[ WP ] Write about someone who is waiting for something .

The old man sat on the bench outside of the room, eyes staring forward, lost in his thoughts. They had given him a half an hour to prepare himself. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. It was almost time. 
 
 The door to the room opened and a young nurse walked out. She quickly spotted the old man and turned her attention towards him, clearing her throat to catch her attention. 
 
 `` Mr. Gorham? Are you ready?'' she asked. 
 
 He paused briefly, then nodded. He stood up, shuffled quietly towards the door and entered the hospital room. 
 
 Inside, machines beeped lightly in the background. Mr. Gorham knew the sounds well -- from just a moment's attention, he knew that nothing had changed yet. He walked towards the back corner of the room where Doctor Feldman stood waiting. 
 
 `` Whenever you are ready.'' the doctor said quietly. 
 
 Mr. Gorham moved towards the side of the bed and sat on the small chair. He looked at the patient as she inhaled and exhaled rhythmically, her frail breath barely coloring the oxygen mask. He raised his hand and brushed her thin white hair away. He lightly touched her cheek with the back of his hand, his hand lingering for a few moments more. 
 
 `` Go ahead, doctor.'' he whispered, his voice rough and heavy. Doctor Feldman motioned to the nurse and began adjustments to the nearby computer terminal. Moments later, the beeping changed tones. The patient's breathing became erratic and labored, and Mr. Gorham took her hand into his, gripping it tightly. 
 
 `` 2 minutes, Mr. Gorham.'' the doctor said. The old man nodded and positioned himself close to the patient as he prepared himself to speak. 
 
 As the patient opened her eyes, Mr. Gorham leaned as closely as he could towards her. He had only a moment to see her. 
 
 Mrs. Gorham stared groggily at her husband as the opiates faded from her system. After a few seconds, her eyes sharpened focus. She smiled weakly as she recognized the man in front of her. 
 
 `` Mickey,'' she whispered. `` You've lost weight.'' Mr. Gorham laughed bitterly -- she'd beaten him to the punchline yet again. As he laughed, Mrs. Gorham winced involuntarily. The pain had already begun kicking in. 
 
 `` 90 seconds, Mr. Gorham.'' the doctor called out. 
 
 Mr. Gorham nodded and tapped his foot. The accident had nearly destroyed her spine, such that she could only stay lucid for a few moments before suffering extreme pain. It was all he could do to stare at Cheryl's face and do his best not to cry. 
 
 `` What date is it, Mickey?'' Cheryl asked, her voice wavering in pain. 
 
 `` November 5... 2040.'' Mickey whispered, closing his eyes. 
 
 `` Oh... and what... what number are we now?'' 
 
 `` Two hundred and nine.'' 
 
 Her face fell as she heard the number. 
 
 `` What number were we last time?'' 
 
 `` Two hundred forty-seven.'' 
 
 `` When was the last wake-up?'' 
 
 `` November 5, 2035.'' 
 
 `` Oh...'' 
 
 Tears swelled out of Mickey's eyes as his heart broke yet again. Thirty eight places in line for the transplant. Thirty eight fucking places took five fucking years. Mickey did n't have the heart to tell her the whole truth -- that forty-eight people had skipped ahead of them. That Mrs. Gorham was older than the new cutoff date for the transplant list. That the new estimated transfer date had been pushed back a decade. 
 
 `` Thirty seconds, Mr. Gorham.'' Doctor Feldman said. 
 
 Mr. Gorham had so many things he wanted to say. Things he could say that might distract his wife for 2 minutes. But he could never follow through, and she always ended up asking the question. He could've kept her under sedation, could've skipped one of the waking periods. But he missed her eyes and her voice too much for that. So he said now what he always said at the end of each meeting. 
 
 `` You'll be fine, Cherry. It'll take some time, but I'll get you what you need. Do n't you worry about a thing. I love you, and I'll be here the next time you wake up.'' 
 
 Cheryl smiled as her husband squeezed her hand tightly. `` I love you too, Mick.'' 
 
 Doctor Feldman put his hand upon Mickey's shoulder. `` It's time, Mr. Gorham.'' 
 
 `` Wait for me?'' Cheryl whispered, her eyes fading. Mickey nodded and squeezed as tightly as he could. 
 
 `` Of course.''
