Terminal love

I had never held anyone like this before, I could feel the life in her slipping away as I wondered where all my time between us had gone. Her body, so curvy and robust once was now constantly cold, delicate, and thin. The woman I loved more than life itself was disappearing before my eyes. We laid on our sides, her body facing away from me as I wrapped my arms a little tighter around her torso, forgetting how much force I was using.

"Ouch Devon, you're hurting me." She let out with a small struggle to pull free of my grasping arms. I immediately loosened them, feeling sad to know I had hurt her even a little.

"I'm sorry baby, I wasn't paying attention. I'm just so used to holding you tight." I replied, frowning, but she would never know by my voice.

"It's alright, I'm used to that too. I would welcome it if I weren't so fragile..." I could hear her voice cracking, knowing her mind was resonating on her imminent death.

"Shhh don't think about that, beautiful. Hey you remember our trip to Barcelona?" I was making an attempt to sway her thoughts back into the positive.

"That was one of the best weeks of my life... I had never seen a sunset so beautiful...had never been so happy." I could feel her smiling and then the coughing started, violently shaking her small body. I gently pulled her closer to me and started rubbing her arm lightly, feeling her fight for breaths.

"Breathe baby, just relax." I talked her through it and once again she was breathing shallow in my arms.

"I can't go on Devon... I love you but... I'm just so tired." A single tear rolled down her cheek and onto the arm I was letting her use as a pillow.

"Clarissa don't say that, I-"

"Stop Devon, we both know I'm fading fast. Let's just use this time to have a few last memories of happiness. Just lay with me." She pleaded, hearing the sadness in her voice I agreed without a fuss.

I stroked her cheek as I propped myself up on an elbow, playing with a lock of her brown hair before laying back down, taking the biggest breath in of her scent before closing my eyes to wait for the inevitable end of my world and everything I knew.

"I'm sorry we didn't have more time, love." She whispered, closing her eyes softly.

"A single second with you was worth more than a lifetime with anyone else angel..." I replied,feeling her slip away from me finally.

I had never held anyone like this before, and I doubt I ever will again.