Walter Hamilton: A Narrative Fiction

Walter Hamilton’s wrinkled fingers pushed the buttons on his landline, frantically calling 911. His beloved wife, Susan, was upstairs in their bed. Minutes earlier, he had found her there unconscious. Walter breathed deeply, heavily, unsure of her condition. The 911 operator could barely comprehend what Walter was saying, but she managed to make it to their small condominium in Hayward, California. The sirens of ambulances and police cars roared as they arrived at the door. EMTs and cops came barreling in, Walter directing them into the upstairs. Within the blink of an eye, Susan was in a stretcher on her way to St. Rose Hospital. Walter kept his foot pressed firmly on the pedal of his Cadillac, on his way to the hospital. Out of

He yelled again, this time louder. As he approached his wife, two doctors grabbed his arm and pulled him back. He pushed back, with all his force, to try to see his wife. For a split second, Walter and Susan made eye contact. His face lit up and his aged teeth spread in a large smile. Before he got the chance to say anything to the love of his life, the doctors pulled him away for the second time. He shivered, for simply the presence of his wife made him feel like they were twenty-five again. The memory was still clear as day. He remembers holding the clear glass door open for her as she entered a restaurant. From that moment on, Walter believed that love at first sight was real. A tear rolled down his face as his wife was pushed into the swinging doors of the operating room. Knowing that the previous moment could have been the last time Walter ever saw his wife was heartbreaking. He waited, and waited, and waited, until there was finally an

He touched her shoulder and shivered. He kissed her old wrinkled cheek, and thought about how he would do anything to see her thin eyelashes flutter open again. He loved her, and would never stop loving her. He had spent more than half of his life by her side supporting her, and that would never change. Susan Hamilton would always be the love of his life. Walter laid the twelve roses he had bought earlier at the foot of her bed. The bundle contained eleven real and one plastic rose. Attached was a card, decorated with hand drawn hearts. Walter opened the card and looked at the message he had written his wife a mere hour