Chapter 151

• After a few hours, Nanna's breathing suddenly accelerates and she begins gasping for breath. The glottal sound she makes is one that I recognize. The time has come. I squeeze my eyes tightly shut and grab a tight hold of Edward's hand. The somber silence in the room breaks as we all hear Nanna take her last breath, before she exhales deeply and then stops breathing. Mournful wails of deep sorrow take over as the Swan family grieves the loss of two loved ones.
• Hours pass before Edward and I are finally able to leave. I have no concept of what time it is, but I know it's late. I know I should probably eat something, but my stomach twists at just the thought of food. I feel physically and emotionally drained. All I want to do is to sleep and pray that this is all a bad dream. Edward has been my rock, supporting me through my grief, guiding me home… taking care of me. When my head finally hits my pillow, I close my eyes and hope that sleep will find me quickly, but it doesn't.
• Edward is still in the bathroom and I can feel how my body yearns for his proximity. We've hardly been apart all day, but just this short amount of distance is almost painful. When he finally enters the room, I feel my body immediately relax. It's so strange to be so dependent on someone, but right now I'm too tired to care. Reaching for him, he quickly approaches and lies down next to me on my small queen-sized bed. It's a snug fit, but he doesn't complain. Curling his body around mine, I feel like I can finally find rest, but still sleep evades me.