One More Chance novel Chapter 117

~~~If I should stay I would only be in your way and so I'll go, but I know I'll think of you each step of the way. Bitter-sweet memories that's all I'm taking with me. Goodbye, please don't cry 'cause we both know that I'm not what you need. I hope life treats you kind and I hope that you have all that you ever dreamed of. I wish you joy, I wish you happiness, but above all this, I wish you love~~~

-Dolly Parton (Original-Emotional version)-

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"S-So it means... it's r-really you that I saw at the---" I haven't even finished the question when he nodded and that's when I burst into tears. "Ohh... D-David..."

"Shhh..." He got up immediately and shifted to the side of the bed. "Shhh... it's okay, babe." He even wiped my tears as he continued to shake his head. The silent tears later turned into small sobs.

I couldn't imagine how he felt at that time when he heard all the words I said.

"But why? Why didn't you tell me? Why did you stay?" I asked between my sobs. But then I closed my eyes as I realized what right do I have to ask him those questions when it's me who's at fault. "I called you that same day but it was Carl who answered your phone. He said you were in the surgery room---"

"I asked him to answer the phone for me."

"Huh? B-But how---"

"I never leave San Francisco and the truth is that I was just staying in a hotel and that day after I left the department store, I received a call from Carl and he said he too had filed a vacation leave and he's planning to stay here. We met at the parking lot, so the time you called I already asked him a favor to answer my phone."

"S-So you heard everything?" I asked and when he nodded, I suddenly wished the ground could open up and swallow me. "So you've been here all this time and following me around?"

"Yes, and I was where you were."

"Oh, my--- I-I'm sorry." My hand automatically covered my mouth as the loud sob escaped my lips. "David, I'm sorry..."

"Come on, why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong."

Exactly, why am I apologizing? What am I apologizing for? Of all the mistakes I made while he was not around, which of those mistakes do I apologize for?

"B-But---"

"You just followed your heart."

And those words cut my heart into million pieces. Guilt started creeping into my entire body and eating up my sanity.

"No, David." I shook my head. "I never meant to say those words. I-I only mentioned them to annoy Cherry and for her to leave me alone."

"H-Hey, babe, it's okay. Let's just talk about it some other time. You just woke up from surgery and you need to take a rest."

"What about the question you said you wanted to ask me earlier?"

"Uhm... don't mind it, it's not that important."

"But babe---"

"Shhh." He interrupted me by placing his index finger over my lips. "We still have a lot of time to talk about those things, but for now you must take a rest. Your health is more important to me."

I gulped when he pulled me into a hug and kissed me on the forehead. And when he flashed me a smile, I began to question myself again as to why I said those things. If only I had known the consequences, I wouldn't have mentioned those words.

* * *

Two weeks have passed and I have been finally discharged from the hospital. David has stayed with me for the past few days and comes to visit me at home every day to help me with the therapy. But even though we are within inches of each other, I feel that something has changed in him. Well, honestly, I noticed that everything changed... from how the way he looked at me with pain and sorrow dancing in his eyes to the way he showed care and love every time he touched me.

I don't know how many times I tried to ask him about the topic we were discussing when I was still in the hospital, but every time I talked about it, the more he became aloof and wanted to avoid discussing it, until yesterday...

"David,"

"Yes---babe?" He turned to me with a bit of shock written in his eyes and I frowned slightly at how uneasy he was at that moment.

I had just finished the therapy session for my leg and foot injury and the therapist had just left, so we're the only ones left in the room.

He slowly walked over me and knelt in front of me as he held my hands.

"Yes? Does anything hurt or are you hungry? Do you want me to cook for you?" And he was about to get up, but I grabbed his hand.

"No, I'm fine and I'm not hungry." I shook my head.

"Okay, what is it?" He asked with a small smile curled on his lips as he pulled the chair from his right and sat down across from me.