[ WP ] After a long life , an elderly patient is lying on their deathbed , when their father walks in , looking as young as the last time they saw him as a child .

I stood just outside the door, my hand resting on the knob. The clock above the frame ticked slowly, and I realized I was holding my breath. It had been years since I had seen my son. Many more for him than I. I did n't know if he realized I was still alive. I lifted my hand for a second, and it felt heavy. But I blamed it on earth's gravity, a feeling that was....alien to me. Just as I'll be so alien to him. 
 
 I let my hand down and opened the door. As it opened to the room, I first saw a woman in a chair, her hair grey with age. I saw him beyond her, frail and small in his gurney. But she turned to face me, taking my attention from him. 
 
 `` I'm sorry, you must have the wrong room.'' She said. The lines on her face did not hide the fact that she had been beautiful in youth. 
 
 `` I do n't. He's my son.'' Her eyes widened and I heard the gurney squeak. 
 
 `` Dad?'' came the voice, wispy and soft. She stood to the side and rested her hand on his shoulder. For me, it had been six years. For him, sixty. But the behind face that greeted me was the same youthful face that I had left all those years ago. 
 
 I walked forward slowly, and the woman looked at me and back at him. 
 `` Torsten, how can this be...? Your father...?'' 
 
 `` I do n't know...'' he said, inspecting me with his eyes. I saw emotion slide into emotion. Anger, happiness, pain, joy, loneliness. `` What happened? You last sent me a message years ago. I ca n't even remember when or what it was...'' 
 
 I sighed, and a tear rolled down my face. 
 
 `` I got lost, son. After two years on the flight, the autopilot failed, and I drifted into uncharted space... there were five of us.'' A lump formed in my throat. `` Two of us survived, and somehow, someway, we were found. It could have been a century before I saw this place again.'' I was close enough to put my hand in his, and I did. The grip that returned mine was weak. Tears rolled down the creases of his face. The woman stood next to me and dabbed them away. 
 
 `` I thought you died out there, dad. I called and called and went to the company so many times, they decided I was dangerous and banned me. The last thing they said to me was'He's gone. The mission failed.''' he said, gripping my hand with a new-found strength. `` But I did n't believe it for second. I knew you were still alive, out there in the vastness.'' 
 
 `` I was son. And for those days I sat there in the dim lights of the ship, I spent every minute thinking of you and watching my clock tick away. But I knew, millions of light years away, yours was ticking even faster. I thought I would never see you again.'' I said, my voice quavering. He met my eyes and reached his arms up meekly. I leaned forward and enveloped him, all of my memories of him flashing through my mind with the scent of his hair. 
 
 `` I missed you.'' he whispered in a muffled voice. I felt his tears wet my shoulder, and knew mine were doing the same to his. `` You've missed so much. You have plenty of new family to visit.'' I laughed and cried at this. 
 
 `` Like who?'' I asked, pulling away. 
 
 `` My wife, for one. Samaya.'' He motioned at the old woman, who had a smile and tears on her face as well. 
 
 `` Hello, daughter in law. I'm Jason.'' I said, and she let out a small laugh as we embraced. 
 
 `` It's wonderful to meet you.'' She replied, stepping back and dabbing at her eyes. 
 `` I never thought my father in law would be a young man.'' 
 
 `` Oh, I though likewise.'' I said, holding her and his hand. 
 
 `` That's not all,'' Torsten said, `` You have three grand kids and 6 great-grand children. My kids are the same age as you now.'' 
 
 I whistled. `` Wow, family reunions are going to be odd.'' We all cracked a smile. 
 
 He scooted up on the bed, and Samaya raised the back up with the remote. 
 
 `` I do n't think I'll make it to any of those.'' Torsten said sadly, looking at me. 
 
 `` What is it, then?'' I had been avoiding this part of the conversation. I knew it would be painful. 
 
 `` Old age, dad. I should've jumped on the boat with you.'' he said with a grin. `` I've only got a few days left.'' He added, this time without a grin. Samaya gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek while his eyes still focused on mine. 
 
 I ran my hand through my hair. 
 
 `` Lets go then.'' I said. 
 
 `` What do you mean?'' He asked. 
 
 `` I'm breaking you out,'' I said as I grabbed the wheelchair next to his bed. 
 Samaya looked confused. 
 
 `` You ca n't possibly think-'' she said, but I interrupted. 
 
 `` Oh yes I can. Torsten, remember how I promised one day I'll be able to get you that GT7-R? 
 
 `` Yeah...'' he said, and I saw the memory come back to him. 
 
 `` Well let's go get one. Come on Samaya, help me.'' 
 
 She looked at me, then back to Torsten. 
 
 `` What... what? What are you doing?'' 
 
 `` I'm keeping a promise I made to my boy years ago.'' 
 
 We settled him into the wheelchair, and I looked down at him. He smiled with that boyish grin I had missed so much. 
 
 `` Lets go split the sky, like old times. Only you have your license now.'' 
 
 He laughed and shook his head. `` They took it from me a while ago.'' 
 
 `` Do I really have to be the rebellious kid in this instance?'' I asked, as I wheeled him through the door. 
 
 `` Depends on whether I can ground you,'' he laughed. 
 
 The three of us made our way to the exit, and went through. I looked at my family. Samaya was shaking her head, and Torsten was giggling like he was fifteen again. I smiled. 
 
 I was finally home. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

