cancer – Dear Jo-Anne

Image Credit: Anne Nygård via Unsplash.

Written by H. WEND. August 10th, 2022.

It’s a warm summer night. Nothing but the rattle of a portable air-conditioning unit, seemingly at the end of its short life too, hanging on just for you.

I’ve just finished decorating the house one last time. One last Christmas we will spend together.

It’s 10.24pm. Late. I’ve never been early to sleep, or rise, but now I find it especially hard to close my eyes at night.

I sit at your bedside, observing every breath you take. Tonight you look to be having the most peaceful sleep on earth but I’m scared you will slip away at any moment. And now it has been a while since you’ve woken to speak with me, I wonder if you ever will again. I wonder if this is truly where I lose you.