Leonard stood frozen in place, his thoughts a jumbled mess. How had everything come to this?
How had his life taken such a sharp turn? How had his marriage disintegrated before his eyes, and his career plummeted into oblivion?
And how... how had he let Monica slip through his fingers?
For a moment, the memory of Monica flooded back, sharp and stabbing. She was the girl who once looked at no one but him, who would cling to his arm, her voice tinged with concern as she chided him, "How did you manage to get hurt again? Can't they be more careful?"
Then, with a gentle touch, she'd bow her head to clean and bandage the wound on his arm, softly disinfecting it. "Just hold on a little longer. It'll feel better soon."
Leonard would lift his other hand to ruffle her hair, reassuring her. "Don
