Beloved Episode 3 the story ends today

The nurse brought me coffee, and let me sit in a little side room. One table, two chairs and me …. I wept uncontrollably in there, away from gazing strangers. And Libby slept soundly in the hospital, unaware of her fate.

I recalled all our times together. Libby had been such a comfort when I lost Diana. I would not have coped as well as people had said I did had Libby not been there with me. It was lucky that Diana had gone before Libby, I mused, for Diana could never, ever have borne Libby being terminally ill … she would never have been able to go on without Libby ….

I think it was then that it hit me so very clearly. Libby needed to be with Diana. How was Diana, wherever she was, coping now without her now?

They allowed me to return to the consulting room between the remaining appointments. I apologised for my outburst, and was perfectly understood of course.

"I do not want you to operate" I said, as bravely as I could, "I cannot see Libby in any more pain for my sake. Besides, I believe she has someone very special who needs her elsewhere." The doctor nodded, and was about to speak but seemed to think better of it, and I was glad. I had made a painful decision, but a correct one.

"You must do what is best for Libby, but I must be with her at the end. I must hold her until she’s met at the other side, you see" I explained.

"I understand Mr Porter. She has had a very good life … she is a grand age you know" I nodded, but did not really need his reassurances on the score. We had given her a wonderful life, and she had given us very much in return. I would be alone now, and that would be so hard for me to cope with, but Diana had been alone for the last year. Alone, and waiting to hold her beloved Libby, to have time with her darling. I saw that Libby had been mine exclusively for the worst year of my life, and now she had to return to Diana and wait for me to join them, whenever that may be.

"She was our baby you see." I said aloud. "We had no children of our own, and it was Diana’s deepest sorrow. So we got Libby. To Diana, my wife, Libby was our baby, our child, our life. Not just a dog …. Never just a dog."

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