On Angel Wings
By Vicki © 2005

She could see the world was changing, the smile she now wore on her face was something she hadn’t had in a long time. She could feel his touch, smell his scent and even feel his soft lips on her neck. She knew that this day was the one that she’d been waiting for years for. But it hadn’t started off so easily for her. She knew that it was something over the years that lead her to the man that she was finally going to be joined in marriage with. She wanted to think of everything, she heard the door of the room open and her mother entered.
“ You look beautiful.” She said gently hugging her daughter.
“ I can’t believe that I am getting married today.”
“ It’s been a long time coming.” She said moving a stray hair out of her face.
“ In some ways I feel like I’ve been dreaming.”
“ Your not dreaming and he’s waiting for you down there.” She said kissing her cheek.
“ It’s so surreal. It’s as if something out of a dream.” She said with a smile.
“ A day like this always is.” Her mother said.
“ I know.” She answered. She still wondered where she had found someone like him. Things in him were the mirror of things she’d done in her life. She was a slight bit older than him but that didn’t seem to matter to them, they were totally in love. The only thing in the world that mattered was them, they always felt that when they were together they were the only two people in the entire room.
“ Bridget just be ready.” Her mother said.
“ Yes mom. Is dad here yet?”
“ Yes dear he arrived earlier. He’s in with Matthew.”
“ Thanks mom.”
“ Just be happy.”
“ I am.” She said as her mother kissed her cheek again. She watched her mother leave the room. It was so strange how she looked like her mother, from her slender figure to the long red hair she had. It was the Irish in her that gave her such a pretty figure and face. Her dark green eyes could have sworn to shine behind her long hair.
“ Bridget.” She heard a low voice say.
“ Hello father.” She said turning and looking at the priest that now stood in the room.
“ You seem so lost in thought. And happy thoughts it seems.” He said taking her hand in his. She smiled at the Father, his old hands holding hers, she’d been with this church since she was a child.
“ Yes, yes actually it was. Father O’Hare it seems only a short time ago I came to you about not finding love.”
“ Only a few years ago, you seemed so lost in things. I told you that god had his plan for you, and that you’d finally find the one person that would complete you. God never lets anyone remain alone.” He said smiling.
“ Yes, that was the time when I was making my choice to remain single or become married to god.”
“ That changed with Matthew, you seemed to light up at the mention of his name. Seems god sent him to you as a sign to understand that he didn’t need you right now.”
“ But what of Matthew? He’s been so sick lately.”
“ Given the way the Lord has lead you to him. I don’t foresee him taking from you so soon.” He said touching her cheek. He knew that she was scared of the fact that the illness was slowly taking the man she had finally found away from her.
“ Matthew and I have spoken already about his illness and I understand that soon he will be called to the lord, I was just hoping that it wouldn’t be so soon.” She said as a single tear rolled down her cheek.
“ Matthew is a strong man, but he also understands that the lord has his plans for him. But he also knows the lord wants to see the two of you wed.”
“ I know.” She said kissing the old man’s cheek.
“ Come the ceremony will be starting soon. I will be out front.” He said. Bridget smiled and watched him leave the room. She turned to the large mirror and smiled as the sunlight slowly moved across the wall shining on her like a halo, she often wondered if that was gods way of telling her things would be all right. Thinking back she remembered the first time she stood in the very room.

“ Bridget O’Malley what are you doin back here?” She heard the father ask.
“ Sorry Father, I got lost.” She said in a small voice.
“ Well Bridget this is no place for you.” He said. Father O’Hare was a younger man then, his hair still dark.
“ She looks pretty.” She said of the woman that stood stunned by the young child.
“ Yes today is her wedding day. Now come child.” He said looking at the woman. “ I am sorry, Bridget is here for another service and seemed to have wondered away from her family.”
“ No problem father. She’s a curious child not unlike any other.”
“ Thank you.” He said leading the young Bridget from the room. She kept peeking over her shoulder to see her still standing there, her white dress seemed to make her look like an angel.
“ Was she an angel father?”
“ No dear child she wasn’t but many on their wedding day feel like one. Remember some day you will get married in this very church and I will be there with you.”
“ Ok.” She said hurrying back to her group.

