Nick stared blankly at the door that Kayleigh had just run through. Did she just say that she was dying? He had to have heard her wrong. He wanted to run after her and find out just what the hell she meant but his feet seemed frozen in that same spot. A thousand images of he and Kayleigh ran through his mind. Everything from the time that they met until two minutes ago when she disappeared inside the house. He suddenly felt as if he couldn’t breathe as he quickly spun around on his heel and ran down towards the beach.

Kayleigh watched from Elizabeth’s bedroom window as Nick descended the stairs to the beach. Tears steadily rolled down her cheeks. He didn’t even follow her. Kayleigh knew it was selfish of her to be acting this way but she was ultimately doing it for him.

After an hour of doing nothing but staring out at the ocean, Nick felt that it was time to head back up to the house. He needed to see Kayleigh and find out exactly what was wrong with her. No matter what, though, he was determined to marry her. He loved her so much and that was all he had ever wanted. He trudged through the sand and back up to the house.

“Kayles?” he called out as he walked through the house. Not hearing response, Nick ascended the stairs. He didn’t find her in the room she had been sleeping in or in his own room. He was about to walk back downstairs when he spotted her sitting in the rocking chair in Elizabeth’s room. The room was dark but her tear-stained face was illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the window. Her tear-filled eyes met his and she burst into sobs. Nick quickly rushed over to her and knelt in front of her, pulling her close.

“I’m so scared, Nicky,” Kayleigh cried. “I’m scared. I don’t want to die.”

“Shh…” Nick soothed. “Calm down, baby.”

Kayleigh got her sobs under control and stared at Nick. “I have a brain tumor,” she finally told him.

Nick sucked in his breath sharply, as tears, once again, welled up in his eyes. “Well, that can be removed, can’t it?” he asked.

Kayleigh shook her head. “No. It’s too big. Inoperable. I’ve actually had it for four years now but I didn’t have symptoms until a few months ago.”

“What about chemotherapy or radiation?” Nick questioned. Again, Kayleigh shook her head. “There’s gotta be something, Kayles.”

“There’s nothing that I can do, Nicky,” Kayleigh responded. “I wish there was but there’s not.”

Nick pulled Kayleigh into his arms, cradling her head against his chest. “I don’t want you to die,” he whispered, tearfully.

“I don’t want to die either, Nick,” Kayleigh replied.

“Please marry me,” Nick pleaded. “Please?”

“I can’t,” she answered. “I can’t do that to you, Nick. Don’t you understand? You’ll be a widow in six months.”

“Six months?” Nick asked, astonished. He thought she would’ve had more time than that. “That’s all?”

Kayleigh nodded, sadly. “See why I can’t marry you?” She brushed his blond hair off of his forehead. “You deserve so much more than that. You deserve someone to grow old with. Someone to have a house full of kids with. I can’t give you all of that.”

“I don’t care, Kayles,” Nick stated, adamantly. “I want you. For however short or long of a time we have. I want us to be linked forever. Please, be my wife.”

Kayleigh stared into his eyes and knew he was serious. Slowly, she nodded. “Okay,” she whispered. “I’ll be your wife.”

<< >>