“It’s been a long time,” I said softly. I stared at his unresponsive face and felt a sinking in my gut.
“I used to tell myself that you left town and started your own life. That maybe you headed to the beach like we talked about. That you were somewhere, enjoying the ocean, making those silly crafts made out of shells and selling them to tourists. I liked to think that maybe you got married, had kids. That somewhere you found your happy life. Even if I was really pissed off that you dared to find it without me, I still wanted that for you. Because if anyone deserved to have the best of everything, it was you, Yoss.” I pursed my lips together, trying to bottle up years of emotion and failing.
It seemed Yoss was the trigger to unleashing it all.
“You used to tell me that one day soon we’d have everything that we ever wanted. That we’d have our house with the blue shutters and wraparound porch. We’d have a swing we could sit on and watch the sunset every evening. Don’t you remember? We were supposed to go to the beach and swim in the surf.” I squeezed his hand slightly. “But you didn’t do any of that, did you? You stayed, even though you promised you wouldn’t. You lied to me, Yoss. And even worse, you let me live in the same damn city and never came to find me. Why would you do that?”
I bowed my head, closing my eyes. I took a deep breath and tried to get control of myself. Getting upset wouldn’t help either of us.
“It’s like you’re always on autopilot, Imi. I can’t tell if you’re happy. Or if you’re angry. At first I thought you were just really laid back. Now I think that you don’t feel anything at all! You’re completely indifferent!” Chris yelled before stomping out of the house. Ending the argument. And our marriage.
Right then, I was anything but indifferent.
I was wrecked. I was furious.
I was so goddamned hopeful.
Because here he was, after all this time, and even though he was barely hanging on, I was still able to touch him. And that felt like a miracle.
I opened my eyes, but kept them trained on our joined hands. “Maybe I should tell you a story. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that. You always liked when I made up dumb stuff to get you to smile.” I chuckled. “The more improbable the better, right? So let me think of something completely unrealistic.”
I sniffled, wiping my wet cheeks. I hadn’t realized I was crying.
“Once upon a time there was a sad, lonely boy who was actually a forgotten prince. No one knew that he was rich and powerful and had a family that was searching for him.” I smiled sadly, wishing, more than anything, that this particular story had been true.
“One day he met a girl who swore that she would help him get back home to the castle. They fell in love. The prince wanted her to come back to the castle with him so they could live there together. They fought dragons and defeated ogres. They ran from witches and swam through oceans. And finally they found the castle. The prince’s family welcomed him home and he married his princess. And they lived happily ever after.”
I rested my forehead on the back of his hand, hating how cold his skin was. “You always loved your fairytales,” I mused, wishing he had been able to find his.
The hand in mine stirred and I bolted upright. Yoss’s face was contorted in pain, his eyes fluttering.
I got to my feet and reached for the call button so I could alert the nurse that something was wrong.
Then he let out a breath and his eyes opened. They were clouded and confused as they darted around the room, taking everything in.
I was rooted to the spot, not moving. He frowned and then winced when he tried to sit up.
“Uh, you shouldn’t do that. Take it easy,” I instructed, my voice shaking.
Then the wild, green eyes found me. There was no immediate recognition and I felt the crushing weight of disappointment.
He doesn’t know who I am.
His eyes were cold. So cold. Dead. He groaned as he lifted his hand to his face, touching the bandaged skin.
“Let me call the nurse. Your doctor will want to see you now that you’re awake—”
“Where am I?” he asked, his voice rough and hard.
It was a voice I had heard a million times in my dreams.
A voice I never thought I’d hear again. Not in real life.
“You’re at Lupton Memorial Hospital. You were brought in last night.” I didn’t give him any more details. I wasn’t sure he was ready for all that. He had just gained consciousness after all.
“The hospital,” he repeated. He struggled to sit up and hissed in pain at the effort.
“Seriously, you should wait and let me call the nurse—”
His eyes flashed in my direction and the cloud of confusion lifted as he speared me with a look that I felt in my bones.
Recognition.
His eyes widened and his mouth parted in disbelief.
I wanted to say something—anything—but my tongue felt frozen behind my teeth.
Yoss shook his head and closed his eyes. He let out a noise that sounded a lot like a sob and my heart knew the sound of pain when it heard it.