Lilo laid on the bed with her eyes closed when Elizabeth and Michelle entered the hospital room. “Lilo,” Michelle called out softly as she made her way to her grandmother’s bedside. Lilo opened her eyes slowly, and it was clear she wasn’t sure where she was or who was with her. But a moment later, clarity returned and Lilo’s kind, weathered face lit up.
“How are you my little anela?” asked Lilo in barely a whisper. Michelle fought to keep her tears back, not wanting Lilo to see how upset she was at her declining health. Watching the once strong, healthy and vivacious woman wither away into what was in front of Michelle was almost too much for her to bear.
“I’m fine Grandma. I’m fine,” Michelle squeezed her hand gently. “How are you?”
Lilo turned and looked up past Michelle to Elizabeth and smiled again. The love for both of these women was full in Lilo’s kind eyes. “A little tired dear, and not too hungry.”
Elizabeth walked around to the other side of the bed and took Lilo’s other hand. She didn’t speak, but instead held it up against her cheek as her tears fell over Lilo’s dark skin.
“What can we do for you Grandma? Anything, you name it. What can we do to make you more comfortable?” Michelle asked, willing herself not to cry.
Lilo closed her eyes and took a ragged breath. “You’re already doing it.” All three were silent for a moment. Then Lilo opened her eyes again. “I just want to go home to be with Jesus. Pray with me dears.”
The tears came quickly and softly. There wasn’t a dry eye in that room as three generations of women held each other’s hands and prayed. Michelle and Elizabeth uttered silent prayers as Lilo spoke.
“Oh my heavenly King, I love you. I love all you have done for me and for the time you’ve given me here on earth. I know the time is coming soon when I will see you face to face, and I am ready God. But there are people here who are not. My prayer is that you will comfort them, wrap your loving arms around them and hold them up when they are weak with grief. I pray that you will keep my memory alive in their hearts so that they will never be without me and that you will continue to let them feel my love from your side.” Lilo brought both their hands to her mouth, and kissed one after the other. “Watch over these lovely, Godly women, my little anelas, and keep them safe and strong as they continue to walk their journey of faith. For all you’ve done and all you do, I give you all the thanks, honor and glory. Amen.”
After several hugs and kisses, the women settled back down. Michelle and Elizabeth looked across Lilo’s lap to one another, silently asking if they should tell Lilo about the baby. Without a word, Elizabeth nodded and Michelle knew. She took a deep breath and spoke. “Grandma, I was dating a man in California, his name was Luke.”
Lilo smiled. “I remember, you told me you had broken up with him, right?”
Again, Michelle was amazed at the clarity her grandmother had at her advanced age. She smiled and continued. “Yes, yes, we broke up Grandma. But before we did, I found out that ...” She was so nervous. Elizabeth reached over and grabbed her other hand for support.
After another long breath, Michelle finished. “Grandma, I’m pregnant.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Lilo lifted Michelle’s hand to hers and covered it in kisses, bringing another round of tears to all three women. “Ahh, my Michelle,” she said, closing her eyes and holding Michelle’s hand close to her heart.
“Do you remember when you were nine and you got caught in the riptide?” Michelle looked up, wondering what that had to do with her pregnancy. For a moment, she wasn’t sure if Lilo had heard her correctly at all. But she knew better than to doubt Lilo. She nodded slowly, remembering the dangerous pull of the ocean current as if it were yesterday.
Lilo continued, “You were caught in that strong rip tide and were out there all by yourself. I remember your grandfather and I swimming out to get you and pull you in. But you had been out there for several minutes, swimming your little heart out.” Lilo stopped and took a moment to catch her breath before going on. She turned and looked at Michelle. “You were brave, very brave that day. You kept your calm, and you kept swimming until we got there.”
Michelle remembered the fear that she had felt that day. And she remembered the calm that came over her right after. Lilo was right. She had been calm and brave. She had unconsciously chosen to swim steadily until help arrived.
“You see dear,” Lilo said. “You were strong then and you are strong now. No matter what happens, God will be by your side, and you will be okay.”
Lilo always knew what to say to make Michelle feel better. “And,” Lilo continued, “it is the circle of life. As one soul departs, another one enters.” They all knew Lilo was referring to her departure, but no one said it out loud.
“So, what’s going on with this Daniel fellow?” Lilo broke the awkward moment with a bang. Michelle looked at Elizabeth, who just shrugged her shoulders. Obviously Elizabeth had filled Lilo in on the stranger when she last visited.
“Come on now, don’t hold back, I want to hear all the details,” Lilo said with a devilish grin.
“Well,” Michelle began, “there’s not really much to tell. He is nice enough and ...” Michelle let her voice trail off.
“Oh Michelle,” Lilo said with a light tone. “You know I know you better than that. You have feelings for this man, don’t you?”
Lilo had a way of reaching straight out and into your heart. “Oh, Grandma,” Michelle said in exasperation. “He seems like such a special person. But it could never work. I know it’s not blessed by God because he’s already engaged to be married.”
“Anela, no one can know God’s timing. Just trust in God, and if Daniel isn’t the right one, the right one will come along as part of God’s plan. And if something is meant to happen with Daniel, then God will make that happen.” Lilo closed her eyes and lifted her palms up to heaven. “Just trust Him, my dear, just trust Him.”
Michelle and Elizabeth watched as Lilo began to drift in and out of sleep. Lilo awoke as the two women slipped their hands out of hers. “Oh, sorry honeys,” Lilo said as her eyes fluttered. “I’m getting tired and think I need to rest for a while.” She drifted off to sleep again in front of them, and then Michelle and Elizabeth got up and walked quietly out of the room. When they closed the door behind them, they asked a nurse to locate Lilo’s doctor so they could speak with him before they left.
Dr. Māhoe arrived at Lilo’s door a few moments later and began speaking with Michelle and Elizabeth. “I’m sorry to say that she’s not doing well,” he said. “She has been getting more lethargic and is showing signs of being delirious.” Michelle and Elizabeth stood silently as the doctor flipped through the chart in his hands. “And it looks like the latest lab results showed that the toxin level in her blood is elevated.”
He looked up from his chart and saw the fear in the women’s eyes. Dr. Māhoe paused and closed his chart. This was the least favorite part of his job. He took a deep breath and looked at Elizabeth. “I’m sorry, but it looks like she only has a few weeks left to live. I’m very sorry.” He made a quick exit leaving Michelle and Elizabeth in a tearful embrace outside Lilo’s door.