The Right Way [D&R], page 1

The doctor came up to them, Samantha laying in the hospital bed, and Joshua standing by her side. They looked at the doctor apprehensively, and he cleared his voice before talking.

“Well, we have the test results back.” He paused, emotion rising in his voice.

“Samantha, you have a rare form of Lynsomitosis, one in which the cells can't divide properly. You condition is terminal, I'm very,” he choked on the words, “very sorry. It's in the 4th stage now.”

Josh grabbed Sam's hands, and held onto them. They looked at each other.

“I'll leave you two alone.” The doctor nodded, turned and left.

They had researched her condition online for months now, and now they had physical confirmation. She had less than sixty days before cellular degeneration was complete. They both knew the facts, and had went to the hospital that morning to get the needed tests confirmed.

Joshua looked at her, tears coming from both their eyes, and he said, “Well, you know what this means?”

She looked at him questioningly.

“We are going to spend the next six months in the wilderness, camping on Mt. Hood.”

“Goof,” she chuckled bravely, “You know I only have about one or two left.”

“I tend not to believe anything anyone tells me. You know that. I want proof. I can't believe you only have a month or so left and then what,” he paused, then choked up, stammering, “you are gonna be gone from me?” Joshua let the tears flow.

She tightened her grip on his hands.

“I'm sorry Joshua, I had this condition all of my life, from the research we've done, lying dormant in my genes. I've dealt with it. It's just now they've confirmed it, and in it's final stages.”

He leaned over and kissed her, his eyes full of wet emotions, and she returned his kiss with all her soul, then she wrapped her arm around his head, and pulled his ear close to her mouth, and whispered in his ear, “I love you.”

She got discharged the next day, after informing the doctors of her wishes. They gave Josh several vials of morphine, and the nurses instructed him how to administer doses, because as her condition worsened the pain would become more severe.

Joshua packed the gear, and they headed into the mountain. They pitched their tent and made camp at the site nearest the trailhead.

They went to the hot springs everyday, and she was able to make the first few trips fine. After the fifth trip, Josh noticed her stumbling more, and decided to walk beside her for support.

Her mind never wavered as her body failed her. They talked for long hours, during the day, and at night, sitting at their campfire, conversations never waning. They lay together at night, holding each other, and each day she always managed a smile when she woke up and saw him looking at her.

“Good Morning, Darlin,” she would say with a smile, but then wince in pain as the mutation took it's toll on her nervous system.

Joshua made a list, and went into town, and got supplies. He built her a rickshaw, from aluminum tubes bolted together and mountain climbing gear. He added a harness so he could pull her up the mile and a half hike to the Bagby Hot Springs. It had big knobby tires, and he fixed the path where it needed, to be handicap accessible. That worked for ten more days.

She got worse. Josh would have to pick her up, and place her in the cart, and pony her up the side of the mountain. He'd pick her from the cart and place her in the tub, her body withered but her mind active as always. He'd pick her out when she was done, and dry her off, and wrap her back up in quilts for the trip back to camp. She'd tease him, with pony commands, and he'd let her know she had full control.

Joshua appreciated Sam for loving him so much, that he knew he'd do anything. He knew within he could do anything.

Fifteen days later, Josh awoke in the middle of the night, He couldn't feel Samantha anymore. He reached his arm around her, and she didn't respond. He had felt when she had passed.

He bolted awake, her lifeless body beside him, “NO.” he stated. “NO!”

He laid his head upon her chest, and cried, her heart underneath silent as the tears flowed freely.

As he sobbed, he realized a spark within, and sent it into her. Her heart beat once, then twice, and then recovered the rhythm of life. Her eyes stirred as she woke back up.

“Good Morning, Darlin,” she whispered gently, and she smiled that delicious smile at him. He kissed her. Softly.

“Oooh, I just had this weird dream. I had a disease called....”

“Lynsomitosis.” Josh finished for her.

“How do you know?”

“I had the same dream.”

Josh looked at her, and she was her normal beautiful living self again. Her condition was just a dream after all, she thought. It had all seemed so real.

Josh smiled. He knew it wasn't a dream, and the tears drying on his face caused a frown upon hers. She looked at him questioningly, and thought for a few moments. She shivered briefly at a realization. "Darlin?"

“So, then, you know?”

She nodded.

He reached closer to her, and they held each other. They could feel the connection.