Rememberances
Epilogue
By Pat
“Don’t cry, my darling,” she whispered softly. “You gave me the happiest years of my life, and I’m still a happy woman. You have to be strong now and go on. Davie and Duncan will be with you.” She looked up at her son, now a man, who stood behind his adopted father, his hand on Luka’s shoulder. “You know I will always love you and always be with you…” it was harder to breathe now and her words trailed off.
Choking back his tears, Luka pressed his wife’s hand to his heart, wanting to gather her close to him, hold her in his arms once again. “I love you, sweetheart, you are my life, my heart, my soul. I am so sorry…”
“Hush my love, don’t be sorry, you’ve given me a life full of love and joy…” Melanie’s words faded away, her eyes closed. Luka was unaware of the passage of time as he sat there holding her hand until he felt the subtle change. He checked for a pulse but he knew she was gone. Gently he placed her hand back on the bed by her side. Turning to David, father and son stood together, united in their grief, each trying to console the other.
Duncan MacLeod stopped pacing and turned when he heard the door open and softly close. “She’s gone, isn’t she?” It was more of a statement than a question; he could read it on David’s face. Unable to speak, David could only nod. Then he was in Duncan’s embrace as the tears he had held in check for his father’s sake flowed freely. Over the shoulder of the boy he had watched grow into a man, MacLeod stared at the wall, struggling with his own pain and loss.
Earlier that week, he had received a phone call from Luka. He only needed to hear his friend’s voice to know something was wrong. “What’s happened, Luka? What’s the matter?” He had questioned.
“She’s dying, Duncan.” Luka had choked out. “The heart failure is finally going to take her from me.” MacLeod needed to hear no more. “I’ll catch the first flight out and I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He had promised Luka. For the past three days he had kept vigil in the hospital waiting room. Earlier today, Luka had waited as Duncan went in to see Melanie as she had requested.
“Duncan, I’m so glad you’re here. You’ve been such a good friend all these years; will you promise me something?” Melanie questioned as she looked into his eyes. Holding her hand, Duncan could only nod. “Promise me you’ll look after Luka. He’ll be so lost and vulnerable. I’m so glad he has you. Promise me, Duncan, please?”
With tears stinging his eyes and tightening his throat, he vowed to her that he would look after both Luka and David as long as he lived. He would do this gladly for this woman who had accepted him for what he was, drew him into the generosity of her love and kindness, making him part of her family.
He heard the door open again and Luka appeared, his face a mask of grief. “Where’s David?” He inquired.
“He was exhausted. I put him in a taxi and sent him home to his family. He’ll call you in the morning.” Duncan replied.
“She’s gone, Duncan, and there’s nothing I could do, not as a doctor, not as an immortal. I had to sit there helpless and watch her die.”
“You did what you could. Even as immortals, we have no power over life or death, Luka, you know that.”
“My mind knows, but my heart doesn’t want to accept it.”
“Do you want to say good-bye?” Luka offered. He waited as MacLeod entered the silent room. Approaching the bed, Duncan reflected on how tiny and frail Melanie appeared; yet she had been the force and the strength that had held them all together throughout the many years. He reached down and picked up the soft, still warm hand, gently placing a kiss on it. “Rest well now, sweet lady.” he murmured quietly. “Have no fear, I’ll keep my vow.”
Snow was softly falling as they stood before the fresh mound of earth. It was a quiet and peaceful place here in the shadow of the mountains Melanie had loved. Luka had brought her home to Colorado as he had promised. He watched silently as MacLeod arranged the flowers on the grave.
“You warned me, you told me this day would come. I tried to prepare, but I couldn’t, I just couldn’t.” Luka’s voice was ragged.
“No one ever can.” Duncan responded simply. He knew that fact all too well.
He stood silently beside Luka, his arm around his friend’s shoulder, as Luka’s tears fell and his body shook with the force of his grief. Duncan knew there were no words that he could offer, nothing he could say that would lessen the anguish that tore at one’s heart, only time would ease that pain. In his mind, for a moment he stood before another grave, in another quiet and peaceful place. Melanie had been a lot like Tessa in many ways. If there was a heaven, he hoped the two women would find each other there. Finally Luka’s tears stopped. Lifting his head, he looked at Duncan through red, swollen eyes. “Its time, Duncan. We can go now.”
With his hand on Luka’s arm, MacLeod led him away, the silence broken only by the crunch of their footsteps. Behind them, the snow fell softly on the blanket of yellow roses.
The End