“ Bridget.”
“ Yes?” She asked turning away from the mirror. She smiled widely as her father slowly made his way into the room. He wasn’t as good as he had been years before. The years of working in the mill and the military had taken their toll on his body.
“ Are you ready?” He asked kissing her cheek lightly. She nodded as he pulled the vale over her face, something she had wanted done. He took her arm through his own and lead her from the room. He turned and looked out of the corner of his eyes and smiled. She was and always would be his baby girl, the only daughter he had and the last of his four children to get married. He stood near the entry way of the church, he could see the other girls had already walked down the isle and waited for the music to start, once it had he stepped slowly into the chapel. All eyes turned to see her, she wore a long white dress, her long red hair pulled up into an intricate design that on top sat a lovely headpiece, covering her face was the vale and her own blushing smile. She locked eyes with her one true love. Matthew stood waiting for her. Beside him stood his best friend and beside him a wheelchair just incase Matthew needed it. But it was as if wings held him and he could fly to her. Bridget held her large red rose bouquet tightly as not to look as if she was shaking. Bridget felt her father’s hand tighten to hers.
“ Who gives this woman to be married to this man.”
“ Her mother and I.” Her father said lifting the vale. He knew she wanted to look upon Matthew’s face without it in the way. Bridget leaned forward and kissed her father’s cheek.
“ I love you daddy.” She whispered in his ear.
“ I love you too.” He said as he placed her hand in Matthew’s. He sat down next to his wife and waited. Matthew and Bridget turned and faced Father O’Hare.
“ Dearly Beloved we are gathered here today to join these two young people in the binds of holy matrimony. If anyone here sees that for any reason these two should not be joined speak now or forever hold thy peace.” He looked around the room and saw no one ready to speak he began to ceremony.
“ Now the bonds of marriage isn’t something that should be entered into lightly. And as these two have come before friends family and god to join together in mind body and spirit.
Matthew MacLeud do you take Bridget O’Malley to be your wedded wife?”
“ I do.” Matthew answered.
“ Do You Bridget O’Malley take Matthew MacLeud to be your wedded husband?”
“ I do.”
“ The rings please.” Father O’Hare said. The best man placed both gold bands on the bible and stepped back into place.
“ The ring is a circle, a never ending bond that shows the bond of love. With the ring it shows that these two shall be that never ending circle of love and hope. Matthew take this ring and place it on Bridget’s finger.and repeat after me. “ He said. Matthew took the ring and placed it on her finger slowly.
“ I Matthew take thee Bridget to be my wedded wife.”
“ I Matthew take thee Bridget to be my wedded wife. “
“ To Love, Honor, Cherish , in sickness and in health, for better or for worse forsaking all others until death to us part.”
“ Ok now Bridget place the ring on Matthew’s finger and repeat after me.”
“ I Bridget take thee Matthew to be my wedded husband, To Love Honor and Cherish, in sickness and in health for better or for worse forsaking all others till death do us part.” She said.
“ And now by the power invested in me I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.” Father O’Hare said to Matthew. Matthew pulled Bridget close and kissed her deeply.
“ I now have the honor and pleasure of presenting Mr. And Mrs. Matthew MacLeud.”

The reception was in full swing by the time they had arrived. The carriage ride her father had set up seemed to last forever, but for them it wasn’t long enough. They knew that meant they had to show up and show others and share each other with the others there at the party.
“ I love you.” Matthew said as he helped Bridget from the carriage.
“ I love you too. Are you feeling ok?” She asked her voice laced with concern.
“ Yes my love.” Matthew said. He held her hand, he would lie to her just so she’d enjoy this day. He knew that his time with her was only short and knew that he’d leave her side soon, but he wanted her to remember that his love would remain with her forever.
“ Are you sure? Your limping.” She said concern now in her deep green eyes.
“ I am fine.” He said kissing her. He knew just holding her would make her fears disappear. She held tightly to him till she heard the door to the front of the house open. She looked to see her father standing there waiting for them.
“ Are you two coming inside?” He asked laughing.
“ Yes father.” She said as Matthew took her hand and led her towards the door. Matthew watched as they entered the large ballroom, people smiled and clapped as they entered the room. Bridget held tightly to Matthew as she looked around the room. She could see all of her friends family and friends of her father’s. They started with their dance, pulling Matthew close Bridget rested her head on his shoulder. She could feel the cameras flashing and taking pictures of what they thought to be the perfect couple. Matthew held her close, Bridget could feel that his legs were having trouble holding him up during the dance. Once the song ended she quickly led him to the waiting chair and had him sit down and rest. Her father pulled her back onto the floor and danced his dance with her. The music changed tempo as she walked back over and sat down next to him. She kissed his lips lightly and whispered in his ear.
“ We wont stay long.”
Matthew nodded and looked towards the party. He knew that they had appearances to do but he was feeling really tired suddenly.
“ Stay as long as you can my love. I won’t ruin this for you.” He whispered back.
“ This is our big day not just mine. We will leave if you are to tired.”
“ I know.” He said kissing her and watching as her friends pulled her towards the floor.

It had become later than she had thought when a friend suggested it was time to take Matthew home. He was falling asleep at one of the tables and even she felt she had neglected her new husband. Having one of his friends help her take him to the waiting carriage she had the driver hurry back to their large estate. Once inside the house she had Jennifer the nurse help her take Matthew upstairs.
“ Are you sure you’re going to be all right?” Jennifer asked.
“ Yeah Jen I’ll be fine with him. Thanks for the help. Get some sleep.”
“ I’ll be downstairs if you need me. I can always send George up if anything happens ok?”
“ Thanks.” She said closing the bedroom door. She looked towards the large king size bed and smiled. Matthew was sitting up with his arms open to her.
“ Come here Mrs. MacLeud.” He said waiting for her to come to him. Bridget moved into his arms and slid into his lap. Matthew held her close and kissed her neck. He could feel her moan against his throat as she kissed him. He slowly removed the dress she still wore and let it fall to the floor, he stood to face her his fingers slowly removing the remains of her clothing, as her own fingers moved to remove his. They now stood in the center of the room naked, he slowly slid her down to the floor laying her on the large bear rug and kissed his way down her body. He could feel her trembling but knew it wasn’t from fear. His eyes locked with hers as he slowly kissed his way back up her body.
“ I love you.” He said as he slowly trust into her. Her breath caught in her throat as she relaxed and waited a moment. He waited for her to adjust knowing that he was her first. Once he knew she was comfortable he began moving in and out of her at a quicker pace, listening to her breathing increasing with every thrust. Bridget dug her nails into his back.
“ Faster.” She spoke nearly breathless. Matthew was happy to fulfill that request. He thrust harder and faster into her till he felt her body tighten around his and her orgasm rush over her in waves. He held her close as he too cam. Once they were both down from their natural high he held her close and felt her drift off to sleep in his arms. Holding her close soon he too had drifted off to sleep.

Morning seemed to come to soon, Matthew rolled onto his back and remembered that they had slept on the floor that night, next to him was his new bride. Bridget looked so peaceful he decided to let her sleep. Sliding off from under her arm he walked into the bathroom and quickly showered, once he had finished he peeked back into the room and saw that Bridget was still sleeping, he thought it would be romantic to bring her breakfast in bed, even if at that moment breakfast in bed was on the floor.

