Natalie sat next to Seth’s hospital bed and prayed. It was a long, grueling night as she waited for him to wake up. When her fiancé opened his eyes, she felt a massive sense of relief.

“My time is supposed to be up before yours, so you need to stick around, pal. You promised this girl a trip down the aisle, remember?”

Seth grinned weakly. “Not gonna die yet, Nat. Gotta keep my promise.”

Tears escaped her eyes as she gripped his hand. “I was so scared I was losing you.”

Just then, the doctor walked in. “Good to see you are awake. Just a little pneumonia complicating your already weak lung capacity.” He turned his attention to Natalie. “We’ve given him Levaquin and want to keep him here until he’s breathing better on his own.”

“Do my parents know I’m here?” Seth asked, his voice a hoarse whisper.

“Yes, your dad convinced your mom to grab something to eat in the cafeteria just a while ago. I’m sure she’ll be annoyed that you woke up while she was out of the room.”

Seth sighed. He was sure Mom would be annoyed about many other things as well. Sure enough, when his folks returned, his mother was livid at Natalie.

“Why didn’t you call me the second he woke up? I knew I couldn’t trust you to give a shit about my feelings!”

Natalie held her tongue, grateful for the apologetic look from Seth’s dad.

“Mom,” Seth said. “I haven’t been awake more than five minutes. The doctor came in, discussed treatment, and just left. By the time Nat had a moment to call you, you were walking into the room.”

“I should have been here when the doctor was here.”

“I’m not a kid, Mom; I’m a man. My fiancée was by my side when Dr. Sorvino came to check on me. Please, don’t make this about you. I’ve got pneumonia, and I’m on an antibiotic. I’m not dying yet.”

Mrs. Travis reached for her son’s hand. “I’m sorry that I care about you. You’re my only child, and I hate the idea of losing you. I don’t understand why you aren’t fighting this cancer! Just because she is resigned to giving up doesn’t mean you have to follow suit.”

Unable to stay quiet any longer but unwilling to make things any harder on Seth’s mom, Natalie stood and started to walk out of the room.

“Where are you going?” Mrs. Travis asked accusingly.

“I need some air, and I feel like you have things you wish to say to Seth without me here.”

Mr. Travis held the door open for Nat and followed her out into the hallway. “She’s not usually like this,” he explained quietly. "She’s normally a lot kinder at heart. I know you find this hard to believe, but my wife likes you. It’s just that she feels helpless in this situation. She needs to strike out at someone, and you’re an easy target.”

Natalie burst into tears and was quickly comforted by Mr. Travis, who pulled her into a hug and let her cry on his shoulder.

“You love him desperately, don’t you?” he asked softly.

“With every fiber of my being, I’d give anything to find a way to stop Seth’s cancer in its tracks. I’d give him my lungs if that were an option. I don’t want to be at odds with you and your wife, but Seth is a grown man and needs us all to support him.”

Neither noticed that Mrs. Travis had come out into the hall. Beverly Travis cleared her throat to make her presence known.

“I’m sorry, I’m having a hard time with all this,” she said, her eyes darting everywhere as she tried to find the words for her feelings. “I don’t want to be at odds with you either, dear. I know it’s not your fault he has cancer, nor is it your fault that Seth won’t try to see other cancer specialists. But if anyone could talk him into considering other options...”

“Part of loving your son is respecting his decisions over his own care. I don’t know what it’s like to have a child; thanks to my cancer, I’ll never have that opportunity. But I do know that if you love someone, you support them and do whatever you can to make their remaining time on Earth the brightest moments possible. That’s all Seth and I are trying to do, Mrs. Travis. We want to enjoy the time we have left doing things that make us happy. I love your son, and he loves me. Try to be happy that he has love and joy in his life, which will make it easier for him to accept his death.”

“It’s me that can’t accept his death, Natalie. No parent should have to bury their child.”

“No, they shouldn’t. May I hug you, Mrs. Travis?”

Beverly was stunned. But she opened her arms and allowed this lovely young woman to embrace her.

“My parents are struggling too,” Natalie said somberly. “What helps them is knowing I’ve found love and joy before it’s too late, even if our time together will be short.”

“Will you do me two favors, Natalie?” Beverly asked.

“I’ll do my best.”

