One evening all three sat.
Marcus said:
“I need tell you something.”
They became alert.
“I do not want ICU if heart stops.”
Maya nodded.
“We know.”
“No.”
“I want you all to hear together.”
Jordan swallowed.
Eli looked away.
Marcus continued.
“No CPR.”
“No ventilator if unlikely recovery.”
“Comfort.”
“Dad.”
Maya’s voice cracked.
“I’m not dying tonight.”
“You might.”
“Anyone might.”
“This is different.”
“Yes.”
He looked at them.
“You don’t need to save me from dying.”
Jordan cried silently.
Eli said:
“I hate this.”
“I know.”
Marcus smiled.
“Family phrase.”
Maya held his hand.
“Okay.”
They signed documents properly.
No ambiguity.
Marcus had spent life learning the cost when people make major choices for others without clarity.
He gave clarity.
The next months were decent.
Spring.
He attended Sophie’s daughter’s graduation virtually.
He saw Maya receive lifetime achievement award from marine institute.
She tried to skip ceremony.
Marcus insisted.
“You will go.”
“You hate ceremonies.”
“For me.”
She went.
During speech Maya said:
“My father once taught me family means noticing who is missing.”
Marcus watched screen.
He frowned.
“That’s not exactly what I said.”
Staff member nearby laughed.
Close enough.
Jordan brought him student evaluations.
Eli brought food.
Marcus still joked.
At ninety-five and eight months, he developed another infection.
Hospital once.
Returned.
Hospice became appropriate.
He chose apartment.
Family rotated.
He hated rotation schedule.
“It looks like military duty roster.”
Maya said:
“Because otherwise Eli comes every day and burns out.”
Eli protested.
“I can.”
“No.”
Marcus smiled.
“Your mother would approve.”
The final weeks were quiet.
He slept more.
Sometimes woke asking for Camille.
Sometimes knew she was dead.
Sometimes simply wanted the feeling associated with name.
Maya learned not to correct harshly.
“She’s not here right now.”
True.
One afternoon he looked at Jordan.
“Did Andre come?”
Jordan paused.
Andre had been dead years.
“No.”
Marcus frowned.
“Okay.”
Jordan sat.
He did not force grief.
Another day Marcus called Eli by Andre’s name.
Eli laughed.
“Worst insult.”
Marcus smiled.
Then knew.
“Sorry.”
“Fine.”
The old man still had humor.
Maya spent the most time because she lived closest.
She brought coral pouch one day.
Marcus recognized instantly despite memory issues.
“Oh.”
“You remember?”
“Ticket.”
“Dress.”
“Yes.”
She placed beside bed.