“William, she won’t get well in a short amount of time and you also can’t be too selfish, can you? I can’t stand the long wait. I have to forget you and start my life again!” Sherry said, “Do you think she will get better in a year or two? How long do I have to wait? Your father will never agree. I can’t have Sammy, can’t have you, all that I have left is torment. The only thing I can do for you is let go of your hand and let you take care of her. If I wait any longer, I am afraid I will become like her, I might lose my mind too. Don’t let me become extreme, okay?”
He sighed pensively, “But… I can’t live without you!”
His expressions were very painful. After a long time, he added, “Sherry, why are you trying to be so strong at such a time? Why can’t you be a little selfish? You know if you tell me to not take care of her, I will not take care of her, right?”
“But you have already decided!”
“Have I?” He asked.
She smiled. Crystal clear tears slid down her cheek, making them wet. He held her face and kissed both her cheeks.
“William, you are so stupid! You lost me! You actually chose a patient! You’d rather choose a patient over me! But I am proud and gratified that the man I fell in love with is not so cold-blooded.”
His heart hurt even more, like a knife cut through it. His tears fell, and he took a deep breath, swallowing them.
Sherry’s big eyes met his deep ones, “When you kissed me desperately and said that you will marry me, I already knew it that you can’t ignore her and have to take care of her endlessly. You are the only person she knows. I think she must love you to her core which is why she only remembers you. She has nothing else! William, you are the most important person that she can rely on. You are the strength and sources which could possibly make her get better.”
“Sherry, how can you know me so well and see through me so well?” He whispered hugging her tightly, as if to blend her into his own body.
“The sympathy and guilt that you feel for her has overtaken us all, including your guilt towards your father, towards Sammy and me. Just because she is a patient and we are all healthy. William… I know you have no other choice!” Sherry pushed him away and took a deep breath.
“Don’t worry about me. I still have Sammy and Dan, I am only twenty-three years old, still beautiful and youthful. Even if I can’t stand the loneliness a few years later, I can find a man to marry. I can still live a happy life because I am healthy. She has nothing, can’t even have children, so I have way more than her! But I am still jealous of her because she got you concerned for her! William let me tell you, if she was healthy, I would never let you go. I’m afraid I would never let go of your hand even for my son but…”
She placed the ring in his hand and held his hand tightly, “This is the last time I hold you, the last time I have you! From now on, I will learn to be very selfish, I will fall in love and find a man to marry. Don’t worry about me!”
“Sherry, listen to me. Go live in No. 15 Villa! You take Dan with you and live there!” He growled deeply, not knowing how to make it up to her.
“Okay, then it’s mine!” She agreed, just wanting to reassure him, “I want that villa and I want that bankbook, too.”
“Sherry!” He called her name in a hoarse voice. He was never going to fall in love again because there was no woman greater than her.
“Okay, I should go now. William, I should go!” Sherry smiled, standing on her tip-toes to kiss his lips, telling herself that it was the last time.
“Take care of her with peace of mind! You can do it!” She smiled. Tears swirled in her eyes, rolling down her cheeks.
Then she turned around, “Good bye, William! Don’t come to meet me again!”
“No! Sherry! Don’t be so cruel!” He grabbed her hand, pulling her into his arms, “Sherry, don’t be so cruel!”
He hugged her tightly. Then he held her cheeks with both his hands and kissed her eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks…
His tears intertwined with hers.
Then, he pressed her head against his chest again, “No!”
He struggled, “How can I let go of your hand?”
“You can! In this world, the one who leaves, always survive! It will be fine! Just like when I lost Sammy and Luke, I thought the sky had fallen but the sky is still there! So, William, you can let go!”
He stood there stupefied at her words, feeling shocked and bewildered, “Sherry, you know what you are doing is more hurtful. Neither of us will be happy!”
“What is the definition of happiness? For the other person to smile or live well? In fact, happiness is, two people living together for a lifetime, holding hands and growing old together. So, I also want to find my happiness. You are Lucille’s happiness. Even if you hold my hand and I hold your hand, will we be able to find happiness? Will you have no guilt for the rest of your life? William, if you didn’t have a guilty conscience then why did you leave me to go to France to find her? Did you know that when you left me, I had no money?”
“Sherry…” William held her hand, but she just smiled.
“I didn’t know, I didn’t notice!” Yes, he left in a hurry, only arranged for the driver to take him to the airport and forgot that she had no money. “Sorry!”
He didn’t know what to say except apologize.
“I don’t want your apology. I know that you were too anxious, which also showed that your guilt is too deep. So, William, let go!”
She looked at his big slender hand holding her small hand tightly. She stretched out her hand and then separated the fingers one by one. “Let go!”
“Sherry!” With his hand becoming empty, William felt as if the air was painful. Even breathing was so painful that his heart almost stopped.
Sherry opened the door and Liam looked at her worriedly. He had heard some parts of their conversation, “Sherry…”
Sherry wiped her tears with her hands and smiled. Her face looked like a sun flower in full bloom, so clear and bright.
“Liam, help him take care of Ms. Mclean! Perhaps getting married will be the best help for her!”
“Sherry!” William whispered behind her.
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The readers' comments on the novel: A Moment in Destiny
the writing is quite childish, but maybe it's just the translations...