Read Coming Undone for Free Online Page A

doctor was spelling out the options? Why did it seem that the doctor’s mouth was moving but no sound was coming out? “It really is not as ghoulish as it sounds. It gives the patient a place to die in peace without heroic methods being used to prolong a life that is fading.”
    “ Hm. I’m sorry. And where is this… this hospice place?” Ben could think of no place bad enough for this to be. The deep recesses of hell came to mind.
    “ On the northwest side of the building. It’s a smaller building although it is connected to the hospital.”
    Ben nodded, not at all sure that those words even made sense. “And he would be moved there?”
    “ Yes. Once you sign the papers, we would do the transfer.”
    “ Uh-huh.” There was no catching any thought in his head. He stood and stepped over to the window, not wanting to be in this room anymore, having this discussion. He looked out at the traffic longingly. “And what if I don’t sign the papers?”
    “ Well.” Only now did Dr. Vitter hesitate. “We would continue to keep your father on the life support systems as long as they worked, but you have to understand, he will almost assuredly not come out of this comatose state.”
    “ Yeah, but if I do this, if I sign those papers, then that’ll be it. He will definitely die?”
    There was a slight moment of hesitation. “Yes.” The doctor’s tone was grave. “He will.”
    Ben wanted to run more at that moment than he ever had before. Looking out into the parking lot far below, he put his hand on the back of his neck, feeling knots he didn’t remember ever being there. They were giving him a terrible headache. “I don’t know. I don’t think I can do that… sign those papers I mean… I mean, how… how can I do something like that? How can I make that kind of decision? I don’t think I could ever do that.”
     
     
    “ No, seriously, Kate,” Misty said on Monday afternoon as they stood at the nurse’s station in St. Anthony’s Hospice. “I get it. There was a good-looking guy at church, and he’s probably wonderful and perfect for you. But you didn’t even talk to him. You don’t even know if he’s single. I mean, that’s great, and maybe it will work out, but in case he… I don’t know… shows up with a girlfriend next weekend or something, why don’t you just go out with Nathan and give him a chance too? He really is a nice guy, and I’ve actually talked with him.”
    Kathryn rolled her eyes. “Why does this have to be so complicated? Why can’t I just find a guy, fall in love, have a couple babies, and live happily ever after like everybody else does?”
    “ Uh, because nobody does that?”
    “ Yes they do. Look at you and Casey. You’re both married with kids and the whole thing.”
    “ Yes, but it’s not a bed of roses for us either. I can’t tell you how frustrated I get when I’m thinking new bedroom furniture and Zac comes home with a new power mower. Ugh. I’d like to shoot him, and sometimes I think I would if I didn’t love him so much.”
    “ But that’s what I mean. That’s what I want. I want to be so frustrated with him that I want to shoot him but know I never would. I want that, and I’m so tired of waiting and thinking maybe it’s never going to happen for me.”
    “ So, then why are you afraid to go out with a guy that might make it happen?”
    Kathryn’s shoulders slumped forward. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just afraid of being disappointed again.”
    “ Uh-huh. So you’re going to refuse to even try even though you keep telling me you want that more than anything.”
    The phone next to Misty beeped, and she picked it up. Kathryn knew to politely find something else to listen to. She was good at doing that. Her own thoughts seemed as good a place as any to disappear. Misty was probably right. What was she doing pining away for some guy two rows up that she had never met when another perfectly nice guy might be waiting for her if she just said