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The next morning found Doc again at his wife's bedside, continuing to read through Spoon River Anthology. In one hand, he held hers. In the other he kept the old book open from which he began to read about the character, Mary McNeely.
To love is to find your own soul
Through the soul of the beloved one.
When the beloved one withdraws itself from your sould
Then you have lost your soul.
It is written: "I have a friend, but my sorrow has no friend."
Hence my long years of solitude at the home of my father,
trying to get myself back,
and to turn my sorrow in supremer self.
But there was my father with his sorrows,
sitting under the cedar tree,
a picture that sank into my heart at last
bringing infinite repose.
Oh, ye souls who have made life
fragrant and white as tube roses
from Earth's dark soil,
Eternal Peace.*
As he finished, he felt her hand make a gentle clasp of his own. Moving the book to the table beside the bed, he leaned closer.
"Dahlin'," he said softly.
Her head never moved but her eyes fluttered a bit before opening a bit. Still, she lay silent, staring forward.
"Dahlin', can you hear me?" he asked of her.
Her eyes first looked his way then her head slowly turned as she looked at him.
"John Henry," she said in a whisper, "Good morning."
He took her hand a bit tighter, "welcome back." He then softly smiled, "I missed you."
Although she was too weak to move, she could feel her now empty belly.
"My children," she asked in a whisper.
Doc smiled, "you gave birth to a boy and a girl. They are doing fine in incubation. We just don't have names for them yet."
She gave a nod of approval.
Doc sighed, swallowing his pride, "Dahlin' I am so sorry for arguing with you that night." He then nodded, "you were right. Too many don't want peace and do not share my vision. I will therefore hang up those robes."
"No," she said weakly, "do not remove them. They who you are. Just choose clients wisely from now on!"
There was then a moment of silence to where they just looked at each other, him stroking her hand. About this time, Dr. Nagger entered the room. Noticing that she was awake, she started picking on Doc.
"Disturbing my patients, Doctor?" she asked of him.
"Absolutely!" he answered.
She then checked over Midori, letting her know that once able, she would be allowed to hold her children, even if it was for but a few minutes. After several minutes, a still weak Midori fell back asleep.
Doc himself left the room feeling relieved while Doreen felt satisfied.
*Taken from the book "Spoon River Anthology" by Edgar Lee Masters.*
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