“First, will you please forgive me for being so harsh? If the circumstances were different, you’d be just the kind of girl I’d enjoy welcoming into our family.”

“I’ll forgive you if you try to do that despite the circumstances. My parents have welcomed Seth with open arms.”

“Fair enough. Secondly, will you at least look at the information I found about a procedure they are doing at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago? If it strikes you even remotely as a good idea, will you say so to my son?”

“Fair enough,” Nat agreed.

“Thank you. For what it’s worth, I understand not wanting to lie in a hospital bed rather than living what life you have left to live. I wish there were some sort of miracle for both of you.”

Natalie smiled. “That’s probably the kindest thing you could say right now. I promise to look at the information. But please understand: If Seth wants no part of it, I can’t force the issue.”

“I understand.”

A week later, Seth’s lungs were clear of fluid, and he felt pretty good. Natalie’s headaches had become more frequent, however, which worried him. An MRI indicated that the tumor hadn’t grown much. It had just shifted slightly. He was annoyed at her doctor for being unable to answer if the shift was good or bad.

She was also experiencing nausea, which wasn’t abnormal, but it felt like adding insult to injury.

“How can I help make things better for you, Nat?” Seth said, putting his arms around her when they returned home from her appointment.

She inhaled sharply, wondering what to say. She’d been feeling poorly for a while and had hidden it pretty well, she thought. But Seth was more observant than she’d given him credit for. She longed to tell him everything that was hanging heavy in her soul. Instead, she asked for comfort in the most intimate way.

“Make love to me, Seth. I need to feel you touching me everywhere. I want you inside of me.”

He answered by kissing the back of her neck, sending shivers of desire down her spine. No words were spoken as he led her to the bedroom. They undressed each other in an unhurried manner. They had both agreed that Seth’s lungs couldn’t handle wild, head-banging sex. So, they would have to make slow, sweet, sensual love.

Taking his time, Seth planted soft, wet kisses in a trail from her neck to her breasts. He stopped there for a while to capture each tender nipple, feeling pleased with himself when he made her cum before he’d ever reached her pussy.

He continued the seduction, nibbling at her skin as he moved across her stomach until he reached her mound. The scent of her was intoxicating, and it took every ounce of energy not to dive in and devour her. But he managed to control his animalistic urges, lapping at her glistening clit and labia as he made her moan.

He looked up at her face, pleased to find only pleasure there. Delighted that he could distract her from her head pain, he upped the ante by slipping a single digit inside her, eliciting a soft cry as her hips moved rhythmically.

He continued to move at a deliberate pace, treasuring the erotic mewling his tongue and finger were causing. Adding a second finger, he felt her body tense and her back arch.

“Oh, God, Seth!” she cried as her body shuddered with arousal. “Oh, my God, this feels amazing! Don’t stop.”

He grinned. He had no intention of stopping. Enjoying the slow, methodical movements, and adding a third finger, he brought Natalie to several more powerful orgasms before she begged for mercy.

“Please, Seth! I can’t take anymore. Let me have a turn pleasing you.”

He laughed. “Okay, my poor darling. I’ll let you feast upon my raging hardon, but don’t bring me to completion, okay? I want to finish in your pussy. I need to be inside you every bit as much as you long for me to be there.”

Nodding in agreement, Nat threw her long, red hair into a high ponytail to keep it out of the way. Then she flashed him a wicked look as she approached his throbbing manhood. She looked like a predator about to pounce on its prey, and Seth thought it was the most erotic sight he’d ever experienced.

With one hand grasping his cock and the other cupping his balls, Natalie licked the sweet and salty precum from the tip, making Seth moan loudly.

“Fuck! Your tongue feels so good, baby.”

Pleased that she’d gotten him so hot already, she licked his shaft slowly from stem to stern. She watched his body tremble with need and was pleased that she was the cause of that arousal. Encouraged by his obvious pleasure, she took him into her mouth, inch by inch. His moans were music to her ears.

Clever fingers played deftly with his balls while she sucked his cock, letting it slip into her throat during each thrust.

“Oh, God, Natalie! You’re so fucking amazing! But if you keep doing what you’re doing, I won’t be able to fuck that incredible pussy.”

Nat grinned impishly. “Fine,” she said, pouting playfully. “I can stop and let you fuck me if you absolutely must.”

