The one-bed hospital room was sterile and claustrophobic. The woman in the bed stirred from her sleep, and could feel the presence of another enter the room. Without opening her eyes, she called, "Nurse, could you get me a new pillow? This one's got something going on with it..." She let her voice trail off weakly. She felt the old pillow get taken away, and a new pillow get gently placed behind her. Once she got comfortable again, she opened her eyes to thank the nurse. Her eyes suddenly became very wide, and she let out a startled gasp. "Velo!"
"Hello, Rena," Velo smiled and slightly tipped his head. He pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat back.
"Lord, you still sneak up on me even when I hear you come in," Rena said as she got her breath back. Then her demeanor turned on a dime, and she showed little resemblance to the weak old woman who asked for a new pillow. "And just what took you so damn long? I've been in this damn hospital for almost a year now!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't think you needed me around."
"Well, you're right to think that," Rena huffed. "Haven't needed anybody but myself my whole damn life." Then her tone softened. "You're a real pain in the ass to get in touch with, you know. I couldn't even prove you were anything but a figment of my imagination. Then Stewie told me you were in town, and he didn't even know about our history...have you destroyed all the evidence of your existence, Velo?"
"I believe so. Everything except people's memories."
"Uh oh...that's not why you're here, is it?" Rena smiled.
"No. But I heard you wanted to see me again."
"Yeah, tha's true," Rena began wistfully. "Just a quick last look. I don't want no drawn out goodbyes, I always hated that. I just wanted to make sure you were still around, fighting the good fight..." Rena studied Velo more carefully. "And I'll be damned, you haven't aged a day. Got a secret ingredient for your skin or something?"
"If I had, I would've made a killing off it years ago and retired early."
Rena chuckled. "Yeah, you could be witty when you wanted to. Just what the Hell would you do with retirement anyways." Velo chuckled this time. "The rest of us can all wither and fade, but Kristogar Velo will always look 25, and act like it, too."
"Don't be so harsh, you look great," Velo assured her.
"Hey, I never said I didn't." This time, chuckling seem to cause Rena to wince. She started to speak slower, more carefully. "Well, I know you're busy, so you can get goin' and don't have to entertain an old woman's whims no more. I just wanted one last reassurance that you were still out there, fighting the good fight. So's I know I can give up my own fight now."
Velo nodded, and slowly stood up. He softly grabbed one of Rena's hands within his own, and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You were one of the greats, Rena." Then he slowly let go, nodded his head once more, and left the room. Rena was asleep once more within seconds.
Velo strode down the hospital stairs and out the door quietly and briskly. As soon as he stepped out into the open air, he heard a voice.
"You'll live to bury us all, won't you?"
Velo turned to the source of the voice, who was leaning against the hospital's outside wall. "Hello, Mr. Dahlberg. Come to say goodbye as well?"
Dahlberg shifted on his feet. "No, actually, I...paid my last respects about a year ago. When she was first admitted."
This caused Velo to tilt his head. "You knew the end was near? I saw her medical reports and was a little startled...how did Rena last this long?"
"Well..." Dahlberg began. "When I made my visit, I told her that her life would come full circle before the end. She asked if that meant one last meeting with you...and I told her the truth." He stated it rather matter-of-factly.
Velo nodded, and looked away for a second. "Doesn't that break your rules? Letting people know something like that?"
Dahlberg shrugged. "I make the rules. I break them. I know when to make exceptions that won't throw anything out of order. Besides...I think Rena knew the answer anyways."
Velo suddenly got uncomfortable with the line of discussion and sought to re-direct it. "So why are you here then?"
"Just to tell you," Dahlberg answered as if there was no break in the flow of conversation. "That Stewart has given us the green light to open operations in Baltimore. Not that you would've taken 'no' for an answer, anyways, but for what it's worth, Stewart's in our corner."
Velo nodded. "Good. Anything else?"
"Nope. I'll leave you to yourself now." Dahlberg took a step forward, and in the middle of his second step the air around him rippled, and a second later he was gone.
Kristogar Velo looked around, then toward the sky. Times like this the universe could seem so vast, and he wondered what his "good fight" would end up meaning in the final analysis. Then he shook off the thoughts, re-focused, and returned to his life.
