Chipter 17
The thought brought Cindy a measure of peace. Her hospital room had a good view, Winterforests
faintly in the hazy aftemoon sunlight. She dragged a chair over and sat by the glass
A knock came at the door, steady and deliberate. Glancing at the clock, Cindy assumed it was the doctor making rounds.
“Come in,” she said, turning with a smile, only to co perfectly still
Arthur stood there
There years had honed him. He looked older, thinner beneath his trench coat, his sharp features more pronounced, more severe. but they did nothing to mask the wild, exultant light buming in them.
ne severe. His heavy brows h
hooded his eyes,
“I found you,” Arthur choked out, his voice shalding with emotion.
He stumbled forward, the flowers he’d been holding falling forgotten as he closed the distance in quick, desperate steps and pulled Cindy into a crushing embrace “I found you. Cindy!”
The shock lasted only seconds before Cindy relaxed into resignation. She’d always lown Arthur would find her eventually, so she didn’t fight his grip. His ans wrapped tightly around her, and she felt the wann wetness of tears soaking through her collar.
“Yeah, it’s me,” Cindy said evenly. “It’s been a long time, Arthur.”
“why” Arthur’s body was wracked with sobs, his breathing coming in jagged gasps between words. “Why did you try to kill yourself? Why keep your illness from me? Why all the lies?”
Here was Arthur, a grown man in his 30s, subbing like a heartbroken kid. He held onto Cindy with a wild, almost manic grip, chanting her be thought she might vanish if he stopped.
Cindy was starting to get annoyed.
“Arthur, you’re going to crush me if you don’t ease up, she muttered with a frown
name between gasps li
He reeled back, his legs giving out, and he collapsed to the floor at her feet, gazing up at her in her chair. He’d cried until he was a mess–his face flushed, and his forehead strealied with what might have been sweat or melted snow,
His fingers shook when they closed around Cindy’s cold hands. He tried so hard to stop crying, but the tears wouldn’t quit…
Cindy had only seen Arthur this shattered once before–the day Winter was gone.
“Don’t go,” Arthur choked out, catching Cindy’s hand as she pulled away. “Please, Cindy. Stay.”
“I’m not the one leaving,” Cindy said, effortlessly freeing her hand as she regarded him with detached calm. “You are.”
Arthur’s lips went pale. The absolute lack of pretense in Cindy’s demeanor forced upon him an unwelcome recollection of everything he’d done.
“How thoughtiess of me,” Cindy said quietly, her smile not reaching her eyes. “How’s married life? Are there any little ones running around? I should’ve mentioned that Sylvan and I are married now. Celeste is our daughter. You must have seen her by now.”
Her words hit Arthur like a sledgehammer to the skill. His ears rang, a sharp white noise cutting through everything like his hearing had short–circuited. Faroneternitying moment, he couldn’t find his voice. Has mouth moved, but no words came out. He was having a complete meltdown.
Cindy almost laughed at how battled he was. Had she been that pathetic when she loved him? No wonder he’d treated her like a joke.
Arthur go to his feet, nodding absentmindedly, and blurted, “I’ve seen her. She’s gorgeous Cindy, listen-”
He was about to say that he’d cover the cost of the surgery, but Cindy cut him off as if she’d read himind.
“I took all I had to decide to tight and step into this hospital,” she said quietly. “Please don’t make me die all over again, Arthur.” Her words sliced through Ambur like a razor, so quickdy that the pain didn’t register until the damage was done. The turf was so share it his lungs, leaving him clutching his chest, gasping for air just to stay on his feet
it knocked the br
breath from
He swayed on his feet, clutching the hospital bed’s frame for support, his face ashen. He knew Cindy wasn’t blufting, so he held his tongue, giving only a nod before turning away, his mind clouded in a daze.
Arthur shuffled off unsteadily, but Cindy said nothing, ber eyes following his retreat, Only then did it dawn gather–there was no real anger left in her heart. Sylvan’s unwavering patience and devotion had slowly worn down every sued of love or resentment she’d ever clung to Staring at Arthur now, all that stined in her was a faint, detached surprise.
Maybe this was how it was mirant to be, she thought. She’d stay out of his life, and he’d stay out
Thers..
They had never been anything more than parallel lurs, briefly intersecting because of Winter. Now that Winter was gone, it was only right for them to retuinto
The muse had cleaned up the scattered flowers, but Sylvan still picked up on the visitor the moment he stepped back inside.
He wrinkled his nose, asking, “What’s that awful sanell?=
Jant flowers. Arthur stopped by, Cindy said frankly,
le moved like a watchdog on high alert, paring around her twice as if checking for injuries.
Cindy rose with an easy laugh, hummiting his inspection. “Relax, P’m not lunt.“
“You had me worried,” Sylvan said, pulling her close and resting his fourhead against her shoulder before exhaling.“I thought he’d drag you off somewhere. At least you’re safe. Cindy, let’s head back to the South after the surgery, okay?”
“Okay,” Chidy und, beady missing the constant warmththere.
Jesters were brutal. Even a sunny day felt like a miracle. Sroiling, she added, “But you’re in charge of corkach duty.”
Cut!