“ Good Morning. Selma.”
“ Good Morning sir. I wasn’t expecting the two of you for another few hours. With the late hour you returned.”
“ We returned late?” Matthew said laughing.
“ Yes sir, it was well past three am when you arrived this morning.” She said looking strangely at him. Matthew shook his head and began getting things together for breakfast.
“ Let me make something special sir. Then you can take it up to miss Bridget.”
“ Thank you Selma.” Matthew said sitting down. He was suddenly not feeling well and wasn’t willing to argue with her about making his own meal. Once the meal had been prepared and set upon a rather nice tray he stood to take it upstairs. Matthew made it to the bottom of the stairs when he felt strangely. Selma heard a loud crash and came running from the kitchen to find Matthew laying motionless at bottom of the stairs, the food scattered.
“ George.” She screamed. George came running from outside to find out what was wrong. Jennifer close behind.
“ Oh my god.” Jennifer said kneeling down next to Matthew.
“ Is he all right?” Selma asked.
“ George get the doctor.” Jennifer said she looked up to see Bridget standing at the top of the stairs, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“ He’ll be all right Bridget.” Jennifer said trying to reassure the young woman. But even Jennifer wasn’t so sure. Matthew’s breathing was rather shallow and when she had arrived to find him on the floor his head was bleeding from hitting it on the hard marble floor.
“ Selma get Bridget some water and have her sit in the other room.”
“ Yes ma’am.” Selma said hurrying to get Bridget out of the room. Anyone could see that Bridget had just woke up at the sound of the crashing. Selma moved Bridget into the other room and handed her a glass of cold water. Bridget was sobbing, he couldn’t leave her not yet.
“ He’ll be ok.” Selma said trying to calm the younger woman.

She sat alone in the living room. The doctor had come and was upstairs with Matthew. He had yet to come down and she was frightened at what he was going to tell her. She waited a moment and then looked up to see the doctor entering the room.
“ How is he?” She asked as the doctor sat down next to her.
“ It seems Matthew stopped taking his medication.”
“ He told me he took it. Before we got married he promised he wouldn’t stop taking it.” She said as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
“ The medication he takes for his seizures seems to have run out, he had refilled it.”
“ How long?” Bridget asked.
“ About a week.” The doctor answered. Bridget gasped as she thought of the fact that he hadn’t taken the medication for his seizures she wondered if he had taken any of his medication.
“ His blood sugar levels are through the roof. And he hasn’t taken the medication for his cancer.”
“ He said that the chemo was done.”
“ The cancer hasn’t gone into remission. I need to take him to the hospital and have him checked. I can’t run the tests from here.” He said looking at her.
“ But if he starts the regiment again will he be ok?” She asked.
“ I’m not sure, I’ll run those tests and see if the cancer has spread.”
“ All right.” Bridget said trying to remain calm.
“ I want you to stay here until I call.”
“ I want to be with him.”
“ I’d rather you were here but if you want to come I wont tell you, you can’t.”
“ Thank you.”


Bridget sat in the hospital waiting to hear the results from the tests. They had taken Matthew to a private room and she was afraid to go into the room with him. She sat there and remembered when he first approached her about his illness.


“ Bridge.”
“ What?’ Bridget said looking towards him. She could see the tears in his eyes, he had just returned from the doctors.
“ I have something to tell you.” He said as calmly as he could. She wondered what could be so serious that he was nearly crying.
“ What’s wrong?” She asked concern lacing her soft voice.
“ The doctor says I have cancer.”
“ What?” She asked, seemingly surprised and not sure she heard it correctly.
“ I have cancer. It seems that it started in my throat and has spread.”
“ What are they going to do?”
“ The doc said he can’t operate on it but I have to start aggressive Chemo.”
“ When?” She asked.
“ Starting tomorrow. I will spend three days in the hospital during the treatment.”
“ I want to be with you.”
“ You don’t have to.”
“ Matthew I love you so much. I want to be by your side though this whole thing. I want to show the world how much I love you.”
“ I love you too, but with this we might have to put the wedding on hold.”
“ It can wait until your better. I want you to be able to walk down that isle and wait for me.” She said kissing his lips softly. Matthew smiled as he looked into her emerald eyes.
“ This is why I love you so much. I am so grateful and blessed to have someone like you in my life.”
“ We will get through this.” She said with a smile. And during the months of treatment Bridget was rarely seen without Matthew, she stood by his side even when all his hair fell out, and when he was to weak to feed himself. During the treatment Matthew was diagnosed with diabetes and was told that with proper diet and taking his medication he’d be fine. Bridget already knew about the seizures he’d been having. He’d had them since he was a child, and was always taken medication to control them. But it seemed combined everything was making him more and more tired. The doctor had already warned her that in his weakened state the common cold could kill him, and even with the treatment there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t still die from the cancer. Bridget had been prepared for months for something to happen but some how he seemed to get better and stronger every day. Even up to their wedding day he seemed to be full of life.


Bridget shook her head and let the memory fade into the past and looked up to see the doctor again walking towards her.
“ What’s the news?”
“ The cancer has spread at a rapid rate. Even if we get him started back on the Chemo there is no way to stop it. It’s spread to his lungs, heart and even his blood stream. He’s weak and getting weaker. Letting all of his medications go he he’s allowed his body to start shutting down.”
“ How long does he have left?”
“ A week or two at most. But I can’t promise anything. He’s asking for you.”
“ Thank you doctor.” Bridget said as she walked to the next door and walked into the dimly light room.

