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第14章 陪你离去（第2页）

“卡西的死是我与汉克‘相见’的一座桥梁，”邦妮写道，“通过卡西的死，我要让汉克知道，如果当初他离开人世时，我有选择的机会，我也会有这个勇气，陪他到生命的最后一刻。我要汉克知道这一点，只是我当时没有找到一种适合的方式，而卡西以自己的死为代价，向我提供了这种方式。我认为这是卡西死去的原因之所在，她死的意义就在于此。无论如何，卡西知道她会将我们重新连接在一起，使我们的心灵紧紧相连。”

8个月后，邦妮再次从怀俄明州来到我们医院。这次，她带了一只健康的小狗克莱德——一只9个月大的活泼可爱的混种小猎狗。邦妮又开始了她全新的生活。

IworkedattheColoradoStateUerinaryTeagHospitalasaselorinthegesProgram。Wehelppeopledealwiththeexperienceoflosiherthroughillness，atoreuthanasia。

&ime，IhadaamedBonnie，awomaninhermid-fifties。Bonniehaddrivenanhourandahalftoseeifthedoctorsatthehospitalcoulddoanythingtohelpherfourteen-year-oldbladardpoodle，dra，affeatelycalledCassie。Thedoghadbeehargicforaweekorsoaobefusedattimes。

ShehadbeehatmbyDr。JahatCassiehadabraintumorthatcouldtakeCassie'slifeatanytime。

Bonedtolearnthatheralwassoill。Thatwaswherodue。ThegesProgramoftenhelpspeoplewhiletheywrestledwiththedifficultdeofwhethertoeuthascourse。

Bonniehadgraying，light-brownwavyhairthatshepulledbatebarrette。Shehadsparklinglightblueeyesthatimmediatelydrewmyattention，andtherewasaessaboutherthattoldmesheersonwhothoughtthingsthrough，awomanwhodidydes。

Fortwentyyears，Bonniehadbeeoamanwhomistreatedher。Boriedmany，maoleavehim，butshejust'tdoit。Fiury-fiveyearsold，shefoundthecetowalkaway。SheandCassie，whowasfouryearsoldatthetime，movedtoLaramie，Wyomiheoldhurtsandbeginanewlife。Cassielovedherandneededher，andforBohefeelingwasmutual。Thereweremanyroughtimesahead，butBonnieahroughthemtogether。

Sixyearslater，BoHank，amanwholovedherinawaythatshehadneverbeeheyweremarriedoer。Theirmarriageewithdis，affepleroutinesandhappiness。Bonniewaslivingthelifeforwhichshehadaled。

，Haoleaveforworkathistree-trimmingservice。Asalways，heandBonnieembraotherinthedoorwayoftheirhomeandaowledgedoutloudhowblessedtheyweretohaveeachother。

Bohomethatdayratherthangoingintoheroffice，wheresheheldapositionasaaheafternoon，herph。Whenshepickeditup，sheheardthevoiceoftheteamleaderwhoheadedtheseard-rescueserviceforwhiiewasavolunteer。Boehefirstvolunteerscalledwherouble。

Thatday，MargietoldheramaroapowerliwobloBonnie'shouse。Bonhiofherhouseaohertruck。

WhenBonhehouse，shesawawouldbeengravedinhermiofherlife。HerbelovedHankhunglifelesslyfromthebraallwoodtree。

AllthatBonniehadreceivedaboutsafelyhelpingsomeonewhohasbeeedlefther。Shewasn'tedaboutherowy。ShehadtshecouldtosaveHahadtogethimdown。Shegrabbedtheladderstowediruck，threwitupagainstthehouseandbegang。BonhetopoftheroofandpulledHank'sbodyoutofthetreetowardher。Miraculously，eventhoughshetouchedhisbody，whichwastougthepowerlielectrocutedherself。ShepulledHankontlesoftheroofandcradledhisheadinthe。Shewailedasshelookedathisashenface。HiseyesstaredoutiblueWyomingsky。Hewasdeadgone。Hehtbacktolife。Shekhecthatthelifetheysharedwasover。

InthefouryearsthatfollowedHank'sdeath，Boherlifebacktogether。She-and-down，butmostlydown。Shelivedwiththefrustrationofnothavingsaidgood-bye，ofnothaviunitytosaidallofthethiosay，ofnotbeio，soothehim，helphimleavehislifeahe。Shewasn'tpreparedforthiskiwasnotthewayshewafriend，herlover，herpartodie。

WhenBonniefialkiinsilenceforawhile。Finallysaid，"WouldyoulikeCassie'sdeathtobedifferentfromHank's？I'mtalkingnow，Boeuthanasia。Witheuthanasia，youwon'thavetoworryaboutworkandfindingCassiedead，andyousurethatshewon'tdieinpain。IfwehelpCassiediebyeuthanasia，youbewithher，holdher，talktoherandforther。Youpeacefullysehehechoiceisuptoyou。"

Bonnie'seyesopenedwide。Hershouldersrelaxedandherfaedinrelief。

"Ijustrolthistime，"shesaid。"IwaobedifferentfromHank&#irl。"

Thedeadetoeuthahatafterwoofthemalone，andBonnieahefewhoutsideuree。

&wastime，Bhttothefortroom，ahoseofusassociatedwithThegesProgramhadadaptedtobemoreduaneahagrief。

ThedogwaslyingdownbyBonnie，whowasontheflooronasoftpad。Boopetandtalktoher。"Thereyirl。YhtherebyMisokay。"

&imeforeuthanasiaarrivedandCassieingpeacefully，herheadrestingonBonnie'sstomafortable，verymuchatease。Dr。Bushwhispered，"Maywebegintheprocedure？"AndBonnienoddedinaffirmation。

"Butfirst，"shesaidsoftly，"Iwouldliketosayaprayer。"

Shereachedouttotakeourhandsandweallreachedoutourhaher。Withinthissacredciriesoftlyprayed，"DearLord，thankymethisbeautifuldogforthepastfourteenyears。Iknowshewasagiftfromyou。Today，aspainfulasitis，Iknowitistimetogiveherbad，dearLord，thankythesewomeheyhavehelpedmebeyoributetheirpreseoyou。Amen。"

Throughourtears，wewhisperedourown"amens"，allsqueeziher'shandsinsupporthtfulhemoment。

Andthen，whiletiosleeppeahercaretaker'sbelly，thedavethedogthefiio。Throughitall，shedidnotmove。Shejustslippedoutofthislifeiwasquick，peadpaiasredicted。ImmediatelyfollowingCassie'spassing，Imadeaclayimpressiopaw。IhahepawprinttoBonnieaenderlyagainsthercheek。WeallsatquietlyuntilBohesileng，"Ifmyhusbandhadtodie，Iwishhecouldhavediedthisway。"

Sixweekslater，IreceivedaletterfromBoteredainsoainwhereHank'swerescattered。wobestfrieheragain。ShesaidsomehowCassie'sdeath，ahewayinwhichshehaddied，hadhelpedherresolvethedeathofherhusband。

"Cassie'sdeathwasabridget，"shewrote。&quhherdeath，IlethimknowthatifIhadhadthechoihedied，Iwouldhavehadthedthedediecessarytobewithhimwheoo。IoknowthatandIhadn'tbeeofindarovidedtheway。Ithinkthatisthereasonforandthemeah。Somehow，sheknewshecouldreectus，soultosoul。"

&hslater，BainfromWyomierinaryTeagHospital。Thistime，shebroughtherhypuppyih-oldLabmix，fulloflifeandlove。Bonniewasbeginningagain。