For Now

Two girls sitting in a candle-lit room laugh as the candle light throws their shadows against the walls while they reminisce of good times. Down the hall, in the living room sits a man-a father. He's laying in his favorite recliner with his feet propped up. The look of exhaustion; color is completely gone from his face. This man is slowly dying. Even in these hours while he sleeps in front of his TV here, he's slowly slipping away. The doctors already gave their estimate. "Be with your loved ones and say good-bye" Things you hope you'll never hear.

One daughter tries not to think about it and throws herself into school, friends, anything else. She won't admit it but its hard to live day to day sometimes. His youngest daughter hasn't grasped the idea that her father's presence will soon be gone. There will forever be an empty chair at the end of the dinner table where this man used to sit and hungrily eat. But for now this man is sleeping, covered in a blanket to ward off the edge of winter's bite. The girls' laughter floats down the hall, they pretend the world is fine. They are still young.

The time will come in passing months when conversation will turn to death. Then they will hang their heads and mumble about how hard life can be. Their eyes will fill with tears but they will refuse to cry in public. But for now they laugh about the good times past while they still can.