She hated seeing him like this, during the first round of treatment he rarely wanted to leave the hospital or their home. But she wondered this time would he even come home. She hadn’t noticed before but he looked so pale and small in the large bed.
“ Hi.” He whispered holding his hand out to her.
“ Hi.” She said taking his hand and sitting on the edge of the bed.
“ Doc says I only have a short time. I am so sorry.” He said, she could see the tears rolling down his cheeks. Whipping them away she kissed his cheek.
“ I knew this time would come. But why did you stop taking all of your medications?” She asked.
“ I wanted to be able to feel everything. I wanted to experience life without my medication. I guess I really screwed up didn’t I?”
“ No, you wanted to feel again. I just wish you would have told me.”
“ But now I wont be around.” Matthew said touching her cheek.
“ I know. But there is still time. We have all the time in the world.” Bridget said touching his cheek. She knew that they didn’t but she wanted him to believe that she felt that they’d always be together.
“ Yes we do.” He said letting his hand fall down at his side. Bridget looked at him and sighed.

It had been several hours and she was watching him sleeping, his breathing was steady and strong. Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she watched him sleep. She heard the door slowly open and a petite nurse entered the room.
“ Hello.” She said politely as she checked Matthew’s vitals.
“ How’s he doing?” Bridget asked.
“ No change.” She said sadly.
“ Do you know how much longer he’s got?”
“ Not sure. His vitals are strong and steady but he could take a turn at any time. He wont be leaving the hospital anytime soon.” The nurse said. She checked a few more things and then started to leave the room.
“ Can you get me the doctor?” Bridget asked.
“ Sure.” She said nicely before exiting the room. Several minuets later the doctor peeked into the room.
“ You wanted to speak to me?”
“ Yes, please outside.” Bridget said as she walked from the room. The doctor waited for her to close the door and then looked towards her worried eyes.
“ I want to take him home.”
“ There’s no possible way that could happen.”
“ Make it happen. I wont let him die here.” She said, tears now rolling down her cheeks.
“ Was this expressed by him?”
“ No, but I know he wants to be home. And as his wife it’s my right.” She almost shouted.
“ I’ll see what I can do.” The doctor said walking down the hall. She watched him disappear around a corner before she reentered the room. She walked in and looked at Matthew, he looked like he was resting comfortably until a shrill sound filled the room and she was pushed aside by several nurses and the doctor. Fear filled her entire being as they began working on him. She could hardly breath as she heard the doctor tell the nurses they were losing him.

Bridget felt as if time had stopped as she watched what seemed like the doctor and nurses working in slow motion working on saving her husband. It was as if she was watching a horror movie and couldn’t turn it off. She felt arms wrap around her shoulders. She looked up and saw her father standing there. She turned and buried her face in his chest.
“ Shush now.” He said trying to sooth his daughter. He could see that the doctors were fighting a losing battle.
“ Let him go.” Her father whispered. Bridget sniffled but turned to the doctor.
“ Stop.” She whispered. The doctor barely heard her as he looked at her.
“ What?”
“ Stop, just let him go. This is what he’d want.” She said. Bridget chocked back a sob as she looked at the people in the room. The nurses stopped what they were doing as the doctor nodded. Bridget listened to the machine beep loudly telling her that her husband was gone. Walking over to the bed she could hear the faint sound of a radio, the song What’s Forever For was playing in the background. Something ironic about that song seemed to put itself right into the moment. Leaning down she kissed Matthew’s cheek.
“ I love you. And will love you forever.” She said holding his hand. “ Until we are again my love, safe journey.” With that she let his hand rest across his chest and left the room. Her sobs could be heard by the nurses down the hall. Bridget had lost her lover, friend and companion everything that was her was in that room. She wasn’t sure how she was going to go on.


It seemed that the rain was relentless as they all stood there in the cemetery. Her black cloths and tear stained face told everyone she was heart broken over the loss of her husband. The priest stood there near the front, right in front of the casket. The very same priest that had married her and Matthew. She had barely heard the service as one by one loved ones spoke of Matthew’s kindness and lust for life. That even after his diagnosis he still wanted to live life to it’s fullest right up to the day he had died. That he’d be sorely missed. Bridget turned her eyes towards Matthew’s mother and saw her sobbing about the loss of her youngest son. Bridget’s eyes drifted back to the dark cherry casket that was in front of her. AS the thunder crashed over head she heard the priest say.
“ We now lay Matthew MacLeud to rest to be at your side in heaven for always lord. Ashes to Ashes Dust to Dust.” And the priest threw some dirt on the casket. As people filed passed her telling her how sorry they were at her loss Bridget kept her eyes on the casket. She stood up on shaky legs and placed her hand on the casket. The tears flowed freely now as she ran her hand over the casket. The thunder rolled above her, her long hair now wet and stuck to the black dress she wore.
“ I will always love you.” She said, trying to hold her tears. She made a vow right there and then she’d never marry another. She’d never love another. Her heart belonged to him and would always belong to him. Her father returned and finally made her come with him out of the rain. One more look back and she let her father lead her into the large house.

Bridget’s father stood watching his daughter. It

had been nearly a month since Matthew’s death

and he’d seen a steady decline in his daughter’s

wish to be happy.

“ Bridget.”

“ Yes?” She asked, her voice void of any feeling.

“ You have to do more than just hide in your

garden.”

“ No I don’t.” Bridget said grabbing the tools and

heading back inside.

“ The garden isn’t the only thing that is living.”

“ Yes, yes it is.”

“ Bridget, Matthew is always going to be with you.”

“ Matthew is gone, he left me to be alone.” Bridget

said looking at her father. New tears filled her

eyes.

“ No Bridget he didn’t. He didn’t leave you to be

alone.”

