I Will Always Bet On You // Benny Watts

8. Hospital Visits

"I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung the phone up. Lacy's feet carried her around her apartment as she grabbed her things. She made a quick call to Andrew.

"Hello?" His deep voice answered.

"Andrew it's me. I'm going to the hospital right now, my grandfather is there. I cant have dinner tonight." She almost broke into a sob, but kept strong, talking fast.

"Yeah, yeah. That's totally fine, can I do anything?" He could hear her shaking breaths.

"No, I'll keep you updated." She hung up. Lacy numbly left her apartment, locking the door, flagging down a taxi. It took 20 minutes to get to the hospital. She ran in the door, looking for her mom. She saw her mom sitting in a chair down the main hallway, pulling at her hair. "Where is he?" She ran to her mom, her mom looked up, tears covered her face.

"In there, he's not awake. They said we would have to wait it out. There's nothing they can do, he's too sick." Her mom grabbed her hand. Lacy nodded, lowly making her way into the room. There on the hospital bed layer her Grandfather. The best man she had ever met. The one who taught her everything she knew. Who lead her to the life she had today. Tears rushed to her eyes seeing him like that. She wasn't ready to see him go.

Walking to the side of his bed Lacy too Jeff's hand. She watched his eyes flutter open. "Hey darling." Her stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

She felt her tears about to spill. "Hey grandpa." She smiled sadly. His face looked gray, and it was only now that Lacy could see his age. She had just seen him less than two weeks ago, how could this happen so fast.

"Don't cry my angel." His hand shook as he tried to lift it. He reached her face, wiping a tear that had rolled down her cheek.

"Listen to me, you're going to get better. You have to live long enough to walk me down the isle, to see me have kids, your great grand kids." She huffed out in sobs. "I cant lose you, I'm not ready." She held his hand with both of hers now.

"It's all a matter of time darling. People come and go. You don't need me for all of that, you have your mother. I've watched you become the women you are today, and that's what has made my life so great. I couldn't be more proud of you. Don't cry for me, because I have had a great life. I have loved and been loved back. I know it's sad, but I'm ready to see your grandmother again." Jeff smiled at the girl, who felt like she was a kid again.

She choked back sobs, laying her head on the edge of the bed. Tears streamed down her face. Her grandfather ran his hand on her hair. His heart broke watching his granddaughter cry. "Did you bring your chessboard?" He asked. She slowly lifted her head, her eyes full of tear. She nodded slowly grabbing her bag.

They had moved the table, so she could sit on the end of the bed and he could sit up. They played for hours. Lacy's tears had dried up, as she talked to her grandfather like there was no illness in his body. She would waste whatever time she had left with him. Her mother sat on the small couch, occasionally sniffling watching the two loves of her life. Amanda wasn't ready to be alone, not in a big house. She didn't know how she was going to do it all by herself.

"Now don't go easy on me." Jeff laughed as Lacy let him win. The laughter stopped when he broke into a coughing fit. Lacy jumped off the bed. He mother ran to get a nurse. Lacy rubbed his back as he coughed. She was scared, she didn't know what to do. The nurse came in telling the women to wait in the hall. They both went into the hall.

"He seemed so normal until then." Lacy didn't look to her mom who was silently crying.

"He's good at hiding it." Amanda sniffled.