"Good morning!" Jocelyn smiled brightly as she entered Hope Journey care facility.
As such that Miles' condition was so rare, they'd agreed to moving him into a care facility sooner so that his journey could be studied and used for future cases.
At first he protested the idea, claiming he wanted in home care with Jocelyn but as they discussed the issue further he realized he could help people even through his death. It was a change they both had to adjust to but his money afforded him the best facility in the country.
"Hello, Ms. Major! Don't you look lovely." Lisa smiled brightly as she began logging Jocelyn's visit.
"Thank you." She smiled as she pulled at the bright yellow sundress. It was always on her mind to keep her appearance bright and happy for Miles.
"Alrighty, you're all set to head back but beware he has other guests." The woman smiled as Jocelyn was passed a visitor badge.
"Guests?" She muttered to herself as she stepped on to the elevator. Miles hardly liked anyone outside of her father and even he called Jocelyn before visiting.
"Morning." Jocelyn smiled to the horde of nurses who took the elevator down as she got off. Navigating her way to Miles' quarters, she knocked on the door.
"Wait a moment."
"Come in!"
A mess of voices spoke differing commands. Jocelyn knew if anyone was free to enter the space at any time, it'd be her.
Pushing the door open, she set her purse down on the ledge and kicked her sandals off. Making her way further into the living space, she noticed Miles sitting on the couch with his head in his hands.
Two elderly people sat opposite him on the recliners they'd moved in yesterday. Immediately it clicked in her mind that they were his parents. He shared a striking resemblance to his father while his mother held dark brown eyes and Roman features.
"Hello." She spoke as she placed a smile on her face. "I'm Jocelyn Major."
"You don't have to speak to them. How are you?" Miles slowly stood from the couch and Jocelyn met him halfway to wrap her arm around his waist.
"I'm okay. How's the leg?" They'd been unable to regain motor control of his left leg as they had his left arm.
"Wish they'd cut the thing off already." He shook his head before kissing her softly.
"If they do, imma ask them can I keep it." They shared a laugh at the statement before he kissed her once more.
It had taken Jocelyn longer to come to accept that death was around the corner, but once she did they seemed to get back to where they were when they'd first met. They shared their grief through morbid jokes and unabashed intimacy.
"Excuse me. Could you give us a second with our son?" His mother spoke interrupting the pair.
"Whatever needs to be said can be said in front of Jocelyn. She's gonna be my wife soon." Miles smiled as he pulled her to sit next to him.
They'd talked about eloping within the next couple days but Jocelyn protested. She didn't want to marry him that way, even if he was dying soon, so she'd been working with the nurses to schedule something.
"Oh, please. What is this some last ditch effort to spite your parents? Miles, you're not thinking clearly." His father spoke up.
Jocelyn knew they'd been trying to get Miles to change his mind about disinheriting them. She'd often walk in on their heated phone calls. It was no wonder Miles hadn't introduced them sooner- the pair were insufferable. More concerned with their son's assets than his prognosis.
"I've been thinking the clearest I've ever been and my answer remains the same. You've had years to reach out between my first exhibit and my first diagnosis. Hell, I might have even accepted you guys back into my will if you'd pretend to care that I'm dying." Miles shook her head, a laugh of disbelief escaping him.
She took his hand in hers as she noticed his chest rising and falling rapidly. Each time he became worked up she feared the onset of a seizure.
"What's her name?" Miles suddenly spoke after silence fell between them.
"What?" His mother chirped, her lips turned up as she eyed Jocelyn.
"Tell me her name and I'll include you in my will. I'll sign over everything I have." Motioning to Jocelyn, Miles tapped his foot as the pair sat like deer in headlights.
"Ja-" the woman began and Jocelyn subtly shook her head.
"Jacolyn?" His father blurted as if he had a revelation. Miles sighed before leaning forwards to place his head in his hands once more.
Despite her knowledge that they weren't good people, Jocelyn felt bad. Surely they needed the money if they'd been asking for this long. Just as she began to mouth her name, Miles snapped his head up and turned to her.
"Don't," he smiled as he pointed a finger at her, "you're probably assuming they're some poor elderly couple struggling for money. They're not."
"Miles-" his mother attempted to interrupt but Miles moved so Jocelyn could only look at him.
"They're money hungry investors looking for an easy score. If they really cared, they'd know the name of the only woman their son has ever told them about. If they cared, they'd have been right with you from the beginning taking care of me but they weren't."
As he spoke, Jocelyn internalized just how true the words were. She'd been the only one stuck by Miles' side even before they knew of his terminal diagnosis.
"It's always been just you and I." He muttered as he caressed her cheek.
Jocelyn felt her heart skip a beat at the look in his eyes. She finally realized it hadn't been a calculating look but one of appreciation for each of her features. Each time he gazed at her, he seemed to take in every inch of her face with a delicacy that only a man in love could possess.
"Miles, just think about-"
"I think your visit has lasted long enough. Don't bother returning."
...
Jocelyn let out an exasperated sigh as she trudged to the nursing station in the hall to ask for another anti acid. She'd been experiencing some of the worst heartburn paired with constipation that had her ready to pull her hair out.
She'd kept it from Miles as she didn't want him to start assuming the worst. He needed to focus on keeping himself at peace.
"Another one?" Mandy questioned without looking up from her computer.
"...yeah." Jocelyn muttered as she felt her head spin once she finally stopped moving.
"You alright?" Mandy spoke as she stood to help Jocelyn. The room spun for a moment more before she swallowed down the burning sensation in her throat.
"Yeah, sorry, I got dizzy for a second. Doesn't help that I'm full of shit." She joked as Mandy moved her to sit on her chair behind the desk.
"You know if you're sick, you can't visit anymore." Mandy muttered before pulling the stethoscope from her neck to listen to Jocelyn's heart and lungs.
"I know and I wouldn't jeopardize others health like that. I had a talk with my primary care doctor and he told me it was probably from the stress. None of the yoga or laxatives I've taken have done much." She muttered as she closed her eyes tiredly.
"Hmm, everything sounds alright." Mandy placed her hand to Jocelyn's forehead. "No fever."
"I check my temperature every morning." Jocelyn threw in.
"Any other symptoms? When did you notice this all?" Mandy frowned as she rubbed Jocelyn's arms.
"Not really. I was spotting the other day so I figure it was just my period, but I've never had heartburn during my period. It could be my recent uptake in fast food." Jocelyn suddenly snapped her fingers.
"And how much are you sleeping?"
Jocelyn awkwardly scratched the back of her head as she contemplated lying. Between caring for Miles, working, and maintaining his last exhibit she couldn't remember the last time she had a full nights rest.
"Your body reflects how you treat it Jocelyn," Mandy scolded as she pulled another anti acid from her pocket, "get some rest and stay away from fast food. If you need some time away from this place I'm more than sure Miles would understand."
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