Chapter 17%
Virginia’s POV
I hung up the phone, still a little dazed.
But strangely, I felt nothing. That’s when I knew–I really didn’t love Slade anymore.
The moment he called, the first person who came to mind… was Fordy.”
He had been by my side this whole time while I recovered.
He’s not someone who talks much, but he was always there when I needed him–quietly standing beside me, shielding me from the wind, handing me my meds, making soup.
Maybe after all the disappointment I’d been through, I’d stopped hoping for sweet words.
Just having someone stay, patiently and consistently, started to feel like the rarest kind of love.”
Every day after work, the first thing he did was come see me.
Sometimes he brought a bag of fresh fruit from the market.
Other times, it was a worn–out book he knew I loved.
But most often, it was a steaming bowl of risotto he’d simmered for hours himself.”
I’d watched him more than once–bending over the counter to chop mushrooms and asparagus, kneeling by my bed to cool off bitter meds.
And in those quiet moments, something unfamiliar would rise in me.§
A blend of comfort.
Guilt.
And something achingly tender.
I started trying to respond.}
Not like before, when I kept my distance out of habit–this time, I wanted to close the gap.
But I was still hesitant. Careful. And Fordy noticed.
That night, I couldn’t sleep.
He walked in with a cup of warm water and gently brushed back the hair from my face.
I didn’t say anything, and he didn’t push. He just smiled softly and set the glass down.
Then he said, his voice deep and steady, “Ginny… you don’t have to force yourself.”
I looked up at him, startled.
His eyes were calm, yet quietly resolute.
“It’s okay if you’re not ready. Even if you never are, I won’t go anywhere. I just don’t want you to feel trapped by what you think I want.”}
My nose stung.
“You’ve always been so good to me, I…” I bit my lip, but the words caught in my throat.”
He let out a quiet sigh.
“Do you know when I first started liking you? You were 15.“)
I blinked.
His eyes lit up just a little as he looked at me.”
“You had a bad exam and ran to the back hill to cry, trying to hide it from me. But you forgot I always found your snack stash.”
I couldn’t help it–I let out a laugh. “You remember that?”
“Of course I do,” he said, his voice so gentle it almost hurt.”
“I remember you chasing dogs in your school uniform, I remember you saying you wanted to marry me when we were kids. And I remember when you started avoiding my eyes… when you started pulling away.“}}
He paused, and his expression turned serious.
“I was scared then. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. That’s why I asked your parents to cancel the adoption.”
My eyes burned.
“You don’t owe me anything,” he said, looking straight at me. Loving you was always my choice. I’ll never force you to accept it or rush you to decide. But if one day, you want to come closer… I’ll be here. No matter how long it takes.”
That night, I couldn’t sleep at all.
The wind rustled the trees outside, casting flickering shadows on the wall.
I lay there, memories rushing back.
Fordy had been by my side since we were kids–sneaking out of class together, stealing popsicles, getting caught cheating on tests, hunting for seashells on the beach, racing waves, seeing who could find starlight grass first…
We were carefree then.8
I’d felt something for him before. But I was too young to understand it.
D
I mistook that spark for sibling love.
I buried it.
I ignored it.
I pretended it wasn’t there.
