When it's Meant to Be

Beep. Beep. Beep. The sound of the heart monitor was all Sienna could hear as she watched her grandmother lay in the hospital bed. Her heart in human form slipping away from her. Sienna's thoughts rammed into her head one by one as she pleaded with the one above to give her more time, that she wasn't ready to be alone just yet.

"Ms. Wiles, are you okay?" Dr. Hickman said snapping Sienna out of gaze.

"I'm not ready to let her go." Sienna said with tears rolling down her face. "She's all I have left."

Sienna's parents disappeared at sea one night going to get medical attention for her mother, who was having a difficult second pregnancy, from a neighboring island and never made it back. Sienna was only 7 years old when this happened. The only family she had left was her maternal grandmother Symira Wiles. She has been with her ever since and now, with her grandma's current state, Sienna was about to be alone in this world.

"Ms. Sanders, I do understand your frustration but we no longer have the resources to support Ms. Wiles anymore. Now would be the time to say your goodbyes. It'll be any day now." Dr. Hickman said with a saddening voice. He reached to give Sienna an encouraging pat on the shoulder and returned to assist his other patients.

Dr. Hickman had a soft spot for Sienna. She's been through so much since childhood. He made a silent promise to look after her and be there if needed. He grew up with Sienna's Father Trevon and felt he needed to do this for his lost friend. He also failed to help Ronnie, her mother, which would've prevented their untimely deaths. Lost in his thoughts, he looked back to see Sienna walking into the room to be with her grandma in her last moments.

Sienna held her breathe and grabbed the door knob. She looked at her beautiful gray haired and hazel eyed grandma and almost fell to her knees. Sienna felt she utterly couldn't go on with her grandma. She taught her so much. She was the only mother she knew.

Symira was born and raised on an island off the coast of the Caribbean, Lulusi. She was so full of life and vibrate, even in old age. Everybody loved her. Sienna inspired to be just like her. Symira later met this mysterious man from Delta and they fell maddeningly in love and gave birth to two kids, Ronnie and Inu. Sienna doesn't know what happened to her Uncle and when she would ask her grandma, she would just say "in due time."

Sienna stopped asking after a while and now here she is 24 years old looking at her grandma on her last leg of live. Sienna walked over to her grandma and grabbed her hand in her hands and just wept. She started to sing her grandma's favorite song "California Dreaming" by Bobbie Womack and it started stirring up memories of there last karaoke night with each other. This made Sienna cry harder. She kept singing until she felt her grandma move her hand to rub the back of Sienna's head.

"Nani, Nani please keep fighting. I can't be in this world without you." Sienna cried.

"Now Sienna, I know I've prepared you for this, I've prepared you for the world beyond this island." Symira said no louder than a whisper. Knowing she was in limited time Symira said, "Sienna, when you get home, in my room in my prayer corner is a box for you. Open it and read the letter my dear. It'll explain things I wish I had more time to explain to you."

Symira paused to catch A breath before continuing, "I love you Sienna, do not forget that. Whenever you start to fell lonely, just know I'm always here." Symira pointed to Sienna's heart.

Sienna cried harder at this but nodded her head and said "Please hang on for me. Don't you want those great grands? You got to hang in there for me just a little while longer ok?"

Symira huffed a half hearted chuckle and said "Are you holding my future great grandchildren against me? You are something but if that means I have a chance of getting at least one, I'll try."

They both knew that was a lie but smiled at each other and laughed softly.

After a while of just sitting there letting her grandma rub her head as she's always done, Sienna looked at the clock and noticed visitation was nearing an end. She leaned over to give her grandma a hug and a kiss and said "I'll be back tomorrow morning Nani. I love you." She said not waiting to say goodbye because it held a heavy weight for them right now.

Symira smiled softly and said, "See you tomorrow my beautiful. Be careful going home." Sienna turned to leave the room and hesitated for a moment and turned back to look at her grandma one more time before heading home to find the box Symira spoke of.

Symira watched Sienna leave and let a few tears drop. She loved Sienna dearly. She was the only piece of her daughter Ronnie she had left. Symira was distraught when she learned the news of her daughter and knew she had to be there for Sienna. She hated she didn't have more time but hoped for just a bit more if the one above granted it.

Symira Grace Wiles passed away at 4:44 that morning at the age 86.