Ellie wouldn’t leave Joe’s side; he had been in a coma for three days, hooked up to machines to keep him breathing. Peter and Alexandria had brought her fresh clothes, food, her laptop, whatever she asked for, they had brought it. Ellie knew that it wouldn’t be long before she had to say goodbye to Joe, she didn’t want to think about it. She needed more time with him, she wanted more time with him.

While Doctor Anderson had taken Joe for an electroencephalogram (EEG), Peter talked Ellie into taking a shower and changing her clothes. She managed to eat a few bites of her sandwich and finished off her bottle of water. “Ellie, you have to eat. Joe wouldn’t want you to neglect yourself. You have to remember that you are carrying his child.” Alexandria told her. Ellie jumped from the chair she had been sitting in, “Do you really think that I would forget that I am carrying our child? I am not neglecting myself; I am just not hungry; I will eat when I am hungry. Stop trying to be my mother, I can take care of myself.” Ellie screamed at her, storming from the room and taking a seat outside of the cat scan room.

Peter walked over to his wife and hugged her, they both knew Ellie didn’t mean what she had said, Ellie wasn’t herself. Ellie walked back in the room a few minutes later, followed by Joe’s hospital bed. Doctor Anderson walked in, standing at the foot of Joe’s bed. “As soon as I get the results, I will be back. Has he opened his eyes, made any movement of any type?” he asked, looking from Ellie to Peter and then over to Alexandria. They all shook their heads. Doctor Anderson shook his head and walked out of the room.

Ellie sat on the side of Joe’s bed, holding his hand and telling him how much she loved him and missed him. It broke his parents’ hearts to see her sit and talk to him, knowing that he may never regain consciousness. They sat in silence, waiting for the results of the EEG.

Doctor Anderson entered the room an hour later, his lips set in a grim line. “The test is back. Ellie, Peter, Alexandria, I am sorry, but the test show that there is no brain activity. Joe hasn’t responded to any type of stimuli whatsoever. I know Joe signed a do not resuscitate, we have it on file. Unfortunately, there is nothing that we can do. Did Joe ever talk to you about life support or his final wishes?” Doctor Anderson waited for the outburst of anger from Ellie.

Ellie quietly sat on the bed next to Joe, running her fingers over his face. “I know what his final wishes are. He did not want to be on machines, he hated the thought of a machine keeping him alive. Can I have a few minutes alone with my husband? There are a few things I need to tell him before you remove the machines.” Ellie whispered, looking at everyone in the room, tears shining in her eyes.

Doctor Anderson nodded, “Take all the time you need. I am so very sorry Ellie. Joe was like one of my own kids, I coached him in little league.” Doctor Anderson walked out of the room, tears in his eyes.

Peter and Alexandria walked over to their son, placed their hands on his shoulders and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Alexandria whispered something in his ear and walked out of the room. Peter hugged Ellie, whispered to Joe that he loved him and left the room. Ellie stood up from the bed, walked to the door and closed it. She wanted privacy with her husband.

Ellie had asked for the picture album that Joe had made for her and given to her at Christmas. There was one picture spot left, it was reserved for the picture that wasn’t taken on their last first date. Ellie took out her phone, snuggled down next to Joe and snapped a picture. She laid for a long time on his chest, just as she always had, not saying a word.

She placed his hand on her stomach, “Joe, I promise you that our child will know who you are. I will tell him or her about you every day. I am so sorry that you will never get to hold our child. You were the first boy that I ever imagined kissing, the first boy I ever had a crush on. When you asked me out on our very first date, I was so nervous. You are my best friend, my rock, my soul mate. I don’t know what I am going to do without you. I love you Joe, for always and a day.” Ellie laid a gentle kiss on his lips and walked out of the room to find his parents.

Peter and Alexandria were in the waiting room, holding each other and crying. “I thought you might like a few private minutes with Joe before I have them remove the machines.” Ellie said, sitting down in a chair, looking out the window at the snow that had begun to fall. Peter and Alexandria both nodded and walked hand-in-hand to their son’s room. Ellie closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall.

About an hour later, Peter laid his hand on Ellie’s shoulder, waking her from her sleep. “Ellie, if you are ready, we are too. Do you want to be alone with him or can we stay?” Peter asked. Ellie stood up, wrapped her arms around him and whispered, “We do this as a family.” She walked down the hall to her husband’s room, her father-in-law’s arm around her shoulder.

Ellie sat on the bed next to Joe as the nurses removed the machines, the paperwork had already been viewed and signed. Alexandria and Peter stood on the other side of his bed, each holding onto his hand. When the nurse turned the machine off and removed the breathing tube, Joe let out a moan. Ellie jumped and let out a cry of shock. “Ellie, that is normal. He can’t feel anything. We will be in when the machines alert us that his heart has stopped. I am so very sorry.” The nurse left the room, closing the door behind her.

Ellie sat rubbing Joe’s hand, Alexandria and Peter stood, holding his other. The machine started beeping after a few minutes and then the sound grew louder. Doctor Anderson knocked on the door before walking in. He stood at the foot of Joe’s bed, watching the machine. When the machine showed a flat line, he quietly checked to see if Joe had a heartbeat. When he found none, he turned the machine off.

Doctor Anderson walked out of the room, down the hall and to his office. He closed his door, sat at his desk and cried into his hands. Ellie, Alexandria and Peter had just watched their loved one pass away, three days after Christmas.

Ellie cried softly; the love of her life was gone. Alexandria and Peter had just lost their only child. They quietly walked around the room, gathering the belongings that had been brought to the hospital. When the last thing had been removed from the room, Peter went to get the truck. Alexandria kissed Joe one last time and followed her husband down the hall.

Ellie climbed into bed next to Joe, laying her head on his chest one last time. She kissed his cheek, his forehead and his nose before placing a soft kiss to his lips. She stood from the bed, walked to the door, turned and said goodbye to her husband. Ellie walked down the hall and to the truck, she never said a word.

Seven months later, Ellie gave birth to a healthy baby boy, which she named after his father, Joseph Allan Walker, Jr. He was the spitting image of his dad; Joe would have been so proud. Ellie had asked Peter and Alexandria to move in with her, she wanted little Joe to be surrounded by his family. Peter and Alexandria didn’t hesitate, they were more than happy to help Ellie care for little Joe.