“I absolutely must,” he said, gazing into her eyes.

He looked beautiful, yet tired. Not wanting him to overdo things, she quickly climbed on top of him and said, “Then I’m gonna ride ‘em cowboy!”

Seth chuckled, but his mirth was soon replaced with lust as Nat guided his hands to her hips.

“Feel free to move me around like a little fuck doll. I just want to make your dick feel so good.”

“Ahh, God, Natalie. You’re so tight and wet. I love the way your tits bounce when you ride me like this. You’re so good to me, baby.”

With her clit grinding against his body as she rode him hard, Nat found herself cumming sooner than expected. But it was perfect timing, as Seth’s release followed close behind.

“Oh, my God, baby! That was fucking fantastic!” he panted.

“Mmm-hmm, indeed, it was,” she agreed.

Leaving him inside her, she leaned over until she was lying on top of him. He put his arms around her and held her close.

She lay there quietly; no words were necessary; they simply reveled in the moment. The universe had given them this time together, and both felt so lucky to be able to focus on their love rather than the cruel fate that would see them both perish.

Later, when they’d finished dinner, and Nat was dishing up some strawberries for dessert, she said, “So, I looked over the information your mom gave me about the double lung transplants they’ve been doing at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. I think maybe it would be worth checking out.”

Seth’s brow furrowed with irritation. “You’re serious? Nat, we talked about this. Why would you bring this up out of nowhere?”

He was livid! Natalie hadn’t expected him to love the topic of conversation, but she hadn’t expected him to become so instantly angry, either.

“As long as the cancer hasn’t spread outside of your lungs, you might be a candidate for this procedure. They can take both cancerous lungs out of your body at the same time and replace them with two healthy lungs. It just looked like an option you might want to consider.”

Seth was dumbfounded. “Why, Natalie? Did my mother pressure you? Is that why she’s being so nice to you? Because you agreed to try to convince me to go off and try some new treatment?”

“No, I … it’s just …”

“Just what, Natalie?” Seth barked out the question and got up from the table, shoving the chair.

“I’m late.” The words slipped out of Natalie’s mouth. She hadn’t meant to tell him this way, or even at all. But there was no taking the words back now.

He said nothing. He just stared at her, unable to process what she had said.

Natalie stood before him, holding her breath, waiting for him to react.

“Say something, Seth. Please.”

“What do you mean late?”

“Late for my period.”

“How late?”

“Like two weeks.”

“Don’t you have an IUD?”

“I do. However, one in five thousand women can get pregnant using an IUD. It would be my luck that I’d be that one when I have less than a year to live,” Natalie said, tears streaming down her face.

“Have you taken a pregnancy test? Maybe there’s another reason you are late.”

“Or maybe, despite your shitty lungs, your sperm are Olympic swimmers.”

“Natalie, what if you… I mean…”

“I did some research. If I am pregnant, I can wait until the third trimester to have chemo; it shouldn’t hurt the baby, but it should be enough to buy me a few extra months. That way, I can deliver a nearly full-term baby.”

“You’ve done a lot of thinking about this; have you considered what will happen if you don’t live long enough to...”

“Look, I know the last thing we need is an unplanned, unwanted pregnancy.”

Seth’s heart broke. Unplanned, maybe, but not unwanted. He’d do almost anything to be able to have a baby with Nat. “So, you agreed to look at the transplant idea because...”

“I agreed because, if I am pregnant, it’s bad enough that this baby will grow up without a mother. I wanted to believe there could be a miracle for you so that you could raise our child. My parents would help; I know they would. I considered the idea of terminating the pregnancy. And if you still think that’s the best option, I am open to discussion. But…”

“But if the universe somehow saw fit to allow you to get pregnant, maybe this child is supposed to be born?” Seth finished.

“What if our baby grows up to be a doctor who figures out a cure for cancer? Or a way to prevent Alzheimer’s?” Natalie asked, sounding desperate to plead her case for keeping the baby.

“Natalie, I’m so sorry. I’m so incredibly sorry. Because I would absolutely change my mind and try anything you asked for just for the sake of this baby. But, honey, the cancer has metastasized. It’s not just contained in my lungs.”

Sinking to the floor, Nat sobbed.

Joining her there, Seth put his arms around her and cried along with her.

To be continued