The Last Option

Dr. Holloway was standing a little behind Bernard as he stared at Margaret's body on the gurney. In a moment he reached out and took hers in his hand; it was cold, and the feeling it caused was not to his liking. He released her hand and looked at her again. He had not stopped crying in silence all the time he had there, assimilating she was dead and he would never see her next to him as he had always been: smiling, witty, affectionate, committed and hard-working. He felt a great emptiness in his chest and pain in his soul, if he can call it that, to that feeling that ruthlessly invaded him and robbed him of his peace.

He was like this when he heard the door of the morgue open, giving way to an elegantly dressed man and a doctor, who led the first to a group of stretchers with their corpses located a little further ahead. They stood next to one and Bernard could hear what the doctor was saying to the man.

"This is. Nathan Hicks."

Bernard paid more attention when he heard the name and quickly wiped away his tears, the doctor pulled the white sheet from the head of the corpse on the gurney, and Bernard saw Nathan's face. The man in the suit nodded. "We were already thinking that no relative would come," the doctor said. "Will you take care of everything?"

"Of course," said the man. "And his wife? Where is she?"

The doctor pointed to the gurney next to it and they immediately stood next to it. He also pulled the sheet off her head and Bernard saw Norma.

"It's a pity this happened to two such young people," the doctor said. "I will need your name again for registration and to start the respective procedures."

"My name is Louis Randall. I'll notify the funeral home to remove the bodies. Thank you very much for everything, doctor."

The doctor then covered the bodies again and they both left the room. Bernard did not take his eyes off Louis until Louis left. Dr. Holloway approached him slowly, and he had not taken his eyes off Louis either.

"So that's Nathan's cousin," Holloway said. "I didn't know him."

"I didn't know him either. It seems unheard of he came to see the bodies three days later."

"What can I say? Nathan had no one but his sister and his cousin, whom you just saw. Norma's parents and siblings have been here for two days from Los Angeles, but Louis Randall wants to do the funerals at the same time and hasn't let them remove the body."

"Can he do that?" Bernard asked, puzzled.

"She was a Hicks," Holloway shrugged, "and here they rule. They are waiting for Rebecca Hicks, who is coming from Paris."

"She still hasn't arrived?" Bernard was surprised.

"No. From the little Nathan told me about his family, it's no wonder she didn't. Apparently they weren't very close."

"He was still her brother," Bernard went on to feel indignant, "and he doesn't deserve to be here that long."

Bernard turned to see the stretchers where the bodies of his friends were, and then he began to walk slowly towards them. Dr. Holloway followed him, and when he arrived he pulled the covers off their heads again. Bernard focused on Nathan's body.

"Thanks for everything, my friend," Nathan whispered. "I promise you that I will do everything possible so your son is well and has his due. It's the least I can do to repay your friendship and generosity."

Having said that, he stared at the two bodies for a few seconds, a feeling of sadness invaded his body again and he could not prevent his eyes from filling with tears. Slowly he turned his back on them, sure it would be the last time he would see them, and little by little he returned to Margaret's body, as the pain in his side began to grip him again. He looked down at her body as well, and this time he could not keep the tears from rolling down his cheeks. He leaned in as best he could, enduring the pain, and kissed her forehead. One of his tears fell onto one of her closed eyes.

"Nothing will be the same without you," he said softly in a whisper near her. "I'll try to overcome this for you, so your effort is not wasted."

Little by little he straightened up again. Dr. Holloway, seeing the wince on his face, rushed to help him to his feet.

"I'll always love you," Bernard said with tears in his eyes.

"Let's go back to your room," Holloway said, pulling the sheet back over Margaret's head. "I'll talk to your doctor about giving you pain relievers." Slowly they left the compound.

A few hours later, one of the nurses who was reviewing his medication asked him if he wanted to see the baby, that she would bring it to him if he wanted, and Bernard had many mixed feelings again.

"By the way, we haven't put his name on the records yet," the nurse said. "What's his name? Your wife couldn't tell us."

Bernard thought for a few seconds. Dr. Holloway had left promising to visit him later; he would have liked to hear his opinion on that. He decided to give him the name he deserved.

"His name is Nathan."

"Okay, I'll bring you little Nathan."

The nurse came out and Bernard was still debating whether he wanted to see him or not. But it was too late; he couldn't tell the nurse no more. If he wanted to keep protecting the baby, he would have to impersonate his father at least for the moment, until he could get him to take his place in the family that belongs to him, to be a Hicks.

In a few minutes the nurse returned with the baby in her arms and gently placed him on Bernard's lap. It was the first time he had held a baby in his arms and he realized that detail.

"This is the first time I've held a baby," Bernard said with a nervous smile.

"I've noticed. Hold him with this arm like this."

The nurse helped him to hold him better and he felt a little more secure and calm. The baby was wrapped in a blue blanket and had a baby blue hat. He remembered when one of the many times they all went to buy baby's clothes and then they packed Norma's bag with everything she needed for the day of delivery. He remembered it was precisely Margaret who chose those clothes. He smiled slightly, detailing the round face and the pink caps. He was sleeping soundly, his little hands clenched into a fist. The nurse looked at him moved.

"Who brought my wife?" Bernard asked, still looking at the baby.

"Dr. Holloway. He said she called him very distressed upon learning of the incident. He barely had time to grab what was necessary for when this little warrior was born. You are very lucky to have him around. He has been very aware of him and you."

"Yes, the doctor is a great man. We'll always be grateful to him."

"Bath time is coming. He's already very well and doesn't require special care. If you wish, we can bring a crib to this room so that he's always with you until you are discharged. What do you think?"

"I would like it very much, thank you."

Bernard thought that although at the moment and apparently the baby wasn't in danger, it would be better to always have him close to protect him.