Donated My Cornea to His Beloved

The gauze was gently removed from around my eyes. My eyes stung with dryness, and the soft light made me reluctant to open them.The nurse stood by, advising me to wear an eye mask and to avoid water for a month. I said "thank you" and then heard the nurse grumble indignantly, "Such a beautiful young girl, donating her corneas, and no family to pick her up after the surgery." The room fell into a hush. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, so I quickly tilted my head back to steady myself. The doctor had warned that I couldn"t shed tears for a week after the surgery or risk infection. Adjusting to the changes in my vision, I slowly opened my eyes. What greeted me was a blur of fog-no recognizable shapes or figures. I smirked to myself, thinking that Gene Wells was probably glued to his first love"s side, not daring to be apart for a moment. How could he possibly remember me? Groping along the edge of the bed, I put on my shoes and stumbled out of the hospital. Two weeks ago, I had planned to apply for a guide dog, but Gene Wells had stubbornly prevented me. I thought he had a sudden change of heart, but I was too naive. He insisted I take care of my eyes and prepare for the surgery, saying everything was in order and I shouldn"t worry. Then, he spent every moment wrapped up with his first love. From start to finish, he showed no concern for whether I was willing or not. I squinted into the glaring sun. A wave of inexplicable sadness washed over me as the wind brushed past my ears. The scorching heat was melting away the chill from my body. That"s when I realized my money and phone were with Gene Wells. I stood under the sun for just a few minutes and already felt dizzy and faint. But now, I could barely see anything, only a vague white shape in the distance. Acting on instinct, I reached out to a passerby. The person stiffened, and I quickly pointed to my eyes, saying, "I"m blind. Could you please help me?" "Help me call my boyfriend." The person seemed to evaluate me with his eyes for a moment.. As l let go of his sleeve, a warm, soothing voice finally spoke, "Can you give me the number?" I widened my eyes in hope, trying to see through the mist. Unfortunately, my vision was too foggy to make out anything. Fortunately, I was close enough to catch the refreshing scent of mint on him. I smiled, about to speak, when a familiar voice cut through from behind. "What are you doing?" My smile froze, my heart jerking uncontrollably. "Thank you. My boyfriend is coming to pick me up." I turned my head, trying to find Gene, when the same clear, soothing voice chimed in again:"It seems like your boyfriend isn"t the one picking you up." Even though it was the sweltering heat of summer, and the air was stifling, hearing his voice made everything around me feel refreshing. I understood exactly what he meant. Since Lila lost her sight because of him, Gene Wells has taken her everywhere he goes. He"s been more attentive than a doting parent, treating her like the most fragile thing. And I"ve become Lila"s caretaker- peeling shrimp when she wants them, shelling walnuts with my hands. Countless days and nights, I"ve either followed Gene Wells around or stayed by Lila"s side. Sure enough, Lila"s sweet voice reached my ears: "Thank you for the corneas, Jennifer. I"ll make sure to take good care of them." "I"ll also take good care of Gene for you." I rubbed my arms, goosebumps rising. When people ask for something, they instinctively reach out, just like I was reaching for the ghostly figure. "Gene, where"s the guide dog?" A thin layer of sweat appeared on my nose, and the dizziness began to creep back. I hadn"t had a sip of water or a bite of food all day. My stomach churned with acid, and I must have looked terrible. Lila"s dismissive laugh cut through the air-she was always so bright and showy. Like a fiery red rose, beautiful and thorny. I had been raised in a greenhouse, just a wildflower on the roadside, forever in the shadows of the dazzling stars. "Gene has been with me these days and hasn"t had time to apply for the guide dog." "Sorry about that, you"ll have to wait a few more days." I awkwardly withdrew my hand, casting a helpless look at the passersby. The person seemed to waver between helping or ignoring me, but I couldn"t hear their decision. Then Gene Wells dragged me away. "Jennifer, did you really think a stranger would help you? A guide dog costs thousands." "Only a fool would pay for it." "Just leave quickly and stop making a fool of yourself here. It wasn"t until he shoved me roughly into the back seat that my brain finally started working again. Just two hours ago, he wasn"t like this at all. At least before I signed those consent forms, he was patient with me. He even went so far as to sweet-talk and persuade me. And now? Now that he"s got what he wanted, he won"t even bother pretending anymore. "I"m going to be with Lila this afternoon to look at rings." "You find something to eat at home yourself." I stared blankly at the white figure and whispered, "I can"t see anymore, Gene."