Collection of Short Stories

A Lamb's Love

I stared at the pale, white ceiling of the hospital ward and sighed as I listened to the wheezing involved in each and every breath I took. I felt my strength running away from me with every breath I took. I looked at the x-rays next to my bed, the grey mists of cancer, lung cancer.  

I turned towards the door as I heard the shuffle of a child's feet, my son. I looked towards the door to see him standing there surrounded by the dim light of the empty corridor accompanied by his mother. He came towards me and took hold of my hand ever so gently as if it was made of delicate glass, while his mother stood at the door.  

"Daddy, you're going to be alright, right?" he asked and the look on his face just made my heart break. I just wanted to say that everything would be alright and that I would be home soon but I just couldn't. I couldn't bear the thought that soon my son would be fatherless.  

"Ben, daddy isn't well and daddy isn't going to get better," I said as nicely as I could but try as I might, I just couldn't hold in the tears that were escaping out the side of eyes. I glanced at my son filled with love and compassion for him and yet sorrow and distress was also there. The thought that my son, whom I loved so much, would soon have no father just pierced through me like a sharpened knife piercing my heart. He would have no one to pick him up when he falls or to guide him along the unsteady road of life. I glanced towards him and saw the only thing that could make me even sadder than I already was, a tear, escaping out the side of his eye and crawling down his face.  

"Ben, it's going to be ok. You still have mummy and your sister, Sarah, you just won't have daddy but daddy can still live in your heart, ok? Daddy will still be with you no matter what, you'll still be able to feel me by your side, ok?" 

"Yes, daddy," he said sweetly and sadly. As I watched him sitting next to me holding my hand, my eyes brimmed with fresh tears. 

"Remember when you had your 4 year old birthday party and it was a costume party? Do you remember what I dressed up as?" I asked him desperate to put a smile on his sweet face.  

"You dressed up as a pirate, daddy. But you forgot to talk like one so you weren't a very good pirate, daddy," he smiled sadly.  

"Yes, I wasn't," I said. I looked towards the door glancing at my wife who looked lovingly towards our son. I glanced down at him. His eyes were drooping and he started to yawn.  

"Ben, do you want to go to sleep now?" I asked him softly. 

"No, I want to stay awake to talk to you, daddy," he whispered lovingly. If this was any other day I would have made him go to sleep but today was an exception. 

"Ok. What do you want to talk about?" I asked him. 

"Where are you going daddy? Robert at school said that unicorns come and take you away. Are you going to be taken away by unicorns?" he asked innocently. He was like a lamb, pure and completely naïve but I just couldn't bear to burst his bubble and tell him that no, I wasn't going to be taken away by unicorns.  

"Yes, Benny, I'm going to be taken away by unicorns and so will you when you die so don't worry, I will see you again and we will have fun like we did here, on Earth," I said as nicely as I possibly could. I glanced towards the door and saw the doorway empty except for the odd nurse walking pushing a trolley full of odd hospital equipment.  

"Daddy, can I sleep here with you tonight? Please?" he pleaded his puppy-dog eyes staring at me pleadingly.  

"Sure, Ben," I moved over as much as I could without disturbing the wires draped over my body. I watched as he gently climbed onto my bed and snuggled up next to me. The top of his head fit perfectly in the crook of my arm like the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle.  

"I love you, daddy," he whispered. 

"I love you too, Ben," I said, then closed my eyes for the last time, holding my son in my arm.