Chapter26
Maybe, just maybe, I was on the path to healing, to redemption, to reclaim the love and happiness
that had been lost.
The next day, I had an urge to visit the church before heading to work. As I stepped inside, the soft glow of the candles and the gentle murmur of prayers enveloped me, providing the tiniest segment of peace. I lit a candle, closed my eyes, and joined my hands in prayer.
Though I wasn’t deeply religious, I believed in a higher power, and I knew Leo found solace in her faith. Maybe, just maybe, my plea would be heard too. I poured my heart out, asking for a second chance to redeem myself, to be a better person, to have the family I longed for, and to become the husband and father I always aspired to be.
I prayed for the strength to make things right, to prove myself worthy of love and forgiveness.
The next day, I embarked on a mission to find overseas healthcare foundations that could help
Willy walk again. Driven by determination and hope, I scoured the internet and reached out to
contacts, leaving no stone unturned. And then, a friend of a friend shared a precious lead, a private medical center offering groundbreaking treatment for severe injuries, not yet publicly available
due to its high cost.
My heart skipped a beat, feeling happier for every other child going through this, whilst learning that they had been working around to introduce it to the world and quietly helping those who could -afford it as of now.
Two days later, I trudged through the front door, exhausted from a long day, only to be met with the most wonderful news. Willy had been accepted for the treatment. Despite my happiness, I knew that this new hope came with a haunting reality.
I couldn’t pursue this life–changing opportunity without putting the ugly fight for divorce on hold. The thought was both hopeful that my prayers were answered and terrifying that Leo would think I was trying to manipulate her.
Tomorrow marked the deadline to respond to the divorce papers, and I knew I had to act if I wanted
to fight for our marriage.
But my heart wasn’t battling Leo, I wanted to fight the distance between us. I longed to reconnect, to revive the love we once shared. Despite her warning that our only communication would be through lawyers, I couldn’t help but reach out to her, encouraged by the hope and joy that Willy’s treatment had brought me.
I called her, my fingers trembling with anticipation, but she didn’t answer. So I sent her a flurry of texts, each one a plea to connect, to talk, to find our way back to each other. And then, finally, she responded, when I mentioned the treatment. My heart slither up to life as I saw her words on the screen, a glimmer of hope in the darkness.
25.74%
The dots danced on the screen, as Leo typed and deleted, her words hanging in the balance. Finally, the message arrived, a simple yet profound invitation.
We should talk face to face about this. I need to know what’s happening
My heart leapt at the prospect of seeing her, of connecting in person, of smoothing the tangled threads of our relationship.
The screen seemed to fade into the background as I envisioned us sitting together, sharing our fears and hopes, our dreams and disappointments. The distance between us seemed to shrink, ever so slightly, as I typed my response.
Just tell me where and when, I’ll be there.
I texted, my thumbs hovering over the screen as I hesitated for a moment before hitting send. I knew that winning her back wouldn’t be easy, but I was willing to try.
And I knew that the first step was to respect her boundaries, to show her that I valued her boundaries. My words and actions needed to be more than just empty assurance to her soul, proving her that she was in control, that I wasn’t trying to manipulate or control her anymore.
I was willing to put her needs before my own, to listen and to learn, to convince that I was committed to regaining her trust. The waiting game began, and I could only hope that she would give me the chance to make things right.
Your place
Her response was brief and icy, a reminder of the pain I had caused. But I knew I couldn’t defend myself, not now. Instead, I would let her anger wash over me, a bitter storm that needed to run its course. I would let her explode.
I would absorb her hurt, her frustration, and her rage, allowing her to unleash it all without interruption or excuse.
For I knew that only when the tempest had passed, when the dust had settled, could she begin to see beyond the shadows of my mistakes and the pain caused. Only then could she glimpse the sincerity in my eyes, the remorse in my heart, and the determination to make amends. I would weather the storm, no matter how fierce, and wait for the calm that would follow, when healing and redemption. might be possible.