“ I am alone daddy. He’s gone, he promised to

grow old with me.” She sobbed. Her father pulled

her into his arms and held her close, it had been

the first time she’d cried since the funeral.

“ I don’t want to be alone.”

“ You’re never alone Bridget. Remember that

Matthew is always with you.” He said looking into

her eyes. Bridget wasn’t sure if he was being

truthful or not but shook her head none the less.

She knew that she couldn’t stop living just

because Matthew wouldn’t want her to.

“ I’ll be fine daddy.” Bridget said.

“ I’ll be around tomorrow ok?”

“ Yes.” Bridget said heading back out into her

garden. She wasn’t sure why but something was

feeling different about her lately. It had been a

month since Matthew had died and she had been

feeling oddly, she thought it was depression that

had set in but now she wasn’t so sure.


Over the next few days she finally made her way

to the local doctor and found out a surprise that

even she hadn’t been expecting. She looked at

the doctor as if he’d said something stupid as he

reread her the test results.

“ Are you sure?’ She asked again.

“ Yes Bridget I am very sure.” He said looking at

her.

“ But it isn’t possible.”

“ Bridget it is possible. The two of you made love

the night before he went into the hospital. Maybe

this was the one thing he wanted you to have

once he was gone.” The doctor said as reason for

her current condition.

“ I don’t know but what am I going to do? I can’t

raise a child alone.”

“ You’ve got a family that will be more than

willing to help you with your child. But remember

this child is the one thing that you’ve got to

remember Matthew by. The one thing that will

bring joy to your broken heart.” He said. Bridget

had to admit that Matthew and her had talked

about children years before he’d gotten to sick to

think of children but she never expected that the

very first night they were together that they’d make

a child. Maybe this was his way of telling her how

much he truly loved her.

“ Yeah. Thank you.” She said shaking the doctors

hand. She waited and changed her cloths and

then headed towards her parents home. On the

car radio was playing Angels Among us. A smile

slowly spread across her face, she guess that was

so true these days. Maybe Matthew was still with

her in some ways. She touched her stomach and

pulled into her parent’s driveway. Her father sat on

the front steps speaking to one of the neighbors.

“ Hello Bridget.”

“ Hello Mr. McDowell.” Bridget said giving the

older man a hug. Bridget’s father noticed the

change in his daughters appearance and her

whole attitude.

“ What’s up?” He asked suspicious of her being

there.

“ I have news, I just came from the doctor.” She

said with a smile.

“ Come inside we have to tell your mother. She’ll

want to hear this.” He said taking her hand. “ I’ll

come over later Randy.”

“ All right. Good Luck Bridget.” He said leaving

them as they entered the house. Bridget smiled as

her mother rounded the corner. It was as if her

mother already knew as she hugged her child

close.

“ Is there something the two of you want to tell

me?” Her father asked.

“ I guess Matthew didn’t want me to be alone after

all.”

“ How so?”

“ I’m pregnant.” Bridget said with a smile. Her

mother hugged her again and looked towards her

husband.

“ A child?”

“ Yes father a child. I am going to be having

Matthew’s baby.” She said again, her father

hugged her, he knew that this meant that she’d

have someone around to love.

“ Then we will send Melissa to stay with you.”

“ Father I can handle things alone for now.”

“ I’d rather you did this for me.”
“
All right but just for a while.” Bridget said. It was

as if the gray clouds had cleared and her world

was looking up. Maybe she could move on, but

even with a baby on the way she wasn’t sure if she

was fully over Matthew’s death.

Bridget seemed to keep herself busy with plants and her growing stomach. Everyday it seemed that her weight and her stomach was getting larger. Her father was there everyday to check on her. But this night he hadn’t arrived, she called several times to his home and wondered why he had not returned her calls. A late summer storm raged outside as she decided to take the long drive to her father’s home. The storm seemed to be worse than any other she’d seen in the Irish highlands in many years, the trees bent with the unrelenting winds. But yet she was determined to make it to her parents home to make sure her father was all right. Her father was well over seventy and she knew that it was time for him to retire but telling the old mill worker that it was time to let the younger generation do the work was like arguing with a bull, it wasn’t going to happen. As of late her father had become increasingly ill, had already been rushed to the hospital for a high fever once during early spring. Bridget knew that her father’s health was failing and knew that it was only a matter of time before she lost him too. She had already prepared herself for this but she’d hope he’d be around for the coming of his grandchild. The wind blew harder as she tried to make her way to her parents large estate. Finally pulling off the road she waited, hearing the loud thunder and the wailing of the wind she waited hoping it would let up enough for her to continue. She nearly leaped from her skin as someone tapped on the window of her car, rolling down the window she looked at the man that now stood shinning his flashlight into her face.
“ Bridget MacLeud what are you doing out in such weather?” He asked
“ Mr. O’Grady you about gave me a heart attack. I was headed to my parents home.”
“ I just came from there.” He said looking at her with new concern in his eyes.
“ What’s wrong?”
“ Your father has been rushed to the hospital again.”
“ Dear lord not again. Thank you Mr. O’Grady I will go there instead.”
“ You can’t child, the roads are flooded, I was sent to send people back to their homes.”
“ I need to get to my father.”
“ Unless this car can float I’d advise you to head back home. Your mother said she’d call you when she arrived at the hospital.”
“ I don’t want to wait that long.”
“ You’re going to have to. Do I have to drive you home myself?”
“ No, I’ll go.” Bridget said waiting for him to move away from the car. Mr. Hank O’Grady was a local officer with the police department and usually kept an eye on things in the little village. But tonight the older man was being a royal pain, but feeling that it was best not to argue Bridget drove home. Once she was safely in her driveway she waited for the rain to let up a little and hurried into the house. Once inside it was as if on cue the phone rang.
“ Hello?”
“ Bridget.”
“ Mother?”
“ I am at the hospital.”
“ Is daddy ok?”
“ He’s stable.”
“ What happened?”
“ Your father was coming home from the mill when it started raining and instead of stopping he tried to drive home and drove right into a downed tree.”
“ How bad is he?”
“ Pretty bad, but he’s stable. I know that you can’t get here because of the storm.”
“ I know and that scares me.”
“ Please just pray for your father he’d want that. He wouldn’t want you rushing out in this weather on account of him. Especially if you and the baby could be hurt.”
“ I know mother. Call me if anything changes.”
“ I will I love you.”
“ I love you too.” She said hanging up the phone. She looked towards the large glass window and let tears roll down her cheeks. She could not stand to lose anymore people in her life, her father was her world. Matthew had been the man that filled the emptiness in her heart but her father was the rock she held on to. Now that Matthew was gone and the fear of losing her father near it seemed all hope was lost. Bridget fell to her knees and sobbed

