Samuel knew how painful it was to miss somebody.
It turns out that even thinking of someone hurts all over.
His stomach twisted. It was the kind of pain that would spread to every limb before having them smashed by boulders.
Despite the pain, he found that he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Kathleen fell silent.
Samuel’s gaze deepened. “Say something.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” she bluntly said as she lay down. “I’m going to take a nap. Please carry on with your work.”
Samuel studied Kathleen thoughtfully, trying to decide if she would be heartbroken or disgusted if he told her he had missed her.
Judging by her expression, probably the latter.
Meanwhile, Kathleen felt awful.
Samuel hasn’t changed. Why would he tell me this after a year? Does he think that I’m foolish enough to change my mind just because he said that? I’m no longer that girl who loved him wholeheartedly in the stupidity of my youth. Not anymore. Why didn’t he treasure me when I did? Leaving him was the right choice.
Samuel looked sideways at Kathleen, who had her back to him. She seemed to be asleep.
He didn’t bother her further. Instead, he turned off the light.
The night suddenly became unbearably long.
Kathleen woke up the following day in a daze.
“Good morning, Katie,” said Diana with a kind voice.
Kathleen was surprised. “Old Mrs. Macari?”
Diana sat on the chair between the two beds as she reached out to stroke Kathleen’s head. “Are you feeling better?”
“I am,” Kathleen murmured demurely, like a small furry animal being caressed.
you something delicious.” Diana turned to Maria. “Bring it
Maria brought
Kathleen was taken aback.
to whip up some mushroom soup with Maria. It’s your favorite, isn’t
pang of guilt. “Old Mrs. Macari, you really didn’t have
loves me.
usually bored on weekdays, anyway. I’m
obediently before picking up a
She smiled so broadly that her eyes were reduced to slits. A warm, fuzzy feeling erupted
as you
old lady’s smile with an embarrassed grin of her
saw Samuel looking at her and pursed her lips at
caught her attention. “Samuel had some of your soup
Kathleen looked over.
did,”
word, Kathleen turned her
my own. What happened
Samuel was struck dumb.
dirty as
to discover that Diana didn’t believe
vacated this afternoon,” Diana announced.
nodded and didn’t voice
at Diana thoughtfully before commencing
“I’d said before that I’ll treat you like
out that Diana didn’t intend to bring them back
on the other
the ward next door was vacated,
Maria to help Kathleen settle in, Diana turned to look at Samuel. “Katie
didn’t deign to answer
chance with Katie,” Diana lamented. “It’s not going to work with her no matter how hard you force things. The sacrifice of Katie’s parents has given me several additional decades of life. Moving
do care for her, Grandma,”
hasn’t addressed Samuel
was old enough,
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