95
Nicholas’s POV
Morning came too quickly. The sunlight pierced through the hospital room curtains, marking the start of a heavy day. I had just finished speaking with the doctor, who told me I was allowed to go home. His words still echoed in my ears, but instead of feeling relieved, I was enveloped in overwhelming fatigue. I truly hadn’t slept well last night.
1 sat on the edge of the bed, taking a deep breath. My phone lay on the side table, vibrating silently as if waiting for my attention. I reached for it and was greeted with a screen full of missed call notifications and unread messages. Most were from the office, some from numbers 1 didn’t recognize. There were also messages from coworkers asking when I could return.
I rubbed my temples, trying to soothe the slight throb that had begun in my forehead. “I should have slept longer, “I muttered softly, realizing that even the pain in my head hadn’t completely subsided.
However, there was no time to be lazy. I needed to change clothes and prepare to leave the hospital. Cautiously, I got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom. My reflection in the mirror startled me–the forehead still bandaged, dark bags under my eyes, and a face that looked more exhausted than usual. No time for lamenting. I quickly changed out of my hospital gown into the casual outfit I had brought.
After finishing dressing, I sat back down on the bed for a moment. I scrolled through messages on my phone, trying to sort which were most urgent. Messages from my office were the most numerous, asking about reports I needed to finish, meetings I needed to attend, and documents piling up on my desk. All that work was waiting, and I knew I couldn’t postpone it any longer.
But my mind wasn’t fully on the office. The image of Sabrina still lying in the ICU kept appearing in my thoughts. Her weak body, her pale face, and the doctor’s voice saying her condition was critical haunted my mind. I also couldn’t forget about Hazel and Charlie. Last night, seeing Hazel being both firm and caring surprised me a bit. Even though we often disagreed, I knew she truly cared for Charlie. But behind that, I still couldn’t shake the doubts about what she had actually said to Charlie that made the child change his mind about Sabrina.
I shook my head, trying to focus on what was in front of me. There was work to be done, bills to pay, and a family slowly losing balance. All of this felt like a burden too heavy for me to carry, but I had no other choice.
After a few minutes passed, I decided to step out of the room. The journey back to normal life began now. As I walked down the hospital corridor, my mind jumped to the lask list at the office. Yet, in the corner of my heart, I knew I would return to this hospital. Whether for Sabrina, for Charlie, or even for Hazel, I would come back. Because, after all, they were parts of my life that I could not ignore.
The restaurant was filled with the sound of low conversations, clinking glasses, and the refreshing aroma of coffee. I sat at a table in the corner, waiting for a client who had scheduled an appointment with me since last week. I arrived on time, dressed in a neat work suit, though my heart still felt heavy with various thoughts.
When my client arrived, he immediately sat across from me A middle–aged man, friendly, and always seemed confident in our previous business meetings. We began our conversation casually, discussing the collaboration plans we were working on. The presentation went smoothly, several key points were agreed upon, and I felt a bit relieved that at least one responsibility had been successfully completed today.
However, after finishing the business talk, the topic began to shift to more personal matters. I tried to remain polite, smile, and respond as needed, even though I actually preferred to end this meeting and return to the office.
“How are you, Nicholas? You look tired,” he said while sipping his coffee.
I just smiled slightly. “Just a lot of work, sir. Nothing serious.
+25 BONUS
He nodded slowly, then sighed deeply, “I know how that feels. But lately, I’ve realized that work shouldn’t be everything.”
I felt a little intrigued by the direction of the conversation, so I decided to listen. He continued, “Two months ago, I lost my wife. She passed away from cancer.”
His words left me speechless. I hadn’t expected the conversation to take such a personal turn. I looked at him, trying to read his expression, but his face seemed calm despite the traces of sadness in his eyes.
“I’m very sorry for your loss,” I replied softly, trying to express my sympathy.
He nodded, accepting my words with a faint smile. “Thank you. It was a difficult time, but we knew it would end. this way.”
I couldn’t help the curiosity that arose. “If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?”
He set his coffee cup down and took a deep breath before answering. “My wife was diagnosed with cancer a year ago. We tried everything. We went to the best hospitals here, even abroad. But… there was no change. Her illness was already too advanced by the time we found out. The doctors said there was no hope for recovery.”
His words hit me like a hammer. I remembered Sabrina, still lying in the ICU, fighting the same disease. Could she also be at a point of hopelessness like this man’s wife? The thought made my chest feel tight.
“I’m sorry; I know this must be difficult,” I said, trying to keep my tone neutral despite the turmoil in my mind.
He nodded again. “Very difficult, Nicholas. But in the end, I learned to accept it. It wasn’t easy, but I realized she/ was no longer suffering. That’s what matters most.”
I could only nod, unsure of what to say. The man continued to speak, sharing beautiful memories with his wife, their struggles against the illness, and how much he cherished every moment they had before having to part ways. I listened intently, even as my thoughts began to drift.
“But if I could turn back time, I would try harder to heal her. At least to give her hope for recovery and make her hold on a little longer.”
