It was a cold Wednesday morning in February.

Harry had been laying on his side of the bed, mindlessly staring at the ceiling for a while. Even though he was wearing his blue flannel pajamas and had the duvet pulled up to his shoulders, the chilly morning air in his bedroom still managed to make him shiver.

And the arthritic ache in his bones was a dull reminder that he was a year older. He was now fifty-three-years-old and even though he didn't look it, his joints felt it.

Growing older didn't bother him, but he didn't want to get up. The day's agenda, that had nothing to do with his birthday, loomed over him like a dark cloud which he was certain would bring rain and quite possibly a flood.

Letting out a yawn, Harry turned his head on his pillow towards the empty space next to him and he sighed.

For twenty-eight years, he had gone to bed and woken up to the same lovely woman next to him, but that ended two months and thirteen days ago.

In that moment, Harry saw her kind brown eyes looking back at him, he inhaled her rose petal-scented body wash and he felt her comforting touch, even though no one was there.

The morning sun shone through the ivory-colored drapes, causing Harry to blink a few times and he rubbed his eyes. He took in a deep breath and yawned, stretching his sleepy and somewhat achy muscles.

Harry let out the breath, returning his gaze to the ceiling and he felt two warm tears roll down the sides of his face, but it wasn't because of the sunlight.

He reluctantly pulled back the covers and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his neck. He grabbed his phone from the nightstand and unplugged it from its charger as he slipped on his house shoes.

He tucked his brown shoulder-length curls behind his ears and pressed the Home button. His vision was momentarily blurred and he swallowed harshly at the lock screen picture. After blinking away his tears, he noticed the time.

It was a quarter past seven. Realizing he had two hours to be at his destination, he set his phone down and got up to face the day.

After a hot shower, Harry was dressed in his black trousers and a navy blue buttoned down dress shirt. He completed his ensemble with a matching skinny tie and his brown boots, because they were his wife's favourite.

Harry scrutinized his reflection in the mirror, noting the wrinkles by his eyes and laugh lines around his mouth, but he didn't mind them. To him, they were proof that his fifty-three years of life were mostly happy ones; the last twenty-eight being the best.

As Harry slid the half-Windsor knot up to his neck, his chin began to shake. He cleared his throat and shook his head, willing himself to not cry and he grabbed his comb from the countertop.

After styling his hair that was flecked with a few gray hairs, he set his comb on the vanity and smiled softly. He let his fingertips brush over the soft bristles of the pink hairbrush that hadn't been moved in two months and thirteen days and he remembered the honey blonde hair, that was also flecked with a few gray hairs, that it used to style.

His glossy eyes wandered over the vanity and a tear fell down his cheek when he saw the single strand of pearls, the half-used bottle of perfume and the tube of soft pink lipstick.

And he said a silent prayer that those items would be used by the same wonderful woman some day.

Harry put on his wrist watch and tucked his reading glasses in his shirt pocket. With a heavy sigh, he walked over to his dresser and grabbed his wallet, keys and phone before making his way downstairs.

The house was quiet.

It didn't feel the same, it didn't smell the same and it just wasn't the same. For over twenty-eight years, Harry had grown accustomed to hearing angelic laughter, smelling sweet perfume and feeling a gentle touch every day.

But Harry still had hope that one day he'd be blessed with that again.

The timely chime of the grandfather clock brought Harry out of his thoughts just as he turned on the kitchen light. He walked over to the cupboard, breathing in the scent of freshly brewed coffee from the automatic coffee maker.

He poured himself a cup of coffee, glancing at the mug on the counter that hadn't been used in two months and thirteen days and he looked away. As he took a sip of his French roast blend, something in his peripheral vision caught his attention. Swallowing the hot beverage, he set his mug on the counter and smiled.

"Hey there, Delilah," Harry smiled at the name, remembering how it came to be. He knelt down and held out his hand, making a soft wispy sound with his mouth and she immediately came over to him. Harry gently brushed her black and brown fur from her head to her tail and cooed at her, "Are you hungry, Lilah? C'mon, I'll get you some food."

Harry walked over to the pantry with Delilah following right behind him and he grabbed the half-empty bag of cat food. He poured a scoopful into her bowl, making a mental note to buy some more and he took her meow as a thank you. After filling her bowl with some water, Harry made his own breakfast.

A few minutes later, he sat down at the table and said a quick prayer before diving into his poached eggs, turkey sausage links and toast.

While Harry ate, the ticking of the clock on the wall counted the time he had left. He had to be at his destination in under an hour and with the wintery weather, he knew he should get going.

After the dishes were washed and put away, Harry turned off the kitchen light and made his way upstairs to brush his teeth.

With fresh, minty breath, Harry said goodbye to Delilah who was perched on her new cat tree in the corner of the living room.

