Everlastingly Loving You - Chapter 142

A flatline.

Asystole.

When there’s no longer movement in someone’s heart.

No more heartbeat.

She was dead. Dead.

This was her terrible demise.

Sophia just couldn’t process it.

A nurse had walked over to her.

Nicholas was stuck rooted to the ground beside her.

He was trying to be strong.

Keyword, trying.

“I’m so sorry,” the nurse began.

“Despite our best efforts…”

Sophia stopped her.

“Don’t you dare continue that sentence,” Sophia said quietly.

She sniffled, “She’s dead.”

“Isn’t she?” She asked, seeking confirmation.

The nurse nodded slowly, inwardly wondering where Sophia was getting at.

Sophia looked as though she’d been hit by a train.

She shook her head, “This is a joke.”

“Grandmere’s okay,” she said convincingly.

Nicholas began, “Sophia…”

His heart had broken into pieces as he couldn’t figure what to say next.

“This isn’t some joke.”

“She’s gone,” he mumbled.

Sophia inhaled and exhaled calmly.

She did it again.

And again.

And again, until she struck him in the chest.

“It is,” she cried.

“It is,” she repeated.

Louis wedged himself between Sophia and Nicholas.

“I came as soon as I heard,” he said grimly.

The nurse wondered to herself if she could reason with Louis instead.

“Sir,” she began.

“May I talk to you in private?”

Louis exchanged looks with Sophia and Nicholas.

Nicholas nodded and Sophia kept staring blankly at the hospital floors, seemingly distraught.

“Please, follow me,” the nurse ordered.

Louis – still unaware of what’d happened – shot Nicholas a worried look.

‘Make sure she’s okay, please,’ Louis gestured to his sister.

Nicholas nodded slightly.

‘He doesn’t know,’ Sophia thought to herself, swaying.

She clutched her head.

Nicholas looked over at her.

“Sophia?” He asked.

Her chest tightened.

It was then her knees buckled and afterwards, she collapsed.

“SOPHIA!” He caught her just before she hit the floor.

__

Sophia laid in bed, clenching a pillow as she mumbled things to herself.

Nicholas wasn’t doing any better.

He laid beside her, staring at the wall.

It’d been a week since the day Julia had…

They’d gone past the stage of shock and denial, learning of the loss of her grandmother had left her with all sorts of emotions.

Disbelief.

Sadness.

Mourning.

Confusion.

Depression.

She held her pillow tighter, her tear-stained face puffy and red.

“It was hours away we were having lunch,” she whispered.

“And now she’s…”

She broke into tears, unable to say that one last word.

Turning around, she faced Nicholas’ back.

“N-Nicholas?” She stuttered.

He turned around, his eyes staring into her soul with that one look.

He bit his lip looking at her.

Everything was his fault, he thought.

Had he came faster, saw Julia lying at the bottom of the staircase and gotten help.

Perhaps she’d still be alive.

What he didn’t know was that Sophia was thinking of the exact same thing.

They were hiding from something.

Something that was meant to come.

Something they’d been delaying simply because it was too much to handle.

Exactly a week since the day she’d died.

The whole kingdom was in mourning.

Hundreds of thousands of bouquets and unique arrangements of flowers surrounded the palace gates.

Clarisse had given Sophia exactly what she knew Sophia needed. Space, and time to grieve and process things.

Oliver hadn’t tried to be there for his brother. Nicholas had gotten used to being alone, he didn’t need anyone by his side. With Sophia as his one exception.

“Can you j-just hold me?” Sophia asked.

Nicholas didn’t say a word in return, all he did was gently pull her closer to him.

The funeral was to take place later in the afternoon.

One last send-off.

For Julia’s sake.

A proper send-off with everyone she loved and cared about.

Sophia knew she likely wouldn’t be coming, but this was what Julia would’ve wanted.

For her to move on because death was a part of the recurring cycle of life.

Julia was nearing the end of the days, she’d die eventually.

That didn’t help things.

She should’ve had more time, she SHOULD’VE been able to see her grandchildren get married, or meet her great-grandchildren. The possibilities were endless.

Or perhaps, the impossibilities.

They were past that now, and she was left with pain and suffering.

Excruciating pain.

No matter what they did, even if they tried hiding from it or ignoring it, it felt better if went through it together.

They were guilt-stricken.

The realization had finally set in.

Julia was dead.

It needed repeating.

Julia was dead.

She wouldn’t return.

No miracle could’ve saved her.

Nothing else could’ve been done. Every single medical professional that’d tried saving her had confirmed. There was nothing else to be done except call time of death.

And yet, still running through their minds were the endless possibilities of how things could’ve played out. They desperately needed closure.

They needed to swim up to the surface and take a whiff of air before they drowned in their own sorrows.

“Are we coming?” Sophia inquired as they remained in their tight embrace.

Nicholas breathed out shakily, “Are you asking me to make a decision for you?”

Sophia nodded, “I don’t think I can make a decision right now.”

“I trust you,” Sophia nodded.

She nodded once more, “I trust you with this decision.”

“So whatever you chose we do, we do it,” Sophia whispered, her voice barely discernible.

Nicholas placed a light kiss on her forehead, she barely felt it.

“Okay,” he whispered.

He knew what they needed to do.

For closure.

Or at least a teensy bit of it.

“We’re coming,” he decided.

“We’re going to the funeral.”

Sophia inhaled, “Alright.”

“We’re going.”

“Are you sure?” Nicholas questioned.

“Definitely.”

__

Marcus knocked on Louis’ door.

“It’s been a week since you’ve stayed in your quarters and you haven’t left since,” he said.

“Please come and eat something.”

“Please?”

“For me,” Marcus pleaded, a tray of food in his other free hand. Louis’ favourites actually.

Louis stayed silent.

He couldn’t reply.

His grandmother was dead.

Marcus knew not to pry, that Louis needed space. But a week had been long enough.

He opened Louis quarters’ door, knowing one way or another he had to be there for Louis, even if Louis would hate him if he did.