Sharon's last dance with me

My beautiful friend Sharon, who now has her wings

It was just the two of us in the room, as the family had stepped out of for a short while. Sharon was comfortable in the hospice and the staff loved her.

            “Let’s have some music mate, this version of ‘Show me love’,” I said to Sharon as she slept. Using my phone, I played the song we used to go crazy to on our nights out. She opened her eyes, “I thought you might like that,” I said as I watched her eyes close again. I held her hand until the song played out then I blew my nose and dried my eyes. Standing up to put the tissue in the bin, I said with my back to Sharon, “I know, you like the King and I. I remember this song you told me about,” and typed into the search bar of my phone ‘The King and I,’ and looked at the long list of songs. Memory reminded me Sharon liked ‘Shall we dance?’ as I clicked play.  The first strings played and filled the air in the room as I moved over to the bin, to throw my tissue away.  

As I turned around I instantly smiled and walked back to the bed where Sharon was wide-eyed and conducting the music high in the air with gusto.  Shocked in the very best way possible I laughed and said, “Oh Sharon you are a legend!” I took hold of her left hand and we danced together in the air above her bed as her right hand tapped ‘one, two, three’ in time to the music! This was a classic moment with Sharon and I lapped up every second of it as we danced together for the last time.  The words were familiar and we sang together, not loudly, but audibly, “…with our arms around each other and will you be my new romance, shall we dance, shall we dance, shall we dance?” 

            The more I laughed, the wider Sharon smiled.  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, “Oh they won’t believe this when I tell them,” I said with tears of joy pouring down my face.  Sharon and I singing and dancing again. Not on the dance floor, granted, but that really didn’t matter.

            “I’m really going to miss you girlie,” I said.

            “Miss me? Why? Where are you going?” Sharon asked