The phone ran for what seemed like forever before Bridget raised up from the floor to answer it. She saw that it was still rather dark and the storm seemed to still be hiding over head.
“ Hello?”
“ Bridget thank god.” She heard her mothers voice say.
“ What’s the matter? Is it daddy?”
“ Your father is fine. The doctor woke me to tell me he’s stable and will be released in a few days. He’s been over doing things again.”
“ I know, father is always doing that.” She said with a small laugh. She was grateful to know that her father was doing well and would be returning home soon.
“ But, now that he’s had this heart attack he must calm down and not do as much. That means no more working at the mill.”
“ Father will not like that idea, he wants to provide for you and him. For the two of you retiring.”
“ Well it’s time he retires earlier than he had assumed and if he doesn’t he will be sleeping alone.”
“ Yes I know mother. Tell daddy I love him and I will come see him as soon as the weather changes.”
“ Just stay home he said he’d visit after he gets out. Doesn’t want you and his grandchild to get hurt.”
“ All right.” She said reluctantly. She knew better than to argue. She was due any day and knew that the stress could cause her to go into labor.
“ Love you sweetie.”
“ Love you too momma.” She said hanging up the phone. The relief of knowing her father was fine was enough to let her actually go to bed. She could still hear the thunder and the down pouring of the rain but knew that she needed the rest. Climbing into the large bed she let the evenings events finally allow her to sleep.

A sudden pain awoke Bridget several hours later. Bridget grabbed her stomach as she attempted to stand. She looked down and noticed water and what looked like blood.
“ Oh god.” She whispered. She looked outside and saw that a storm still raged outside as she tried to get herself steady enough to walk to the phone. The pain was so unbearable she could barely make her way to the phone before she dropped to the floor unconscious.


Thomas Murray walked passed the MacLeud home when he noticed something strange. There was a light on in the living room but it wasn’t a normal light, wondering if Bridget was all right he walked towards the door. Thomas and Bridget had been friends since grade school even when Bridget had moved away for college they remained friends. So his visits after Matthew had died where less often than he’d liked. He looked through the window and saw Bridget laying on her side on the hallway floor. Touching the doorknob he realized that the door was locked, but something had to be wrong if Bridget was laying on the floor. Taking the choice to replace the glass in her door he wrapped his hand in his jacket and put his fist through the window. Opening the door he hurried to his friends side. Touching her he felt for a strong pulse but noticed that she was bleeding.
“ Dear lord.” He said reaching for the phone that lay next to Bridget. He dialed the local paramedics and told them where he was and waited. He wondered why Bridget hadn’t noticed this before it had gotten this bad. Touching her forehead he could feel that she had a fever. He wondered if she’d gotten caught in the previous nights storm.
“ Thomas?”
“ Yes, don’t worry Bridget we’ve got an ambulance coming.”
“ The baby.” Bridget said touching her stomach. Thomas didn’t even want to know if the baby was coming. He knew nothing of birthing and wasn’t really ready to learn.

Thomas seemed almost frightened that the paramedics wouldn’t make it there in time. Bridget was in and out of consciousness so much he wasn’t entirely sure of what was going on. He didn’t know if there was something worse or that the stress of the accident her father had had was what caused the labor.
“ Bridge you need to stay with me.” Thomas said. He had always called her that and normally resulted in him getting hit. This time he barely got her to open her eyes enough to notice he was even there.
“ It hurts.” Bridget whispered.
“ I know. Just breath your going to be just fine.” Thomas said touching her face. He could feel the sweat that ran down her face, he looked around and decided he needed to get a towel to bring her temperature down.
“ I’ll be right back.” Thomas said standing and heading into the kitchen. He quickly wet a towel as he heard Bridget’s painful scream fill the room. Hurrying back into the room where he’d left his friend he tried to calm her.
“ It’s ok Bridget.” He said whipping her forehead with the wet towel. He noticed that it was cooling her and she was leaning against him trying to slow her breathing. He placed his hand on her stomach, he really hadn’t wanted to check but he wanted to know why his friend was in such pain.
“ Raise your legs.”
“ What?” Bridget said, her eyes wide wondering what her friend was thinking.
“ They might not make it in time. I need to see what is going on.”
“ You don’t know what your doing.” Bridget said her voice laced with panic.
“ Well thank you for noticing.” Thomas said looking at her. “ Just do this for me.”
“ Ok.” Bridget said raising her legs. Thomas slid her dress to her knees and looked.
“ Oh god.”
“ What?”
“ I don’t think the baby is supposed to come out that way.” He said reaching under her dress. As he placed his hands on what he hoped was the baby Bridget screamed in pain. Looking up to his relief the paramedics arrived. One had him move as he looked to see what was going on.
“ We’ve got a breech birth.”
“ What?” The other said moving towards his partner.
“ Damn it. If we don’t get her to the hospital we can lose them both.”
“ What?” Thomas said looking at them.
“ Thomas this is no place for you.”
“ Kiss off Bradley, this is as much my place as it was Matthew’s. I promised I’d take care of Bridget. I’ll ride along.” Thomas said as they loaded Bridget into the ambulance. He knew that her father was already at the hospital and knew that he’d be able to find her mother quickly. He just hoped that they’d be able to help save her and the baby. He knew that the baby was the last tie to Matthew and if she lost that she’d lose everything.

