Chapter 8 – Too Late
Chapter 8 – Too Late
Nathan drove straight to the hospital's housekeeping office.
"I need to see Emma Brooks."
The supervisor lowered her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"She resigned."
Nathan's heart sank.
"When?"
"The day of your wedding."
He raced to the apartment address listed in her employment file.
The room was empty.
The landlord handed him a small cardboard box.
"She said if a man named Nathan ever came looking..."
"...give him this."
Inside was a worn journal.
The first page was dated the day he was admitted.
The final page...
the day he woke up.
Nathan opened it with trembling hands.
Day 1
"The doctors say you may never wake up.
I don't believe them."
He turned another page.
Year 3
"Today you squeezed my hand.
Maybe it was only a reflex.
I cried anyway."
Another page.
Year 5
"Tomorrow is your surgery.
I'm more afraid than you are."
The final entry was written in shaky handwriting.
"Today you opened your eyes."
"The woman you love is standing beside you now."
"That means... my job is finally over."
Nathan closed the journal.
A tear struck the faded paper.
Only then did he understand the cruelest truth of all.
Emma hadn't walked away because she stopped loving him.
May you like
She walked away...
because she believed someone else would love him better.
