Ellie slept beside of Joe’s bed in the chair, her hand never leaving his. The nurses all knew the couple as they had grown up in this town, so they didn’t say anything when Ellie didn’t leave when visiting hours were over. Ellie had not spent one night away from Joe since they had gotten married and she didn’t plan on spending one night away from him until one of them drew their last breath.

Doctor Anderson came in early the next morning to check on Joe. He found the young couple watching a movie, cuddled up on the bed. Joe hadn’t had any more seizures and as long as he stayed that way for the next few hours, they would let him go home.

“Joe, Ellie, I put a rush order on the biopsy and lumbar tests. I have the results. I am so sorry to say that Joe’s tumor is malignant and the cancer seems to have spread into the fluid around his brain. Please believe me when I say that this is not the news, I was hoping to give you. Do you have any questions?” Doctor Anderson said, taking a seat in the chair and looking at the couple.

Ellie sat quietly, running her thumb on the back of Joe’s hand. “Doctor Anderson, is there any possibility that the tests are incorrect?”

“Unfortunately, no. We would like to do some more tests to see if the cancer has spread outside of the brain and fluid surrounding it.” Doctor Anderson said, although he was certain Joe would say no.

“No, I am not going to be a lab rat. I got the answer that I needed. I have cancer. I want to go home, please have the nurses take care of my release paperwork.” Joe said, his voice barely above a whisper. Ellie looked at Joe and nodded her head. She walked out of the room and to the nurse’s station.

“How long do I have doctor?” Joe asked.

“I can’t give you an exact time but I would say about six weeks.” Came the reply, the doctor standing and making his way to the door. “If you or Ellie have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact my office.”

Joe sat in silence; six weeks is all he had with his Ellie. He never imagined that his time with her was almost over. He needed to get home so he could start making plans for while he was still here and then for when he wasn’t. Ellie walked back in the room with a nurse who handed him the paperwork for him to sign. As he went to take the pen, his hand shook and he couldn’t hold it. Ellie had to help him hold the pen. Was this what it was going to be like until the end? Joe didn’t want Ellie to have to do everything for him, she didn’t deserve this.

Joe and Ellie decided to stop at the store for a few things before heading home. She made her way around the store gathering what she thought they would need. As she headed to the check out line, someone yelled that there was a guy having a seizure in the parking lot and to call for an ambulance. Ellie dropped the basket and ran to see Joe, laying on the ground, blood gushing out of his head and seizing. Ellie rushed to his side, grabbed an old jacket off the seat of their truck and put it under his head to try and stop the bleeding. The sirens were getting closer as Joe kept seizing. Ellie couldn’t hear or see anything but Joe, she should have made him stay in the hospital.

As they loaded Joe in the ambulance, the crowd dispersed, leaving Ellie alone in the parking lot. She followed the ambulance, running every red light she came upon. Once at the hospital, they worked to get Joe stabilized and Ellie called his parents. Joe’s mom, Alexandria answered on speaker phone so her husband, Peter could hear too. Ellie told them about the test results, the seizures and the time line the doctor had given them. Ellie could hear sobbing in the background, “We will be on the first plane we can get. What can we do for you until we get there?” Peter asked.

“Nothing, there isn’t anything that I can think of right now. Let me know when you are arriving and I will be there to pick you up.” Ellie said, tears once again running down her face. She didn’t know what she would do without Joe’s parents.

“No need to pick us up, we will rent a car. Keep us posted and if you think of anything you or Joe needs, let us know. We love you two kids.” Peter said as he hung up the phone.

Ellie turned just as Doctor Anderson walked into the waiting room. Ellie sat down as did the doctor, a grim look on his face. “Ellie, Joe has a very serious concussion. Do you know what happened?”

“I stopped at the store for a few things that I knew we needed at the house. Joe stayed in the truck. As I got to the check out line someone yelled that there was a guy having a seizure in the parking lot. I found him on the ground, blood pouring out of his head.” Ellie cried. “I shouldn’t have left him alone. I should have just gone home and had the stuff delivered.”

“Ellie, this isn’t your fault. We are going to keep him overnight. We want to monitor him because of the concussion. I already know that telling you to go home is a waste of time. I will have them bring you a recliner.” Ellie nodded and made her way to Joe’s room just as they were bringing him in. He looked so weak, so pale and not the person he had looked just a few months ago.