25. Drakar

“I’m so sorry,” the doctor says, looking nearly as defeated as I feel while we stand in the ER waiting room. “We did everything we could but… Mrs. Tvojan didn’t make it.”

A sharp, piercing ring echoes through my ears.

“What?” I demand. At least, I think that’s what I say. Why can’t I hear myself?

The doctor’s mouth keeps moving but there aren’t any words.

Dead. Sally is dead.

My knees give out, snapping as if they’re nothing more than twigs, and I crash against the wall. The drywall crumbles under the force of my soul shattering. The doctor tries to reach out for me as if his puny human arms could keep me from sliding to the floor. Numbness seeps into every aspect of my body except for the pain – and it fucking hurts.

Every part of my body physically aches from the absence of that beautiful soul… so perfect, and pure, and everything I’ve denied myself for far too long.

And now it’s too late.

I’ll never hear her voice again.

“Sir? Mr. Tvojan?”

My eyes finally focus on his concerned face.

“What am I going to tell her parents?” I ask helplessly.

The doctor”s expression softens as he crouches down beside me, his hand resting gently on my shoulder. ”I know this is an incredibly difficult time, but it”s important to remember that they loved Sally just as much as you did. They deserve to know what happened and to grieve with you.”

I nod numbly, feeling the weight of his words settle onto my already crumbling shoulders. ”What happened?”

“It was a car accident. Her body was in the ditch with her car.”

As I struggle to my feet, the doctor helps me steady myself, his grip firm and reassuring. My mind races with thoughts of how to break the news to Sally”s parents. The joy of their recent visits is now a cruel memory in the wake of tragedy. Images of Sally, her smile, her laughter, and the warmth of her hand in mine flood through me, and a storm of sorrow bursts forth, my tears unrestrained, a primal release of pain.

The doctor hands me a tissue, his eyes filled with empathy. ”Take your time, Mr. Tvojan. There”s no right or wrong way to do this, but know that you”re not alone. I can be there with you when you tell them if you”d like.”

I nod, unable to speak, as I try to compose myself. I know that I need to be strong for Sally”s parents, to be the rock that they need in this time of unimaginable grief. But the thought of making that call is almost unbearable.

As I stand there, lost in my thoughts, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look up to see the doctor standing beside me, a concerned look on his face. ”Are you okay, Mr. Tvojan? Do you need anything?”

I shake my head, trying to push down the emotions that threaten to overwhelm me. ”No, I”m fine. I just need a moment.”

The doctor nods, giving my shoulder a squeeze before stepping back. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, when suddenly a movement catches my eye. I turn to see a figure standing in the doorway, her features slowly coming into focus.

For a moment, I think I must be hallucinating, my mind playing cruel tricks on me in my time of anguish. But as she steps closer, I can see the concern etched on her face, and I realize that she”s really here.

”Sally?” I croak out, my voice barely above a whisper. ”Is it really you?”

She smiles softly, reaching out to take my hand. ”It”s me, Drakar. I”m here.”

I can hardly believe it, my emotions a whirlwind of shock, relief, and disbelief. I feel like I”m dreaming, that any moment now I”ll wake up and find myself back in that cold, sterile hospital room, crushed by the weight of my grief.

”But the doctor, he said... he said you didn”t make it,” I manage to choke out, my voice trembling with emotion.

Sally looks at me with a mixture of confusion and sadness in her eyes. ”Drakar, I don”t know what to say. All I know is that I stopped at the side of the road near the gas station to use the restroom. When I came out, there was a truck barreling towards the intersection, and it collided with several cars. It hit mine, too, but I was last in line. Barely touched. I had to come get checked out, but I’m fine.”

I stare at her in disbelief, trying to make sense of what she”s saying. ”But what about the body they found? They said it was you, Sally. They said you were gone.”

Sally looks away, her eyes filling with tears. ”I don”t know, Drakar. I guess it must have been someone else who was caught up in the collision. Maybe there was some kind of mix-up at the hospital.”

I shake my head, still trying to wrap my mind around what”s happening. It”s all too much to process, too much to take in.

”So another body was found by your car?” I ask, my voice trembling with emotion.

Sally takes a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly. ”I think the impact from the collision must have sent some of the other cars spinning out of control. One of them must have hit mine and sent it rolling into the ditch. I don”t remember any of it, though. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the hospital.”

As the pieces of the puzzle start to come together, I feel a wave of relief wash over me. It”s a miracle that Sally is alive, and I can”t help but feel grateful for this second chance.

I reach out and take her hand in mine, feeling the warmth of her skin against mine. ”I”m just so grateful that you”re here,” I say, my voice choked by emotion. ”I don”t know what I would have done if I had lost you.”

As the reality of Sally”s survival sets in, I feel a wave of relief wash over me, followed by an overwhelming sense of emotion.

Sally wraps her arms around me, holding me tight as I let out all the pent-up emotion that”s been building inside me. I feel like a dam has burst, and all the love, fear, and longing that I”ve been holding onto for so long is finally pouring out.

”I”m sorry,” I say, my voice muffled against her shoulder. ”I didn”t mean to break down like this.”

Sally pulls back and looks at me, her eyes filled with understanding. ”It”s okay, Drakar. You thought I was dead. Clearly, that meant something to you.”

“Of course, of course, it does,” I sigh, taking her petite face between my hands. “How could it not? The thought of you… dead… It’s too hard to even think about.”

Her words fill me with a sense of warmth and love that I”ve never felt before. I know that our relationship will never be the same after this–I”ll never be the same.

”I love you, Sally,” I whisper into her hair, my voice raw and unguarded. ”I don”t know what I would have done if I had lost you. I”m so sorry for everything that”s happened between us. Can you ever forgive me?”

As I pour my heart out to Sally, I can see the emotions playing across her face. She looks surprised, confused, and then, slowly, something else. Something that makes my heart race with hope.

She takes a deep breath, her eyes locked on mine, and I can see the wheels turning in her head. She”s weighing her options, trying to decide what to say. And in that moment, I realize that my heart is in her hands.

”I thought…” she says finally, her voice soft and steady. ”I thought you felt that this was just a business arrangement.”

I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, my nerves on edge as I wait for her to continue. I”ve never wanted anything more than this.

”No, Sally,” I say, my voice filled with emotion. ”It”s never been just a business arrangement. Not for me. You mean so much more to me than that.”

Sally looks up at me, her eyes filled with tears. “But you filed for divorce.”

I freeze. How the hell could she know that? I only talked to my secretary about it a few hours ago.

“Sally,” I say, searching for the right words. “I mean it when I say I love you. You’re like the sun and the moon, the stars, the blooming of flowers. You are everything good and beautiful in this world. I know that I’ve been a damn fool not to realize it, and I don’t know if you could possibly forgive me for being so ignorant, but… I can’t live without you.”

I gaze into her beautiful eyes as they search my face, holding my breath and not willing to let my heart beat until I hear her response.