Three hours while the man I loved lay less than thirty feet away.
Eventually, Marlene left for coffee.
I went inside.
Russell looked impossibly small against the hospital sheets.
I sat beside him and took his hand.
His fingers tightened weakly around mine.
“Don’t fight them,” he whispered.
Tears filled my eyes.
“She won’t even let me see you.”
“Don’t fight them.”
“Russell—”
“Trust me.”
I pressed his hand to my cheek.
“I don’t care about the house.”
His eyes softened.
“I know.”
“I don’t care about the company. I don’t care about any of it.”
“I know.”
“Then why does everyone keep acting like I’m waiting for you to die?”
His face twisted with pain that had nothing to do with illness.
“Elena…”
“I would give everything back if it gave me another year with you.”
He stared at me for a long time.
