Chapter XVII
The Worst of Times...
~ * * * ~

It had been a wonderful holiday! Everyone was happy and full of cheer and good will. Glynnis had offered to babysit for the girls so that Max and Madra could go out together for New Years Eve. Glynnis and Kent had been a "item" since the wedding, and had seen each other every night since. Max was concerned about it, but Madra told him not to worry so much. He'll only be here for little while longer, she had said, what harm could it do.

Madra donned one of her favorite gowns, along with the new diamond necklace and earrings Max had gotten her for Christmas. He came into the room when she was dressed carrying a rather large box. "I have a present for you, my dear" he said. "Max," Madra exclaimed, "you are always surprising me!" With that, he opened the box and pulled out a goregous white fur cape. Madra gasped when she saw it and Max helped her put it on. "Oh, Max, it's devine," she said, "but you know all I really need is you!"

Max looked at his wife and remarked, "Darling, you were made for diamonds and furs!" With that, he kissed her, they wished Glynnis and Kent a lovely evening and headed out the door.

Max and Madra had a wonderful evening. He took her to their favorite place. They had a wonderful meal together and danced till midnight. When the New Year rang in, they kissed and Max told Madra how very complete she made his life. "Oh, darling," Madra said, "we have so much to be happy for! We are so blessed with the girls, our wonderful friends and family, and our wonderful life together. Our life is just perfect, isn't it?" "Perfect," Max repeated and he held his wife tight and kissed her again.

When they arrived home, Madra told Max that she was going upstairs to check on the girls and tell Glynnis that they were home. Max said that he would be up in just a few minutes. He went into the living room, but before he could reach the chair, he felt a nauseating feeling in his stomach and a pain in his arm. He reached for the chair to steady himself, but doubled up with the pain.

He tried to call out to Madra, but he could bearly get out a whisper. Madra's little poodle began to bark then, and Max could feel the room spin as he slumped to the floor.

Madra heard the dog barking and wondered what was going on. Where was Max? He said he would be up in a few minutes, and he still wasn't up. She went to the top of the stairs and called out his name. When he didn't answer, she descended the stairs and headed towards the living room where Pookie continued to bark.

When she entered the room, she felt her body go cold. She let out a scream and ran over to where Max lay motionless on the floor. "Oh, God, no," she screamed, "Max! Max! Please Max, please Max, oh, Max, talk to me.....please!"

Madra's screams brought Glynnis and Kent running down the stairs.

They entered the living room and found Madra sitting on the floor cradling Max in her arms. She was sobbing and alternately begging him to speak to her and telling him that she loved him at the same time, all the while gently stoking his face.

It took Kent a moment to realize what had happened. He had seen this before. Max was having a heart attack. He ran over turned Max on his back, opening his shirt collar. He called out to Glynnis to call 911. Madra was crying and trying to hold on to Max. He told Glynnis to take care of her sister.

With shaking hands, Glynnis took Madra by the arms and started stroking her. Madra was inconsolable! Glynnis could feel Madra's entire body trembling and thought she might pass out.

Madra watched as Kent started chest compressions on Max, praying to God to let him be alright ~ promising anything if only Max would be alright.

The paramedics came in then and took over. They put Max on a stretcher and put an oxygen mask over his face. Max was still unconscious.

They told Madra she could ride in the ambulance along with them, but that someone would have to follow in their car. Glynnis told her sister to go, that she would stay with the girls. Kent told her that he would follow in his car.

Madra was oddly silent as she watched the paramedics take her life away.

The trip to the hospital seemed to take forever. Max never regained consciousness, and the paramedics worked furioiusly to keep his heart beating. Madra watched in horror as they shocked his heart with electricity and stuck all sorts of needles in him.

When they reached the hospital, the paramedics moved fast. They got Max out of the ambulance and into the emergency room where the doctors seemed to be already waiting for him. A nurse came and got Madra, led her to a waiting room, saying that her husband was in the best possible hands. It was little consolation to Madra.

Then she left Madra in the waiting room telling her that someone would come back when they had news. Madra begged the nurse to please let her see Max explaining that if he could hear her voice, he would get better, she knew he would. The nurse tried to explain that Max was being treated by the best doctors and that he was in good hands, then she left Madra alone in the quiet stark waiting room.

As Madra sat in the quiet room, with only her thoughts screaming in her head, the time passed by agonizingly slow. She cried until there were no tears left to cry, she prayed until there was no more prayers left to pray. She had never felt so terribly alone in her entire life.

A lifetime seemed to pass before the door opened and a doctor walked in. Madra turned her tear-streaked face up to look at him. With a shaky voice, she said, "Doctor, is my husband alright?"

