Between the Lanterns(13)

He caught up with Samantha, who was in tears as she ambled back to room 517.

“August, why?” she asked, shakily. “Why would anyone want to do that to their loved ones? It just seems… so empty and sad. When it’s your time, then it’s your time. You don’t live artificially as an artificial person inside of a robot. It’s just wrong.”

“It’s alright, Sam,” he told her. “Calm down. I agree with you. It’s unnatural and awful.”

“Then why were you asking questions about it? It was like you were considering having that done to John,” she said, her voice dripping with disappointment.

“No, ma’am. I would never,” August said, taken aback. “I was just curious. In my opinion, it’s really up to the person dyin’ if they’d want that done to themselves. So I will tell John about it, but I have a sneakin’ suspicion that he’ll hate it just as much as you do.”

August was right about that.

“Hell no. I ain’t fixin’ to be no damn android or whatever,” John said with a pained look. “The good Lord is callin’ me home, and I’m gonna answer. Besides, no one would want a tin can version of me that can only remember the past. I got no kids, no wife, no friends… besides you two, and that’s as sad as can be since I met y’all yesterday. Nobody is gonna mourn for me, much less want to talk to me after I die.”

“Oh John, I’m so sorry, sweets,” Samantha said. “I wish there was something we could do. I’d give you an organ if it’d help. You and August are the only two people I’ve met since Cheryl died that I feel a connection with, you know?”

“Same here, old man,” August agreed. “I’d give you whatever you needed if it would help. Just like Sam said, I’ve felt pretty alone since Granny passed away. I just can’t relate to most people. They’re too… distant. You and Sam feel like close friends or family, even though I just met y’all. So, don’t worry about not havin’ anyone who will mourn for you. We will, John. You have my word. I just wish you’d stayed in the diner one more minute... then we coulda been friends for a long time.”

“Shoot no, August. I’m already old,” John said with a grin. “We’d have had three years tops.”

“John, we’re going to stay with you until the end. Is that alright with you, sweets?” Samantha asked quietly.

John’s eyes filled with tears of appreciation and love as he looked at the two young people standing beside his bed and told them, “That would be… right kind of y’all. Right kind, indeed.”

August and Samantha took turns napping while the other would keep John company. The clinic staff came in periodically to administer pain medication that would ease his passing. They were all very confused by the presence of these two young people, especially once they found out that they weren’t family.

One nurse pulled Samantha aside and asked, “Why are y’all here? He got lots of Credits or something? Insurance scam? What’s the deal?”

Samantha hated this nurse with all her heart until she remembered to forgive and forget, as they used to say.

“No, ma’am,” she told the nurse. “He’s just a friend, and I don’t want him to die scared and alone.”

At one point, late into the night, August was in a deep sleep, snoring softly and twitching a little now and then. John nudged Samantha on the arm and pointed over at the snoring August.

“That boy loves you, you know?” he said.

“Excuse me, sweets? We just met and barely know each other,” she said, feigning offence. “But I have to admit I am rather fond of him so far.”

“Baloney. You love him, too,” John murmured. “I can see it when you look at each other. It’s the way Cheryl and I used to look at each other in the beginnin’. I’m tellin’ you now, dear: you need to hold onto that boy just like Cheryl said to you. Don’t let him pull away and make the same mistake I did. Life is short, and if you mess this up, you might never get another chance at love. Real love.”

Samantha looked at the sleeping man she barely knew. That flutter was in her stomach again, just like every time she thought about him. It was true that he was unlike all the other people she knew. He cared, just like she did. That had to mean something. Didn’t it? Maybe John was right. Maybe she and August already did love each other.

“Maybe, John,” she said, running her hands through his gray hair. “Maybe.”

She continued looking at August while rubbing John’s head when she felt something change.

“John? JOHN?” she yelled loudly, panic in her voice.

August shot up like a lightning bolt at the sound, and immediately ran to her side, saying, “What’s goin’ on, Sam?”

“John’s eyes are rolled back in his head,” she answered through tears, “and I think he’s choking!”

Samantha didn’t know what to do. She just grabbed John’s hand, while August hit the emergency nurse button.

They came strolling in and checked the time. The two on-duty nurses nodded at each other and wrote some stuff down on their LightBoard, using their fingertips.

“Time of death, 2:13 AM,” one of them said.

“He’s not even dead yet, you horrible people!” Samantha screamed at them frantically. “He’s choking! Help him! PLEASE!” Tears poured out of her eyes as she pleaded with the two uncaring nurses.