Jenna's Characters

Name: Mackenzie Crawford
Species: Human
Status: Alive
Occupation: Unavailable at the moment.
Affiliation: Unavailable at the moment.
Family: Grace Crawford
            Edward Crawford (Deceased)

Another rescue, another day. It was the only thing that she could slightly control in her life, was being able to keep little ones out of the cold. All different animals, she would try and keep them safe, and to the little no kill shelter whenever she could.

It was little things like that, that her dad loved about her. Had always loved about her. He… rather hoped… that she would keep that always. He knew… that his time was short. He had been sick… for a couple of years now. It was always the hardest, when the children were of age to know what was happening. And Mac had been sharp on everything, even with her parents trying to keep her at arms length. Trying… to keep her from everything that was wrong. Trying to make things easier.

But Mackenzie knew. She was smarter than that. That… and sneaker. Twenty one years old… taking on the world… among other things. The last time that he had gone into the hospital, and stopped treatments. She knew it was bad. It was late at night, she had taken advantage of a nurses distraction and peeked to his file. He was terminal. She had been… devastated. But she kept up the ruse. Better than one might have thought.

Thanksgiving past. Christmas past. New Years. And for all intents and purposes, life had resumed some sort of normalcy. For a time. It was a few days after the New Years, that there had been a dive, they had brought him home in November, and he had been there ever since. He had his good days.

And his bad.

And now there was more bad than good.

She had found herself in the church more than once. Middle of the night, praying… but for what? A miracle? Miracles… were not what this town was made of. That was painfully obvious. But… perhaps peace. Something… a bit more tangible. For his family. For him. It was a night in the church, that was the first instance that something was… amiss. She had lit a candle, and swore that she heard someone whisper her name. She had whirled about, there was no one there. She shook her head some. “I’m losing it.”

The second instance, was the night of her dad’s death. She was woken by a whisper… it seemed like it was by her ear… and she gasped looking around her room. –Not long now…- She heard it whispered. And she looked around again. “What… the heck…” She was shaking her head, and got up, tilting her head as she got up. It… was an odd sort of feeling, as she headed into the front room. It had been the only place that a hospital bed would fit in their farmhouse. It wasn’t like he could get upstairs. What surprised her was that he was awake. When she walked in the room. That had utterly thrown her. Considering he had been nearly comatose for the past couple of days.

She walked up to the bed, for once no boards creaking as she walked. “Daddy?” She was quiet as he smiled at her, such… a warm smile.

“Mackenzie… sweetheart… its late… you should be sleeping… but… I am glad that you are here…” His words were slow, a little more labored not that she was utterly surprised by this. The fact that he was able to say so many before catching his breath, was a surprise. She moved to his bedside and took his hand. Her other hand resting atop his as she smiled quietly to him.

“I just couldn’t sleep… glad…that I woke up though… get some time with you…” She offered him a warm smile back. “What are you doing awake, Daddy… do you need anything?” She asked softly she didn’t want to wake the rest of the house.

Her dad merely smiled. “Of course, sweetheart… you… have always taken care of us… of me.” He squeezed her hand, tight as he could. “I’m… sorry you couldn’t sleep. But… things will be better soon.” It was so quietly said. “In the table. Is a small box. Its yours.” He glanced and motioned with his other hand. “Open it… when its time.” He went quiet again, closing his eyes, resting a moment, but his grip on her hand didn’t loosen. Not once was it wavering.

“Daddy… you don’t have to apologize… everything is fine… I can stay with you…and I promise… I’ll get it before I go back up.” She had mentally been telling herself over and over that things were fine. That she was fine and could hold it together. That’s what she did. Its how she was able to be here now, and not in a flood of tears.

He smiled more tiredly this time. “Mackenzie… you and I… both know… that my time here is short. So… much shorter than I had ever wanted. I know… that your mother will be watched after. Her brothers and sisters… will make sure of that. But you… I’ll be able to watch you. No matter what. No matter where I am.”

Mac gripped his hand more tightly. “Daddy… shh…. I know. I do… you…”

He cut her off. “I… am so proud of you. Will always be.” His breathing, was beginning to get more labored, and his grip was beginning to slack.

“Daddy… “ He was smiling… it… was almost serene now. “Nono… Daddy… I love you…”

“I… love you too… Mackenzie…” She glanced to the monitors, was seeing things decrease, and she called for her mom, for the others. She grabbed her phone, calling 911, explaining to the operator the situation. She, had gathered herself together, leaning down and kissing his cheek, her hand not leaving his until her mother took her place. She stayed on the phone, giving the operator all the information they could possibly ever need about his case. And then… they waited… she was still watching the monitors, it was quiet in the room. There was tears from her mother, but she was giving her space with her father.

She had had her time. And she knew… absolutely knew, that this was it.

-It will be ok…- It sounded like a whisper from behind her. And she tensed glancing behind her. She was going off the rails. She was. She was breaking and she knew it. She shook her head, and as the ambulance drove up, she would open the door for the paramedics, her mother, staying there beside him, as Mac was waiting for them to enter.