To be continued.......

It had been a wonderful holiday! Everyone was happy and full of cheer and good will. Glynnis had offered to babysit for the girls so that Max and Madra could go out together for New Years Eve. Glynnis and Kent had been a "item" since the wedding, and had seen each other every night since. Max was concerned about it, but Madra told him not to worry so much. He'll only be here for little while longer, she had said, what harm could it do. Madra donned one of her favorite gowns, along with the new diamond necklace and earrings Max had gotten her for Christmas. He came into the room when she was dressed carrying a rather large box. "I have a present for you, my dear" he said. "Max," Madra exclaimed, "you are always surprising me!" With that, he opened the box and pulled out a goregous white fur cape. Madra gasped when she saw it and Max helped her put it on. "Oh, Max, it's devine," she said, "but you know all I really need is you!" Max looked at his wife and remarked, "Darling, you were made for diamonds and furs!" With that, he kissed her, they wished Glynnis and Kent a lovely evening and headed out the door.
	Max and Madra had a wonderful evening. He took her to their favorite place. They had a wonderful meal together and danced till midnight. When the New Year rang in, they kissed and Max told Madra how very complete she made his life. "Oh, darling," Madra said, "we have so much to be happy for! We are so blessed with the girls, our wonderful friends and family, and our wonderful life together. Our life is just perfect, isn't it?" "Perfect," Max repeated and he held his wife tight and kissed her again. When they arrived home, Madra told Max that she was going upstairs to check on the girls and tell Glynnis that they were home. Max said that he would be up in just a few minutes. He went into the living room, but before he could reach the chair, he felt a nauseating feeling in his stomach and a pain in his arm. He reached for the chair to steady himself, but doubled up with the pain. He tried to call out to Madra, but he could bearly get out a whisper. Madra's little poodle began to bark then, and Max could feel the room spin as he slumped to the floor.
Madra heard the dog barking and wondered what was going on. Where was Max? He said he would be up in a few minutes, and he still wasn't up. She went to the top of the stairs and called out his name. When he didn't answer, she descended the stairs and headed towards the living room where Pookie continued to bark. When she entered the room, she felt her body go cold. She let out a scream and ran over to where Max lay motionless on the floor. "Oh, God, no," she screamed, "Max! Max! Please Max, please Max, oh, Max, talk to me.....please!"
	Madra's screams brought Glynnis and Kent running down the stairs. They entered the living room and found Madra sitting on the floor cradling Max in her arms. She was sobbing and alternately begging him to speak to her and telling him that she loved him at the same time, all the while gently stoking his face.
It took Kent a moment to realize what had happened. He had seen this before. Max was having a heart attack. He ran over turned Max on his back, opening his shirt collar. He called out to Glynnis to call 911. Madra was crying and trying to hold on to Max. He told Glynnis to take care of her sister. With shaking hands, Glynnis took Madra by the arms and started stroking her. Madra was inconsolable! Glynnis could feel Madra's entire body trembling and thought she might pass out. Madra watched as Kent started chest compressions on Max, praying to God to let him be alright ~ promising anything if only Max would be alright. The paramedics came in then and took over. They put Max on a stretcher and put an oxygen mask over his face. Max was still unconscious. They told Madra she could ride in the ambulance along with them, but that someone would have to follow in their car. Glynnis told her sister to go, that she would stay with the girls. Kent told her that he would follow in his car. Madra was oddly silent as she watched the paramedics take her life away.
The trip to the hospital seemed to take forever. Max never regained consciousness, and the paramedics worked furioiusly to keep his heart beating. Madra watched in horror as they shocked his heart with electricity and stuck all sorts of needles in him. When they reached the hospital, the paramedics moved fast. They got Max out of the ambulance and into the emergency room where the doctors seemed to be already waiting for him. A nurse came and got Madra, led her to a waiting room, saying that her husband was in the best possible hands. It was little consolation to Madra. Then she left Madra in the waiting room telling her that someone would come back when they had news. Madra begged the nurse to please let her see Max explaining that if he could hear her voice, he would get better, she knew he would. The nurse tried to explain that Max was being treated by the best doctors and that he was in good hands, then she left Madra alone in the quiet stark waiting room. As Madra sat in the quiet room, with only her thoughts screaming in her head, the time passed by agonizingly slow. She cried until there were no tears left to cry, she prayed until there was no more prayers left to pray. She had never felt so terribly alone in her entire life. A lifetime seemed to pass before the door opened and a doctor walked in. Madra turned her tear-streaked face up to look at him. With a shaky voice, she said, "Doctor, is my husband alright?"