A New View – Chapter 7

Disclaimer in part 1

Angst warning.

Spoiler: Sam’s mom

 

Sam raised her hand to cover her mouth as she took in her father’s frail body, eyes filling with tears.

 

“Dad,” Sam sobbed quietly, a hand reaching to grasp Jacob’s hand with her own. “I’m so sorry; I tried so hard to get here, but I couldn’t. I’m so sorry. I tried, I tried so hard, but they wouldn’t let me…Dad- daddy, please…” Sam bit her trembling lip and squeezed her father’s hand. She blinked and felt the tears begin to slide down her face.

 

Sam sat down on her father’s hospital bed and clutched frantically at his hand. She brought it up to hold against her wet cheek as she stared blindly through her blurry eyes at her father.

 

“Dad, I’m so sorry that I wasn’t here when you needed me, I’m sorry that we didn’t spend more time together, I’m sorry about blaming you for mom, I’m sorry that you, Mark, and I were never really a family, God, Dad, I’m sorry for so many things. I don’t want it to end like this.

 

“I want you to know how much I love you. That even though we had grown apart all these years, you are still my father. And you are the best father I could ever have. Thank you so much for being a part of my life. I have so many regrets, dad, but I want you to know I love you. I’ve always loved you and I’ve always been proud of you. You taught me so much and shown me so much.

 

I remember you telling me over and over, don’t back down Sam, don’t give up. I remember that. I remember you scaring away all my dates in high school with that scary General look on your face, the way you used to eat all the cookies I’d baked without so much a complaint even though everyone knew how badly they tasted, and the look on your face when I told you I was enlisting in the Air Force, following your footsteps. You were so proud of me.

 

I just wish I could see the look on your face when, years into the future, I’ll be married and am fat with kids and you’d be over, berating my husband on proper barbequing techniques. I want to see the look on your face when I name my son after you…didn’t know I was planning on doing that now did you? Jake Carter…it has a good ring to it. 

 

God Dad, I don’t want you to go. Whom will I have left? I need you so much now, I just got you back and I don’t want to lose you so soon afterwards. I love you so much dad.”

 

Sam bent over and laid her head on her father’s chest, hugging him and crying softly.

 

A soft wheeze made Sam look up and she saw her father struggling to open his eyes. “Dad? Dad, it’s me Sam. I’m here, I’m here.”

 

Jacob forced out a whisper. “Proud of you…Sammy…my little girl…I love you too.”

 

Sam bit her lip and choked out, “Daddy…”

 

The constant blip on the monitor beside Sam went flat-line and droned on, drowning out Sam’s soft exclamation of ‘No!”

 

The doorknob to room 220 turned and the door opened revealing the doctor. He stood by the door, not intruding. “I’m so sorry, miss.” He said sympathetically.

 

Sam paid him no attention and collapsed on her father’s chest, hugging him tightly, and never wanting to let go. She rubbed her face into his hospital gown, inhaling the scent uniquely tied to her father. Her now-deceased father. Sam cried silently, the hush of the hospital room punctured only by sporadic heart-wrenching sobs.

                                                                        ~~~~~

 

Hovering just inside the doors, George heard the captain’s sobs and his heart constricted. It was a damn shame and he knew that everyone would need some time to accept this. He shook his head and walked out of the waiting room, heading for the nearest restroom.

 

Once there, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, tears prickling behind his eyelids. He had just lost one of his good friends and it wasn’t on some battlefield in the middle of some epic war in the line of duty. It was slow and full of pain lying helpless in a hospital, knowing that you couldn’t fight time while some little suckers wreaked havoc on your insides.

 

Jacob Carter was dead.