She pulled away, rushing back inside, the door slamming shut.
Waiting in the hospital corridor, I had never felt time stretch so agonizingly.
The silence of the hallway filled me with an unprecedented fear.
In my heart, I made a vow: if Aubrey survived, I’d do anything. We’d remarry immediately. Didn’t she want a child?
Once she recovered, we’d have a child.
I was wrong, truly wrong. I shouldn’t have pushed her so hard. If only she could get better, I’d do whatever she wanted.
From now on, I’d come home early to eat dinner with her every day. When she had vacation, I’d take her traveling all over the
country.
I’d never yell at her again, never ignore her calls.
The operating room door opened. The surgeon emerged, pulled off his mask, and shook his head at us.
“She was a hero. Please accept our condolences.”
Aubrey was gone.
Inside the operating room, they removed the instruments and covered her with a white sheet.
Her colleagues arrived.
Her family arrived.
Some cried until they fainted.
10
Before Aubrey’s burial,
I spent most of my time by her side.
11:00 AM
<
A small child came to pay respects, speaking with innocent words.
“Uncle, aren’t you scared here? My parents said this place is full of dead people and told me not to run around.”
I looked at Aubrey, forever sleeping.
I shook my head and smiled faintly.
How could I be scared?
The time I had left to be by her side was down to these last couple of days.
Soon, she would no longer be in this world.
I wouldn’t even be able to be near her.
My hand rested on the cool, silent casket.
I couldn’t understand how someone so vibrant, so full of life, so young–Aubrey–could just leave this world.
She had always been a tomboy since she was little.
Other girls were gentle and delicate, good at singing and dancing.
She had short hair, never wore dresses, and could run faster than most boys.
If she saw a girl being bullied, she’d immediately throw a few punches, chasing the boys away.
Actually, she was quite pretty: big eyes, a well–defined nose, and a naturally bright complexion.
Especially when she stared at me with those round, innocent eyes.
She’d make my heart race.
But she simply didn’t understand what men liked.
Men wanted a woman they could protect.