During most evenings, Harry would sit in his recliner and work on his crossword puzzle. The jingle of the cat toys would capture his attention and his puzzle book would momentarily be forgotten while he'd watch Delilah play.

He cleared his throat at the memory of when the recliner next to his wasn't empty and he hurriedly put on his coat and gloves and left.

The chilly gust of wind made him hurry to his car and he quickly got in. He started the engine and while he waited for the vehicle to warm up, he got his phone from his pocket.

He tapped on Messages, then the last text message he had received and he began typing.

Good morning, Faith. I'm on my way now. Meet you there in an hour.

With a heavy sigh, Harry locked his phone and tucked it in his pocket. He put the car in Reverse and carefully backed out of the driveway. Applying his foot to the brake, he shifted the gear into Drive and glanced at the house. He let out a quiet laugh when he saw Delilah laying on the window sill of the living room, waiting for him to return.

Harry waved to Delilah and drove off.

Roughly thirty minutes later, Harry was parked in the visitor's section on campus. He took the keys from the ignition, reminding himself that he was going to be okay and he got out.

He hurried across the parking lot, holding the open ends of his coat closed and as he approached the front entrance, the double sliding glass doors opened automatically.

As he gently stomped his boots on the mat, the distinct smell greeted him as well as the receptionist whom he had come to know quite well. He gave a polite nod, continuing on his way to the bank of elevators.

While he waited for an available lift, Harry took off his gloves and put them in his coat pocket before taking off his coat. He draped it over his arm and checked his phone, noticing the time and also a text message that he had missed.

It was 9:00AM on the dot when the ding of the elevator opening caught Harry's attention. He let the people exit first then he walked inside, tapping his thumb on the message.

G'morning and Happy Birthday! We're here in our normal spot. See you soon.

Harry smiled at the text and locked his phone before putting it back in his pocket. He looked up at the changing red number and tears filled his eyes because the higher the number got, the more his heart ached.

As the elevator ascended, he lazily spun the gold ring on his left hand that had donned his finger for twenty-eight years and it took every bit of strength left in him to not break down. He didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of strangers, so he quietly cleared his throat and reminded himself that he could cry once he got home.

The elevator came to gradual halt and the doors opened with a ding. As Harry stepped out of the elevator, he felt a lump form in his throat because it was getting closer.

He made his way down the hall, keeping his gaze in front of him to allow privacy for those inside their rooms that had the door open.

The closer Harry got to the end of the hallway, the slower he walked. He had made this trip every day for the past two months and thirteen days, but today was different.

Because it would be his last.

Just when Harry thought he couldn't take it anymore, a familiar precious voice calmed his heart. He rounded the corner of the waiting room and he smiled.

"It's Grandpa!" Daniel, Harry's four-year-old grandson, stood up from his coloring books and crayons that were sprawled on the floor and he ran over to him. "Hi, Grandpa!"

"Hi, Danny," Harry happily said, wrapping his arms around him. "You've gotten taller since Sunday, I do believe," he brushed his hand over his sandy blonde hair and Daniel agreed. "How's my buddy?"

"Fine. I'm coloring a dragon!"

"You are?" Harry asked with a tilt in his voice, smiling at the person to his left. "I'd love to see it, but first I'm going to say hi to your mummy. Okay?"

With Daniel's nod, Harry turned and smiled at his daughter.

"Hi, Dad," Faith stood up, smoothing out her gray sweater dress and she walked over to her father. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you, darling," Harry embraced her in a hug, closing his eyes and two warm tears rolled down his cheeks. In that hug, Harry remembered the day she was born twenty-four years ago, the day he taught her how to ride a bike and the day he gave her away. He loved his only daughter so much and he was proud of the woman, wife and mother she had become. He blinked away his tears and pecked her cheek before standing back up. "How are you with all of this?"

"I'm okay," Faith truthfully said as they walked over to the seating area, "but I'm worried about you." She moved Daniel's backpack and jacket from the chair and they both sat down. "How are you?"

"I'll be fine," Harry waved his hand, sitting back in the chair and he smiled at his grandson who was coloring in his activity book on the floor. He draped his coat on the chair next to him, looking around the room, "Where's Noah?"

"Oh, he should be back any minute now," Faith said, glancing at her wrist watch. "He went to get us some coffee from the cafeteria."

"Splendid," Harry nodded and felt a tap on his knee. He knew who it was and looked down with a smile, "Hey there, buddy."

Daniel smiled his dimpled smile, raising his arms and Harry picked him up to sit on his lap.

Harry held his grandson in his arms and kissed his temple, holding back the tears in his eyes. As Daniel talked about his latest adventure with dragons, Harry thought back to the day he and his wife found out they were going to be grandparents.

Needless to say, it was one of the happiest days of their lives.

"Isn't that cool, Grandpa?" Daniel asked, placing his little hands on his grandpa's cheeks so he could look him in the eyes.

