The Day Before...
Pepper Scott
It was a Friday in May when the hospice nurses came for the first time.
The strange thing is, I understood what it meant to begin hospice care, but somehow I couldn’t bring myself to believe it meant the one I love so dearly was truly leaving this life.
The sun was bright that day. I opened the window so he could look outside, but he turned away—he had never cared for harsh light.
I mentioned to the nurses that the dentist was scheduled to come the following Tuesday to check and clean his teeth. They commented, "Terry, you have beautiful teeth!" For a moment, his face lit up. He forced a fake smile to show off his teeth to them. Even then, as life was quietly slipping away, he was still trying to make others happy.
That was the cutest smile I've ever seen. That smile—playful, tender, and brave—is etched in my heart.
I will carry that final image of My Love for the rest of my days.