Thomas held Bridget’s hand as the doctor checked her over. Her screams filled the emergency room as the doctor tried to slow the labor.
“ It’s ok Bridget.” The doctor said looking up at the sweat drenched woman. He could see that this delivery was taking a lot out of her. Her heart rate was erratic and she was breathing heavily.
“ Slow even breaths Bridge.” Thomas said trying to rub Bridget’s shoulders. Bridget looked up at him, she wanted to say something but another wave of pain shot through her body and she screamed.
“ We are going to have to take the baby C-section.” The doctor said. He could see the panic on Bridget’s face.
“ It’ll be ok.” He said in a soothing voice. He wasn’t sure but he felt that if he kept her calm maybe the labor would slow. Bridget tried to calm her breathing but the pain was nearly unbearable.
“ We are taking you to the OR ok?” The doctor said.
“ What about the baby?” Bridget asked between pains.
“ The baby is going to be fine.” The doctor said as they wheeled her from the room. Thomas held Bridget’s hand as they walked down the hallway until the nurse stopped him just outside a secure area.
“ You’re going to have to wait here.” The nurse said.
“ What?”
“ Please understand, she’ll be fine.” The nurse said shutting the door in Thomas’ face. He looked through the small window and could just barely see them preparing her for the surgery. He hoped that they’d be able to save both of them. He wasn’t sure what they’d do if both were lost. He finally moved away from the window knowing the doctor would finally come find him when the procedure was done. He decided he better find Bridget’s parents.

Walking down the lonely hallways he had to remember where he’d been told Bridget’s father was being roomed. Finally finding the wing he needed he slowly made his way to the room. He looked inside to see Bridget’s father sleeping and her mother holding his hand.
“ Mrs. O’Malley.”
“ Thomas. What brings you here.”
“ I came with Bridget.” He said, he could not bring himself to look at the older woman.
“ Where is she?” She asked looking past him.
“ That’s the reason I am here. It seems that Bridget went into labor earlier this morning, She was bleeding and unconscious when I found her.”
“ How is she now?”
“ They have taken her into surgery.”
“ What?”
“ The baby is positioned wrong and they need to help her with delivery.”
“ How bad is she?”
“ Having a hard time. She barely wanted to let me leave her but the nurse refused to allow me to stay with her.” Thomas said, he tried hard to keep the fear and tears from his voice.
“ Are they going to come get you?”
“ Yes, but I felt that you should know what’s going on.” Thomas said, he looked towards the bed and saw that Bridget’s father was now awake and watching him.
“ Thank you Thomas, when she’s out of surgery come get us.”
“ Yes ma’am.” He said. Thomas waited a moment and then left the room. He could hear her crying as he heard Bridget’s father tell her it would be all right. She was torn between being with her husband and her only child.


Thomas walked down the long hallway once again and went and sat down in the waiting room on the OB floor. He was scared that they’d come tell him that the baby was fine and they’d lost Bridget or the other way around, Bridget was fine but they’d lost the baby. He was so scared that things could go so bad.


The doctor worked feverishly on Bridget as they tried to help her give birth to her baby. He finally looked at the nurse.
“ This is going to be harder than I thought.” He said as they prepped Bridget for the procedure. It was a normal procedure that was used when women couldn’t have babies naturally but when a baby was coming out wrong this procedure was a last resort. But with as bad as Bridget had been when she arrived, the doctor was worried that they’d lose them both during the procedure.
“ Have NICU ready. We may be needing them.”
“ Yes doctor.” The nurse said. The doctor slowly moved closer to Bridget, he made his cut in her stomach and slowly made his way to the child that was caught inside. He finally was able to put his hands on the child and gentially pull the child free.
“ It’s a girl.” He said handing the baby to the nurse. The nurse quickly took the quiet infant and began cleaning out the nose and mouth to start the child’s breathing. Once the baby was crying she turned her attention back to the doctor.
“ Damn it.” He hissed trying to control the bleeding.
“ Here doctor.” The nurse said handing him some sponges and grabbed the suction so she could help clean the area.
“ There is another one.” He said pulling a second child out. He was surprised but this child was smaller, the baby had a slight blue tint to his skin.
“ Get NICU in here, we have a baby that’s not breathing.” He said handing the baby off to the nurse again. The nurse tried to do all she could for the smaller child. The NICU nurse entered the room with an incubator and took over helping the baby boy breath. Once the little baby was breathing she hurried to wheel him to the NICU unit. The doctor turned his attention again to Bridget, her breathing had calmed and he had stopped the bleeding. He closed up the opening and looked at the nurse.
“ Find Thomas and let him know that Bridget had two babies. One is in the NICU unit and the other will be roomed with Bridget once she wakes.”
“ Yes doctor.” The nurse said as the doctor finished up with Bridget knowing that another nurse would be moving Bridget to a private room. She wheeled the crying baby from the room to get a proper weight and clean the baby.