"Yes, that's very cool, Danny," Harry smiled, glancing to his left when someone walked into the waiting room.

"Coffee, anyone?" Noah asked, walking over to Faith and he gave her a kiss. "Here you go, sweetheart," he handed her one of the Styrofoam cups and turned to Harry. "G'morning, Harry. Two creams, no sugar. Did I get it right?"

"Yes, and thank you," he nodded, taking the cup and he carefully set it on the side table. "Let me give you some money."

"Nonsense," Noah said, throwing the drink carrier in the recycling bin and Harry thanked him. He sat next to his wife and took her hand, leaning in close to her ear, "How is he?"

Faith looked in her husband's kind blue eyes and shook her head gently, not wanting to cause attention. The gravity of the situation was difficult for her to accept so she couldn't imagine what it must've been like for her father.

For over two months, Noah, Faith and Daniel Williamson spent every Sunday afternoon with Harry at his house. After attending morning services together, they'd have lunch that Faith insisted on preparing. And every single time, she'd 'accidentally' make too much so that the leftovers could be used as meals for her father during the week.

Faith loved and respected her father and it broke her heart knowing he was in so much pain. And she knew the days to come would be even more difficult.

"And then, and then the dragon blowed fire, Grandpa!" Daniel enthusiastically said, bumping his elbow into Harry's chin because of his hand motions.

Harry was caught off guard because he was lost in his own thoughts, but he smiled at his grandson and acted like it was the best story he had heard.

But reality made its way into Harry's world when two middle aged men in white coats with stethoscopes around their collars walked into the waiting room.

"Good morning, Mr. Styles," Dr. Gavin, the older of the two, greeted him with a cordial smile.

"G'morning, Dr. Gavin, Dr. Shultz," Harry said, nodding to both. He held onto Danny as he stood up, kissing his head before gently sitting him down in the chair. "Stay here with your mummy, please."

"Okay, Grandpa," Daniel nodded and cuddled next to his mother.

Harry smiled fondly at his grandson and turned to greet the doctors. He extended his hand and after shaking their hands, he tucked his hands in his pockets.

"We have the paperwork prepared for you," Dr. Gavin said. "It covers everything that we've previously discussed, so once you sign them, we'll begin the process."

A sharp breath left Harry's mouth as he stood there in disbelief, even though he knew this day would come. He had been preparing his heart and mind for a while, but that didn't make it any easier.

"You can choose to sign them here in the waiting room," Dr. Gavin continued, "or use the privacy of our consultation room. Just bring the signed papers to the Information Desk when you're finished."

Harry nodded almost catatonically, reaching his hands out for the folder and he managed to thank them before they left to make their rounds.

"Do you want me to be with you when you sign them, Dad?"

Harry wiped away a tear before he turned around, not wanting to further upset his daughter.

"No, I can handle this. Thank you, though," Harry said with a small smile before walking towards the room that Dr. Gavin had mentioned.

Once inside, Harry sat down at the large rectangular table and took his reading glasses from his shirt pocket. He said a quick prayer for strength, put on his glasses and took the pen in his hand so he could sign the papers authorizing the termination of Artificial Life Support.

Harry and his wife were as prepared as they could be with planning for their final wishes, so he knew this was what she wanted, but that didn't mean it was easy.

As Harry signed and dated the last page, the ache in his heart became unbearable. He set the pen on the stack of papers and in the privacy of the conference room, he let himself cry.

After collecting himself, Harry gave the signed papers to the nurse at the Information Desk and walked back into the waiting room.

Harry sat with his family, putting on a smile for his son-in-law, daughter and grandson, but when Dr. Gavin and Dr. Shultz came back into the waiting room, the tears that Harry had been holding back flowed down his cheeks.

While Noah stayed with Daniel to create adventures with dragons in the waiting room, Harry and Faith walked into Room 506 for the last time.

In the dimly lit room, Harry sat in the chair next to the hospital bed, holding his wife's left hand while Faith stood beside him, soothing his shoulder.

The rhythmic beeps coming from the machines surrounding the bed were the only sounds in room until Dr. Gavin and two nurses came in.

"Harry, these signed papers state that you've read over what we're about to do," Dr. Gavin said and Harry nodded gently. "At your call, Nurse Anna will turn off the machines. Remember, it could take a few minutes," he said and Harry nodded again. "Whenever you're ready."

Harry blew out a shaky breath, gently squeezing his wife's delicate hand. He didn't feel her squeeze back, so he closed his eyes and nodded.

The broken halves of his heart crumbled at the click of the button and he opened his eyes to his wife. While she was still with him, Harry leaned up and gently kissed her cheek.

A whimper left his throat at the feel of her skin and it was then he realized she had already left him months before. He leaned back, stumbling to find the seat of his chair until Faith steadied him and helped him sit down.

