Emilio Delgado may not be related to me by blood, but I considered him my family. He means a great deal to me. Both of my grandparents live in Japan, so I only saw them once a year growing up, when I would visit with my family. Emilio is the closest thing I have to a grandparent, and he’s always made me feel like I belong.
I’m absolutely gutted upon receiving the news that he only has a few weeks to live, but I have to try my best to stay strong for Annalise.
Quietly, I open the door to his hospital room, careful not to wake him.
Emilio is in the bed and Annalise is lying in a recliner next to him, both in a deep slumber. Tiptoeing inside, I open the closetand set down a bag of Annalise’s clothes and toiletries that I retrieved from my house earlier.
Walking over to Annalise, I pull the blanket over her body and plant a kiss on top of her head.
Emilio’s eyes flick open and he lets out a yawn.
“Lo siento, Señor Delgado. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
He waves his hand. “No, it’s okay. I’ve been sleeping too much anyway.”
I settle down in the chair next to him. “Is there anything I can get for you? Do you need the nurse?”
“No, I am okay. Thank you.”
He sits up straight, angling his body toward me. “Maddox, I want you to know that I really appreciate you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for Annalise. You are an extraordinary young man.”
“And Annalise is an extraordinary young woman,” I reply, my gaze shifting over to her. “I love your granddaughter very much.”
“I know you do,” he says, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smile. “Many people are scared of death, but I am not.” Reaching over, he places his hand on my shoulder. “I can leave this world knowing she’ll be in good hands.”
Tears well up in my eyes and I blink, trying to hold them back. “I promise I will always take care of her.”
I want to make sure I live up to the standards he set for me. I will love Annalise with everything I have to make him proud. She deserves the kind of love that moves mountains, and I’m going to try my hardest to give it to her.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
annalise
Abuelo gets dischargedfrom the hospital a few days later and is sent home on hospice. Veronica allows me to take the rest of the month off. It’s without pay, but I want to make sure I’m by his side during his last moments.
It takes everything in me not to burst into tears when I’m around him. I want to stay strong for him, even though I feel like falling apart. I don’t want our last memories to be filled with sadness.
From morning to night, I stay by his side. He tells me stories about growing up in Cuba, and how he met Abuela.
He grows weaker with each passing day, his once-vibrant spirit fading like a dwindling flame. It’s heartbreaking to witness him wither away as the cancer takes over his body.
I get up from the bed in my old room and walk over to Abuelo’s room to check on him.
He’s already awake, lying in bed and reading the Bible.
“Buenos días, Abuelo.”
“Buenos días, mi rosa. Come on in,” he says. “I want to read this verse to you. It is my favorite one.”
Crawling into bed with him, I curl up beside him like I did when I was a kid. He begins to read the verse out loud.
“‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper. And every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn.’Every time the enemy poisons your mind with negative thoughts and uncertainty, or you are feeling weak, I want you to refer back to this verse,” he says, lifting his eyes to mine. “Let it be a reminder that He will always be there to protect you against all harm.”
Shutting the Bible, he hands it to me with trembling hands. “This was Abuela’s Bible. I want you to have it.”
“Thank you, Abuelo.” I take it from him, holding it against my chest.
“His Word has helped me during my toughest times. It helped me cope with my diagnosis. I know that it can help you, too.”
