The Code of Us by Liv Evans

Author:Liv Evans [Evans, Liv]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Liv Evans
Published: 2021-07-10T16:00:00+00:00

11

0 years 5 months 20 days

before Drew v. SynThesis Labs

The hours that pass, after signing the do not resuscitate order, stretch into infinity. At some point, the doctors come in to disconnect Arden from most of the machines and monitors in the room. When they are gone, I realise that I preferred seeing him beneath that protective cage of life-preserving wires. It was like a shield between myself and the reality of what my husband has become. Now the greasy limpness of his curls, the gaunt hollowness in his cheeks, and the way his mouth hangs open, slack and almost disjointed, is unobstructed and undeniable.

Only the erratic beeping of the heart rate monitor and the haunting, laboured rattle of his inconsistent breathing lets us know he is still alive.

At least, it did until the moment everything seizes.

Suspended in that space between life and death, with the piercing screech of a flat-line. Penny and I each have hold of one of Arden’s hands, and I have my arm wrapped around her waist as I cling to her. For the first time, I notice how frail she has become over the past few weeks. She has always had a willowy frame, but now she is nothing but skin and bones beneath her hand-knitted sweater.

Suri comes over and puts her hands on mine and Penny’s shoulders as the sobbing starts.

Willem wakes from a restless nap with a snort, eyes darting around as the doctors run in and stand by the door. Their hands twitch, and they school their faces into expressions of restraint. As healers, it must be hard for them, I think, to stand by and let a patient die.

Pushing himself off the couch, Willem walks over to the doctors. “The Cadaver Donation Agreement that Mr. Drew signed stated that his body was to be transported to SynThesis Labs at the earliest possible moment,” Willem mutters softly.

Both of the doctors are glancing between Willem, and Penny and I, as we cling to Arden. Penny is sobbing into his chest now, but I can’t bring myself to look at him. Or to do more than hold his hand. Because if I do, it means I have to acknowledge it. That he is actually—

“Surely it can wait until—”

“It’s what Arden wanted.” The words spill out of my lips before my brain has time to process them.

Frowning, one of the doctors walks over and puts a hand on Penny’s shoulder. “Mrs. Drew, would you like more time?”

Penny doesn’t answer. I don’t think she could speak even if she wanted to. Instead, Suri pulls the older woman off the bed and into a tight embrace. I look over at Willem and a silent agreement passes between us.

“Penny, I-I’ll go with Arden,” I stutter.

Willem steps outside, quickly returning with two orderlies. They walk over with calm, but swift, steps. They pull the rails up on the bed, remove the heart rate monitor, and take the brakes off the wheels. “Let’s go,” one says as she tugs the sheet up over Arden’s lifeless face.

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