Chapter 7
Sarah woke up.
Chapter 7
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But when she came to, she didn’t recognize anyone.
The doctors said it was brain damage from the accident-retrograde amnesia.
She’d forgotten everything. Her mind had regressed to that of a child, maybe seven or eight years old. She was like a
blank slate.
Douglas’s parents visited her once. They couldn’t say a word to her, just sighed.
Douglas’s leg healed slowly. He started physical therapy, sweating through the pain every day.
Jonathan came to see me.
“Madeline, I know I shouldn’t be here, but… Doug’s in a bad way right now.
“The unit handed down their decision-forced retirement. His parents won’t speak to him, Sarah’s in that state… He barely talks. I’m afraid he’ll do something drastic.”
“What do you want me to do? Take care of him? Comfort him?”
Jonathan dropped his head. “I just thought… after eight years together…”
“Jonathan, those eight years ended the moment he ran out of our engagement party.”
I never saw Douglas again.
On the day he was discharged, his parents came to pick him up. He was in a wheelchair, pushed out by someone else.
We looked at each other across the hospital lobby, separated by the distance.
He’d lost so much weight, his eyes were hollow. He looked ten years older.
I turned away and walked into the elevator with Bradley.
Life finally seemed to settle down.
Bradley started pursuing me. He’d bring me breakfast, wait for me after work, and invite me out to movies.
I didn’t turn him down, but I didn’t say yes, either.
My mom was thrilled-she thought Bradley was perfect.
“Maddie, Dr. Connell is such a catch. Young, accomplished, steady-you’d better hold on to him.”
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Chapter 7
I just smiled.
It felt like I’d lost the ability to love someone.
Six months later, I ran into Douglas at the supermarket. He was shopping alone, leaning on a cane. He moved slowly, limping with every step.
He saw me and froze. Then he forced a smile-one that looked more like he was about to cry.
“Maddie, long time no see.”
“Long time.”
A row of shelves stood between us, and neither of us spoke.
“You… doing okay?” he asked first.
“I’m good.”
“That’s good.”
He pushed his cart away, moving slowly. His figure looked utterly desolate.
That night, Bradley came to pick me up. I told him I’d run into Douglas.
He took my hand. “It’s all in the past now.”
“Yeah.”
“Madeline.” He looked at me seriously. “I know something is holding you back. I’m willing to wait-whenever you’re ready, we’ll move forward.”
I looked at him, my eyes stinging.
“Bradley, that’s not fair to you.”
“In love, there’s no fair or unfair. Only whether I’m willing.”
That night, I said yes.
We started dating.
Life was ordinary, but peaceful. Bradley was busy, and so was I, but we always made time for each other.
He remembered my periods and made hot chocolate for me. I made soup for him after his long surgeries.
No drama-just quiet, quiet companionship.
I thought Douglas and Sarah would slowly fade out of my life.
Until the day the military released a statement.
It shocked everyone.
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