Outside Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL - Saturday
11:23 was the time stuck in Charlie's head. August 4th, 2007. 11:23AM, not PM - that was important - Eastern Daylight Savings Time according to the clock on the wall and the doctor's wristwatch.
11:23 was the official time of death. There were probably seconds and nanoseconds involved, but nobody had bothered to announce those, as if the precise moment didn't matter and near enough to the closest minute was good enough.
At 11:23, Audrey Kawalsky had passed quietly with her son and daughter in the room with her, her breathing shallow as she drifted off to sleep. The hospital staff knew not to try to resuscitate her. That was it.
The afternoon, even this late, was hot even in the shade. Charlie wasn't really paying attention to the weather or the sweat on his back. He was thinking about what had to be done since he was staying to make arrangements with Jane for the funeral. He was taking care of his family this time.
Jack was going to drive the others back to the airport and the Air Force was footing the bill for their expenses.
All that remained were the goodbyes.
[For the gang.]
11:23 was the official time of death. There were probably seconds and nanoseconds involved, but nobody had bothered to announce those, as if the precise moment didn't matter and near enough to the closest minute was good enough.
At 11:23, Audrey Kawalsky had passed quietly with her son and daughter in the room with her, her breathing shallow as she drifted off to sleep. The hospital staff knew not to try to resuscitate her. That was it.
The afternoon, even this late, was hot even in the shade. Charlie wasn't really paying attention to the weather or the sweat on his back. He was thinking about what had to be done since he was staying to make arrangements with Jane for the funeral. He was taking care of his family this time.
Jack was going to drive the others back to the airport and the Air Force was footing the bill for their expenses.
All that remained were the goodbyes.
[For the gang.]