Thomas looked up as the doctor entered the small waiting room.
“ How is she?”
“ She’s been taken to her own room, the baby girl has been taken to be weighed and cleaned. Once Bridget is awake we will have her moved into the room with her. The baby boy has been moved into the Neonatal ICU unit.”
“ Did you say boy?”
“ Yes it seems that I must have during several exams missed that Bridget was pregnant for twins.”
“ How did you miss that?” Thomas asked, his voice full of both surprise and anger.
“ The baby boy is very small so during her ultrasounds the baby could have been hidden beneath the girl. Its an honest mistake.”
“ Does Bridget know?”
“ Not yet, we are going to tell her as soon as she wakes. With her blood pressure and heart rate dropping like it did we were afraid of losing her and the baby, much less thinking we were losing two.” The doctor said, Thomas could hear the hurt in the man’s voice and knew that it wasn’t his intention to keep something like this from Bridget.
“ What room is she in?”
“ Room 345 she will be in there shortly. You may wait for her if you would like.”
“ Yeah I’d like, but I want to see the babies first.” Thomas said looking at the doctor. He nodded and lead him down the long hallway stopping first at the normal nursery. Thomas looked into the room and saw a new born baby being set into a small plastic crib.
“ She looks so tiny.”
“ She’s much larger than her brother is.” The doctor said as he led Thomas down into the more critical care part of the nursery. He could see the tiny baby boy that lay in the large incubator.
“ He is almost too small.”
“ I know. He’s going to be here for a long time. We are hoping that he makes it through the night.”
“ I will pray he does. If he’s anything like his mother he will.” Thomas said looking at the small baby once more before looking at the doctor again. “ I want to see Bridget.”
“ This way.” The doctor said, he led Thomas down the long hallway to Bridget’s room. He stopped in the doorway and turned towards Thomas.
“ Try not to tire her out.”
“ Sure no problem.” Thomas said as he slowly walked into the room. He could hear the soft whimpers of his friend. As he entered the dimly light room he could see her curled up on the bed.
“Hey.” He said, startling her. Bridget opened her eyes and looked towards him.
“ The baby?”
“ Babies are fine.”
“ Babies?” She asked a look of confusion on her face.
“ Yeah twins. One beautiful baby girl and a tiny baby boy.” Thomas said. “ And they both need names.”
“ Angela for the girl, and Matthew for the boy.” Bridget said.
“ Beautiful names. They are going to bring in Angela first. Matthew is sick.”
“ Just like his father.” She said tears rolling down her cheeks.
“ Hey, don’t cry they are both beautiful and will both be fine.” Thomas said whipping the tears away.
“ I know. But I was planning on one, how can I raise two babies alone?”
“ Lets not dwell on that right now. Here comes your daughter.” Thomas said stepping aside. He would and swore at that moment to stay at his friends side for all time to help her with the babies.

Bridget looked up as the nurse entered the room.
“ Well good morning Bridget how are you feeling today?” She asked politely.
“ Tired but better. Where is my Angel?”
“ She’s been bathed and is being brought in.”
“ And my son?”
“ Matthew is holding his own. We thought we were going to lose him for a while there but he’s doing so much better. He should be able to be brought in here with you today.”
“ Thank you.” Bridget said as the nurse moved aside as another nurse entered the room with the baby. Angela was placed in her arms and Bridget looked at the sleeping baby’s face.
“ She’s so beautiful.” Bridget said kissing her daughter’s forehead. The nurse decided to let Bridget bond with her daughter while they checked on her tiny son. Bridget held Angela close as she watched the small baby sleep.
“ Just so much you’re going to miss not having your daddy around.” She whispered.
“ But I will be around.” Thomas said entering the dimly light room.
“ I know, but it wont be the same, Matthew wanted children.”
“ I know that Bridge but what can you do, fate dealt you a hand and now I am here to help you with it.”
“ Have you seen my Matthew?”
“ Yes and just like his mother he’s a fighter, I spoke to the doctor a moment ago and she said that the baby will be brought in in a few hours. He was taken off the respirator earlier this morning. And has been breathing on his own. They said that was a good sign.”
“ It is, in some ways Matthew is helping his name sake live. Helping me live.”
“ These babies need their mother as much as they need more family. I am glad that they have brought the smile back to your face.”
“ With a little help from an old friend.” She said with a smile.
“ I made a promise to you and to Matthew that I would help if anything would happen. And it’s a promise I intend on keeping.”
“ Thank you Tom, I am grateful to have a friend like you.” Bridget said. Thomas smile, he knew that somewhere over time maybe he and Bridget would be more than just friends. His love for her hadn’t changed over the years and during the time he had seen her fall in love with Matthew he wondered what would have happened if it had been them. He would always remain her friend and he made a promise to Matthew that he’d always take care of Bridget even after he was gone. Thomas wasn’t expecting it to be so soon.


Thomas watched as his friend drifted off to sleep, Angela in her arms. Thomas moved closer and removed the small baby from the sleeping woman’s arms, as not to have Bridget unintentionally drop the small child. He looked up as the nurse entered with another crib, inside was the smallest of the twins, Matthew.
“ Welcome to the world Matthew Alexander MacLeud JR.” Thomas said touching the small child’s fingers. The soft cooing told him that the small baby was content. Wondering if he should wake Bridget as if on cue, Angela started crying, waking Bridget from the sound sleep.
“ Its ok.” Bridget said lifting the infant from the small bed. She kissed her forehead and looked up at Thomas.
“ Been here all night?”
“ Yes I have. And you have another guest.” He said moving the second crib closer to the bed.
“ He’s so tiny.’ Bridget said looking into the crib. She smiled as she saw the dark eyes that had belonged to her beloved.
“ And he wants his momma, let me take Angel and you can hold little Matthew.”
“ That would be nice thank you,” Bridget said handing off the little baby girl as she reached into the other crib and lifted her tiny son into her arms.