After the hospital staff left, Faith pulled up a chair next to her father and sat down. Even though she had prepared herself for this day, she underestimated the pain.

A few hours had gone by with Harry and Faith reminiscing, praying and singing Amazing Grace. After awhile, they quietly sat there holding hands and just being there together for the last time as a family. Needless to say, it was bittersweet.

The sun had since set when Faith covered her yawn, repositioning herself in the rather uncomfortable chair and she looked over at her father. She watched him stroke her mother's hand to the dwindling rhythm of the beeping machines and she wiped away her tears.

"Do you want to stay with us tonight, Dad?" Faith asked softly and when he didn't respond, she placed her hand on his shoulder. "Dad?"

"I can't leave her, Faithy," Harry said softly, keeping his eyes on his wife, still hoping for a miracle.

"Then I'll have Noah take Danny home and I'll stay here with you," Faith offered without hesitation.

"No, I don't want to take you away from your family," Harry shook his head, wiping away a tear. "I'll be fine."

Faith sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing with her father.

"Okay, but promise that you'll call me if you need anything."

"I promise, Faith," Harry looked in his daughter's worried eyes and he nodded.

After hugging her father and kissing her mother's cheek goodbye, Faith left the room, quietly shutting the door behind her.

Harry scooted his chair closer to the bed and held his wife's hand once again. With the beeping of the heart monitor slowly fading, Harry made the most of the unknown amount of time he had left with his wife.

Harry talked about the first time they met at the food court in the mall, their first date at the carnival and, of course, their wedding day. As the lovely memories flooded his mind, he smiled through his tears, he laughed through his tears and he kissed her through his tears.

For two months and thirteen days, Harry had kept his selfish feelings of how unfair the situation was at bay. He reminded himself that somehow this was part of a bigger plan and that someday he would understand why they couldn't grow any older together, but in that moment, he just wanted a reason.

He wasn't angry with the intoxicated teenager who crashed his car into his wife's that fateful night. In fact, he had forgiven him and that gave him an unexplainable peace.

The afternoon both flew by and felt like a lifetime for Harry. As he talked about the wonderful memories over the past twenty-eight years, Harry never let go of his wife's hand, even when the nurses would check on her vitals.

In the stillness of the hospital room, Harry found himself staring out the window, watching the snow drift in the wind and he smiled at the memory of their first Christmas they shared.

He chuckled softly, remembering when she hit him with a snowball but his smile faded when the arrhythmic beeping from the heart rate monitor caught his attention. He brought his gaze from the window to the monitor and with teary eyes, he looked at his wife and whispered a 'no.'

Then, there was a steady high-pitched sound and Harry knew they weren't together anymore.

And the final piece of his broken heart shattered.

Harry covered his sobs with his hands, leaning his elbows on the bed as the most unbearable pain he had ever felt came over him. The moment he had dreaded for two months and thirteen days had finally happened.

She was gone.

Pressing his hands to the edge of the bed, Harry stood up with shaky legs. He blew out a sharp breath, wiping his tears from his face before placing his hand on his wife's.

"You will forever be the love of my life, my darling," Harry said through broken breaths, caressing her hand with his thumb. "We'll be together again soon. I love you, Hope."

Harry placed a kiss on his wife's cheek and gathered his coat from the chair. After making the most difficult phone call of his life to his daughter, he left the hospital.

Somehow, Harry made it home safely. He couldn't explain the reason other than it was his guardian angel watching over him.

Once inside the house, Harry hung up his coat and he felt Delilah rub against his leg and he knelt down in the foyer.

Harry gently picked her up and kissed her head before making his way into the kitchen. After filling Delilah's food and water bowls, Harry turned out the light and went upstairs.

Pulling his tie through his collar, Harry walked into his bedroom, not even bothering to turn on the light. He draped his tie over the doorknob and walked over to the bed, not having the desire or strength to change into his pajamas.

He sat down on the bed, letting out a breath as he took off his boots and he got under the covers.

As the first tear rolled down his cheek, Harry screamed at the top of his lungs. He cried, he sobbed and he wailed, but he did not curse.

He turned on his side, wrapping his arm around the perfume-scented pillow and he clutched it to his body as the pain of missing his wife overcame him. As his muffled cries filled the dark space of the bedroom, he pounded his fist to the bed.

Then, his eyes shot open in fear.

Harry pushed the pillow away and rolled onto his back. As he struggled to breathe, he clutched at his heart with his hand, feeling intense pain in his chest.

The bedroom suddenly became as bright as the sun and Harry stared at the ceiling, gasping for air. A figure appeared in the middle of the bright light and Harry swallowed harshly, realizing what was about to happen.

The glowing figure held out its hand and Harry reached up, feeling the pain leave his body and a peace wash over him.

With one last breath, Harry closed his eyes and saw Hope.***