Serious People Read Online Free

O’Neil.
     
    Charlie O’Neil walked into the room and took in the shocking image that lay in front of him. It was the same image he had left behind an hour before; but that did not soften the blow.
    His beautiful wife, Jackie O’Neil, lay on the bed. There were tubes going in and out of her body seemingly everywhere; tubes that were connected to a row of complex looking machines positioned next to her. Above her head, a machine beeped constantly, displaying her heart rhythms on a monitor. Charlie became momentarily fixated on the screen. It was as if the machine somehow knew it was being watched, as if it would now take the opportunity to stop, or display some uneven rhythm.
    Charlie looked again at his wife, trying to ignore the monitor. It was days from her fortieth birthday, but she could easily still have passed for at least ten years younger than that, even in her current condition. 
    Charlie looked at her face, and it had an almost translucent paleness to it. He had to steady himself on his feet. A tear ran down his face. “Jackie,” he said.
    Jackie started to wake, as if roused by the sound of her name. Charlie sat down by her bed, hurrying to take hold of her hand.
    “Charlie?”
    “Hello Princess,” Charlie smiled back at his wife. Her eyes were still beautiful, still full of life.
    Jackie looked at him. “Have you been crying?” she asked.
    “What? You joking?” Charlie said, and then almost unconsciously wiped his face.
    Jackie smiled knowingly. “I was having a lovely dream!”
    “What were you dreaming about princess?” Charlie said, trying to smile as well.
    “About when we first met—remember it was at that concert,” Jackie said testing her husband’s memory. “What was that great band called?”
    “I don’t remember them,” Charlie replied, faking irritation. “I just remember they were too bloody loud.” 
    “That’s only because you were busy trying to do some dodgy deal with someone,” Jackie reminded her husband, still smiling.
    Charlie felt ashamed. He looked down.
    “Always doing some deal, even on the day we met! You, Robert and Mickey, your two little soldiers,” she added.
    “I’m sorry,” Charlie said, not looking up.
    “Don’t be sorry. That’s who you are; I always knew that.” Jackie replied.
    “You deserved a better husband,” Charlie said, looking back at his wife.
    “You were like Prince Charming the night we met. You seemed to be in command of everything,” Jackie said, her eyes filling with tears now. “You’ve given me everything a girl could want.”
    “That’s because you’re my queen. I would give you anything in the world,” Charlie said trying to fight the emotion.
    “I’m sorry I never gave you a child Charlie,” Jackie said, a tear falling to her pillow.
    Charlie looked back at his wife.
    They had never discussed the subject before; although it had crossed his mind many times. After all, they had frequently not used any form of protection against pregnancy. But they’d never knowingly tried to conceive—or at least so Charlie thought—until now. Now, he looked at his wife and realised that he must have been too busy to notice.
    He looked at his wife unsure of what to say.
    “I remember you trying to dance that first night,” Jackie smiled. “I don’t think I’ve seen you dance since.”
    Charlie smiled back at his wife. He remembered the night well. He had been transfixed on her from the moment he saw her; and because she was on the dance floor meant that he hadn’t thought twice about dancing as well. All he could see was her, making everything else grey into the background. He was there doing a deal, and it was a big deal at that. But, as soon as he saw her, nothing else mattered. When he thought back on that night, he wasn’t now sure what were his memories and what his imagination.
    “I reckon we could make that work,” Robert had said, about to shake hands with the older man who, together with Charlie and Mickey, he