As the weeks progressed, so did Eddie’s health regress. A month after Edward’s Baptism Eddie became bedridden. With the help of palliative care, Margie and Tony were able to nurse him at home.
Julian and Sinead returned from their overseas honeymoon. Joe came down whenever he could take time off. Eddie took comfort and pleasure in the times the three friends spent together. Eddie knew that, in some way, they gave him strength. They seemed to understand, to say the right things at the pertinent times, to sit in silence with him at times, to share memories, to pray with and for each other, and always to part with their typical ‘scrum farewell.’
Tony worried that his wife would become physically and emotionally drained.
“A lot of nonsense,” she declared. “It is my privilege to be with Eddie.” He had to admit the truth of the statement. He also had to admit to himself that his wife showed no signs of physical draining – emotional, perhaps – but not physical.