Adieu

chapter six

(A:N// here it is! hope you like it.)

Chapter six

Williams eyelids fluttered opened slowly. The moment they did so however, he wished he hadn’t. He felt as is bricks were resting on his eyelids and as if a rope were tied around his neck. There was almost non existent light in the room, he didn’t need to look at the clock to tell him it was at least eight. William groaned and turned his head to one side, intending to get more sleep. But the image he saw there made his plans change entirely. Joséphine  lay with her head rested on the very corner of the mattress, just a few inches away from his own head. Her long chestnut hair lie around her, as if it were fan and her perfectly curled eyelashes framed her closed eyes. She was the image of beauty and suddenly he wished he could wake up every morning to the sight of this angel. He enjoyed the sight for about fifteen more seconds before he sat up he placed a hesitant hand onto her shoulder, shaking it gently. “José?”

She murmured something softly before her eyes opened wide and she gasped. “Will!” Frantically she pressed her warm fingers to his neck and looked him over about twenty times. Because he was in shock at her reaction he didn’t say anything until he felt her hands latch onto his jeans.

“Wha–?“ he began but then he realized that she had swiftly taken his cell phone out of his front right pocket. He was silent once more for a second before he began sputtering as she unlocked it instantly. Had he mentioned anything about Louie on their date? He didn’t quite recall. But what really got him was when he heard his sister’s voice on the other line.

“He’s awake!.” she said quickly before frantically shoving his phone back into his pocket and placing frantic hand on his check. “Are you alright Will?”

William grabbed her arm gently, stopping it before it could travel to his neck once more. “How did you get in my room Joséphine?”  He asked calmly. Which surprised him, because he was not calm at all. He strained to remember waking up…

She looked at him through her eyelashes, was she trying to butter him up? “I was just going to come and see you, but you didn’t answer the door and I heard you say help and fall. So I… kind of broke the door.”

William blinked as it all came crashing back like a tidal wave. Not being able to breathe, the waterfall of chestnut hair, and giving in to the white specks. She had said that she was a nurse. Did she somehow know?  “and my phone? I didn’t say anything about Louie last night.”

She glanced behind her, as if expecting something. “Your sister told me everything.”

William gulped. “Everything?” he asked hoarsely.

José looked nervous. “Are you alright?”

William looked at her intensely, into those beautiful emerald eyes. Her saw concern, but there was no way that she knew about the Cancer. Her eyes did not have that small flicker of fear that had moved into Destiny’s eyes. But he did see something else. But he shoved away the small bit of hope that had swelled in his heart. He must have imagined the love, yes, he had. “I’m fine. Because of you,” he said quietly as he hesitantly brought a hand to a chestnut lock. It was incredibly soft and sleek. He smiled and tucked it away behind her ear, just as she had last night.

She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand with a sigh. “I thought that I had lost you. I swear it was as if something was growing in your lungs, keeping the air away. When was the last time you saw a doctor?”

William winced; she was dead on. How did she not see? “ Oh, just before I came to Paris.”

“And?’

William paused, he wouldn’t lie, he had to tell her. Now. “José–“

“Will? Are you alright?” an all too familiar voice called from the doorway.

William removed his hand from Joséphine’s face as he faced his sister. He didn’t see José frown at the loss of the soothing touch. “I’m as good as I’ll ever be.” He responded, hoping that she’s caught the double meaning in his words.

She did, for she winced. “good. Thank you Joséphine. Thank you.”

José smiled slightly,  although she was still fuming over the fact that he had moved so swiftly. There was no way that he felt remotely the same way she did, otherwise he would have stayed despite their guest. How had she even thought for a second that she had seen love in his eyes? She was insane.

“I guess I should leave you two alone.” She said.

Willliam almost sighed in relief, but he stopped himself. Besides, his sister was saying something more.

 “ You two do me a favor and say what you need to say. You won’t be happy until you do.” She said quietly before she disappeared.

William frowned at her comment. She couldn’t possibly want him to tell! He couldn’t now, who cares if he was going to less than two minutes ago. His resolve had evaporated, like steam from boiling water.  He glanced over at Joséphine, she was looking back at him. After smiling at her momentarily he glanced at he clock; 9:15. This upset him, it was the same feeling he had last night, the feeling of never wanting to leave  her. He wished he didn’t have to. He wished that she could lie beside him everyday, he wanted to wake up in the morning and see those beautiful emerald eyes, staring back at him. He wanted to watch her walk down a red isle with a long white gown flowing behind her, he wanted to have a baby girl in his arms with his dark hair and José’s eyes. He wanted his life to be longer, he didn’t want to die. He almost wished he hadn’t come to Paris. This way he would have never met this angel, this way he wouldn’t have to hurt her when he left. He knew it would hurt her, because she did care about him. He knew that there was no way that she felt the same way he did, but she did care about him. William had never been afraid of death until now. It wouldn’t hurt too much physically, but when he was gone, wherever he was going, he would defiantly hurt every second he was away from her. He had never felt this way about anyone else, it was a wonderful and terrible at the same time. “José… It’s getting late.” He whispered, just as the thought poured into his head like rain. Joséphine looked up into William’s chocolate brown eyes. The most beautiful color eyes she had ever seen. They were filled with some identifiable emotion. “Well…” she began as just a whisper. “Why can’t I stay?” as she asked this her heart thuddered erratically. She had just met him. But somehow she felt the need to say it.William’s eyes widened in surprise at her comment. She wasn’t implying what he thought she was implying, was she? He stared deep into her emerald eyes. The most beautiful color eyes he had ever seen, there he saw what he hoped was love. But hope was stupid. Hoping wouldn’t change anything, only his own actions would. He had less than six months to live and he would savor every moment of it. “I think that, would be nice.” He whispered back. She smiled the smile that he adored but only much larger than ever. It traveled from her eyes and into his own in such a way that he couldn’t help but smile back. He decided that he was tired enough to just fall immediately back to sleep, especially with Joséphine so close to him. The thought made him smile grow even more. She climbed in next to him happily, laying her head against his shoulder. The contact was like fireworks and she couldn’t help but sigh at the feeling of it. This was perfect, this moment, this life. William was thinking the same thing to the point that he whispered the one thing he had wanted to say since the moment he had met her.

“I love you, joséphine.”