Neither of us was speaking.
Russell reached across the center console and took my hand.
That was all.
No speech.
No diamond.
No promise.
Just his fingers closing around mine.
And suddenly I knew.
I loved him.
The realization frightened me more than the proposal had.
I had married Russell partly because I was drowning and he offered me solid ground.
But if every dollar vanished the next morning, I would still want to wake up beside him.
I had said yes because I needed safety.
I stayed because he had become home.
And just when I stopped pretending otherwise, we learned we were running out of time.
Part 5 — Six Weeks
The diagnosis came in November.
I remember the doctor speaking.
I remember Russell sitting beside me.
I remember a clock on the wall ticking far too loudly.
But for several minutes, I couldn’t understand the words.
Then one number finally broke through.
