His Secret (l.h)

Chapter Twenty-Six

They always say that your ears are last to go when you pass away. So as you go, they silence everything and ensure your loved ones are surrounded by your bed, their voices soft and music to your ears as you take one last breath. So as she took her last breath and heard the loud scream of a cry from her daughter, her body fought to stay awake. The oxygen was quick to flow through her body and her blood pumped quicker and her skin changed to a pink on her cheeks.

"Mr Hemmings?" The doctor called softly and Luke lifted his head slowly and looked to the door where the doctor poked his head through. "May I have a word?" Luke nodded and stood to his feet and glanced back to Maeve who was sleeping soundlessly with his daughter in the crib beside her.

He followed the doctor outside and went into another private room just a few doors down and a Midwife went into Maeve's room and sat with the two. Luke had made sure she always had someone by her side.

"Your family, your wife is very lucky. Her body was giving up, she had hardly any strength. Her lungs are slightly bruised and we looked back at her records and saw that had a terminal illness in her lungs-"

"What? What are talking about? You must have the wrong records. Maeve is perfectly healthy." Luke frowned and the Doctor pursed his lips and looked down at his notes.

"Maeve Alexi Linton, born on June 11th 1998?" Luke swallowed the lump in his throat and pushed back his curls.

"I...what does um, what does this mean?" He cleared his throat and played with the rings on his fingers.

"Maeve was being seen by Dr. Matthews and had told us that she was in the last few stages of this illness. Her exercise was to take deep breaths, exercise her lungs, open the airways. Very similar to asthma. However, it's worse. There's no cure just like asthma, but like asthma can go as you get older. This illness forms as you get older. Now, Maeve has been unfortunate and got the illness when she was only seventeen. I'm sure you know that. Right?" The Doctor asked and Luke stated up at him with blood shot eyes.

"No. I didn't. I...is she dying?" Luke asked his voice cracked and as the Doctor stared at him and placed down the papers.

"Her immune system is very weak at the moment. We would like to keep Maeve and the baby here for a few weeks. To monitor and see if your daughter may have the illness. I am very sorry, Mr Hemmings. I truly am." Luke nodded and stood his feet and walked down the corridor and back to the room where Maeve was lying peacefully. His lips trembled as he stared at her face, the oxygen mask supporting her.

"Is everything alright, Mr Hemmings?" The midwife asked and Luke nodded clearing his throat.

"Of course. Thank you." He moved forward and took a seat, scooting the chair closer to the bed.

Once the midwife had left, he reached his hands out and took Maeve's hand in his. The warmth embracing his cold ones made him choke on his sob. "You're such an idiot, Mae. Why didn't you tell me. Why didn't you say a thing? I love you so much, you can't leave me. You have to stay. I can't be alone again. Please." He whispered and brought her hand to lips and pressed light kisses along the back of her hand, to her knuckles, and fingers.

The loose ring on her finger that he also pressed a gentle kiss to. "I'll buy you a beautiful ring. One that sits perfectly, one that you will forever flaunt." Luke looked over to his daughter and squeezed his eyes shut. "Our daughter needs her mother." Luke bowed his head and rested his forehead against their clasped hands.

"Luke?" Immediately he lifted his head towards Maeve, his heart racing and his eyes wide as he searched her face. Only to find that her eyes were still closed, her breathing was slow. Luke turned his head towards the door and Eliza was stood to one side.