The sunshine shone brighter on the days when Geoff came to visit.
He came quite often, never bringing annoying those knick knacks that cluttered up her small room, he really just visited to keep her company.
She knew, that compared to some other residents, she was very lucky.
Some had no family at all, no one to visit. Their holidays were spent alone, nobody to call to wish well, no presents to unwrap.
She herself had been in the same predicident up until a few weeks ago.
But now she had Geoff. And that’s what mattered.
It irked her that she couldn’t quite remember exactly where Geoff fit into the family. Damn aging and no doubt a hint of dementia, she surely wasn’t getting any younger.
She tried to place him as a nephew or distant cousin, maybe even a married in son in law somewhere, but none seemed quite right. She would think to ask him about it, but whenever he came to visit, it completely slipped her mind.
It didn’t matter though, not at all. To have the company was lovely. She was frail and getting more sore as each day passed, but the visits and the hope of them, kept her spirit high, looking forward to another day.
When he visited during the night, she was more than m surprised. She had never known the nursing home to let visitors in after 7pm. She smiled weakly as she shifted in her bed, the small movements causing immense pain.
Geoff smiled back and he stood, and walked towards her. Usually he sat in the chair, keeping a comfortable distance, but tonight, he came up close. He leant right in, his nose close to the tip of hers, so close it was almost touching and she could smell him, a scent of smoke like burnt firewood, and some thing from her childhood, honey and lime perhaps, something she couldn’t place.
“I didn’t want to correct you earlier, but you certainly misheard,” without breaking eye contact, she could only watch on as the man gently took the pillow from behind her head, and placed it over her face.
She didn’t resist, not that she had the strength or energy to do so if she had wanted to.
She was ready, she had been for a while.
“Sweetest Magnoline, my name is not Geoff. My name is Death. I’m here to take you home.”
It didn’t take long.
He removed the pillow and looked at her.
She seemed peaceful. More relaxed than he had seen since he first began to visit.
He sighed heavily. A burden to bear, a burden to carry.
After a few moments had passed, a small voice spoke aloud.
“Thank you.”
Death turned to see Magnoline, young again, eyes bright, smile vibrant.
“Ah my dear, no need to thank. It was simply your time.”
He placed his hand in hers, and together they walked on.
Where the next destination was, well she wasn’t sure. But she knew Geoff would certainly keep her safe on her way there.