John hired a car when his wife was discharged from the hospital, and with the help of a neighbour, they carried her into the house. “Everything will be alright,” he comforted her, “just stay with me. Even if you just sit and talk to me. Just stay. Ill manage everything. Dont leave me, my love!”
At 35, Emily had given up on ever knowing the happiness of love, but fate had other plans. They found each other when both were nearing forty. John had been a widower for three years by then, and Emily had never married, though shed had a son. People would say shed had him “for herself.” In her youth, shed been swept off her feet by a charming dark-haired man named Oliver, whod promised marriage but turned out to be already wed. His wife even came to plead with Emily not to break up their family. Young and naive, Emily stepped backbut she kept the child.
So it was. Emily gave birth to James, and he became her one joy in life. He was well-mannered, did well in school, and later studied economics at university. John visited Emily a few times, asking her to start a life together. She hesitated, though she liked himshe felt awkward about her son and unsure if she deserved happiness. One evening, James sat her down. “Mum, I wont be living at home much longer anyway,” he said. “Uncle Johns a good man. Just make sure he treats you right. I only want you to be happy.” Johns son felt the same.
So they married, held a small celebration, and began their life together. Emily worked at the village library, John as an agronomist. They did everything side by sidetending their garden, keeping livestock, managing the house. They loved and respected each other, though they wished theyd had children of their own.
Both sons married, and grandchildren came. Every holiday, the house was full as they prepared giftsfresh eggs, milk, cream, pork, and chicken. John and Emily would sit at the table, surrounded by family, grateful they had so many to celebrate with.
Yet at night, as they lay in bed, each quietly hoped to be the first to goso the other would never be left alone.
Time passed, and one morning, disaster struck. Emily collapsed in the kitchen while making soup. The neighbours helped John call an ambulance. The doctors said shed had a strokeshe could still think and speak, but shed never walk again. James visited, gave money for her care, then left.
John hired a car to bring her home, lifting her inside with the neighbours help. “Everything will be fine,” he whispered. “Just stay with me. Thats all I ask.”
He cared for her tenderly. Within a month, she was in a wheelchair, helping him in the kitchenpeeling potatoes, sorting beans, even baking bread. Evenings, theyd talk about the winter ahead. John wasnt strong enough to chop wood anymore.
“Maybe the children will take us in for winter,” Emily murmured. “We could manage on our own come spring”
That weekend, James and his wife Charlotte arrived. After a glance around the house, Charlotte announced, “Well have to separate you. Well take Mum next week. Ill prepare a room.”
“And what about me?” John asked weakly. “Weve never been apart. How can this be?”
“That was before, when you could manage alone,” Charlotte said. “Now its different. Your son can take you in. No one can handle both of you together.”
James and Charlotte left. John and Emily sighed deeply, wondering what to do. Each prayed not to wake, to spare the other the pain.
The next weekend, both sons returned to pack their things. John sat by Emilys bed, gazing at her, remembering their youthand wept. He leaned close and whispered, “Forgive me, Emily We must have failed somehow, raising them. Theyre splitting us up like unwanted kittens. Forgive me. I love you”
Emily tried to touch his cheek, but her strength was gone. John left, wiping his tearsthen gave up wiping them altogether in the car.
As James and Charlotte bundled Emily into a blanket to carry her out feet-first, she thought how fitting it was. She didnt resist. By the time Johns car was out of sight, she was gone. She hadnt wanted to see the evening come.
A week later, on a crisp autumn daythe Feast of St. Michaeltheir wish was granted. Emily and John met again in another world.
