridal styled from his wheelchair. He weighed like a feather as he leaned onto my chest. I could feel my hands holding him by his bones. It hurt me in so many ways to see that he had become like this. Time had not been kind to him. I had not been kind to him. I resisted the urge to cry as I carried him off to the bed.

I laid him down beside me as we rested on the bed. Slowly, he moved closer and laid his head on my chest, feeling my breathing. I had one arm over his shoulder and another holding his hand. Eventually, he closed his eyes. I smiled to myself as I watched his peaceful face.

Just when I thought he had drifted off to sleep, he suddenly spoke.

                “Sing me to sleep?”

            “But I’m not much of a singer,” I reminded him, smiling a little.

            “I know, but I love the sound of your voice,” he smiled at me.

Taking in a deep breath, I started humming to the rhythm of the song we both loved. The humming gradually turned into singing as I slowly remembered the lyrics to the song.

Be