A life with him

The hospital room was quiet except for the steady hum of the oxygen machine. Outside the window, the sun was setting slowly, painting the sky in shades of orange and gold, but Salome barely noticed. Her once bright eyes were tired now, her skin pale, her body weakened by years of illness. Around her bed stood relatives and friends, people who cared for her, people who would miss her. But her heart… her heart was somewhere else. Her mind drifted back to Riverdale University, to the lecture halls filled with youthful chatter, to the boy who had stolen her heart without even trying. Jeremiah. She could see him as clearly as if he were standing before her—his worn-out shirts, the way his glasses always slipped down his nose, his quiet determination as he buried himself in books. He had never had much, but his dreams were bigger than anyone else’s. And she had loved him. Oh, how she loved him. But he had never allowed himself to love her back, not fully. He had chosen his studies, his siblings, his future. He had chosen everything but her. A tear rolled down Salome’s cheek as her breathing grew shallow. She had lived a long life, one filled with success, wealth, and admiration. Yet through it all, her heart had been empty, carrying a love that was never fulfilled. Her lips trembled as she whispered, her voice cracking in the silence: “Jeremiah… if only I had another chance… I would choose you, no matter what it costs me.” The machines beeped one last time, and then, silence. ******