Chapter 7 - MARA’S LETTERClara’s sister had left one letter.
She carried it everywhere.
During Blythe’s worst week, the girl noticed.
“What’s that?”
“My sister.”
“A picture?”
“A letter.”
“Read?”
Clara hesitated.
Then opened it.
Mara had written during one of her final hospital stays.
Not tragic poetry.
Complaints.
Hospital pudding.
Nurses who spoke too loudly.
Clara being bossy.
Blythe smiled.
“Your sister called you bossy.”
“She was extremely wise.”
Then the final paragraph.
If I die, please don't spend your whole life trying to defeat death for me afterward.
Clara stopped.
She had never read this aloud.
People will die even when you do everything right. That doesn’t mean the love failed.
Her voice broke.
Lawson stood in the doorway.
Clara continued.
Go live somewhere I would have hated. Fall in love with someone inconvenient. Buy terrible furniture. Stop making every room into a hospital.
Blythe whispered:
“Did you?”
“What?”
“Fall in love?”
Clara looked toward Lawson.
Bad timing.
“I’m working on terrible furniture first.”
Blythe smiled.
Later Lawson found Clara alone.
“You came because of Mara.”
“Yes.”
“To save her through them?”
Clara bristled.
Then thought.
“At first, maybe.”
He nodded.
“I understand.”
“That scares me.”
“Why?”
“Because you should tell me when I’m being unhealthy.”
He smiled faintly.
“Fine.”
“You were trying to save your sister again.”
Clara looked offended.
“Too direct.”
“You requested honesty.”
“I withdraw.”
He laughed.
Then became serious.
“You helped my children because you loved her.”
“Yes.”
“But they are not her.”
“No.”
“Good.”
Clara looked at him.
“You’re learning.”
“Against my will.”
Their closeness grew.
Not romance yet.
Too much crisis.
But trust.
Lawson listened when she challenged him.
Clara stopped assuming every silence meant threat.
Prescott complained they were making Lawson soft.
Clara replied:
“No.”
“Less stupid.”
Prescott liked her more after that.
Then the first major scan results arrived.
Disease burden lower.
Not gone.
Lower.
Priya warned:
“Do not call this remission.”
Lawson nodded.
Then immediately asked:
“How close to remission?”
Priya stared.
Clara laughed.
Hope had returned.
Annoying.
Beautiful.
May you like
Dangerous.
But real.
Related Stories
