I stared at the bandages wrapped around my wounds, but all I could see in my head was the look on Slade’s face–so cold, so distant. And Millicent, smiling like she’d won.
A terrible thought crept in, one I couldn’t shake. ‘Would it have been better if I had just died?‘
“Crawford…” I whispered his name, my voice barely audible, but somehow my tears came rushing out anyway.
He looked up, and in that moment, something in him shifted–as if my pain had pierced straight through him. He stood up quickly and wrapped me gently in his arms.
“Don’t cry, Ginny. Don’t cry. I’m here.”
His voice was hushed, soft, and steady, his hand moving slowly up and down my back, comforting me like a child–patient, quiet, safe.
I pressed my face into his chest, and for the first time, I let myself cry. Really cry. My tears soaked through his shirt, but he just held me tighter, saying nothing.”
Crawford was the son of my father’s most trusted buddy.
After his parents died in an accident at the border, my dad brought him home and raised him like a son.”
I was closest to him growing up. No one in our house dared scold me–except for him. He’d lecture me with a stern face, then sneak me a little cake when no one was looking.
We grew up side by side and studied together. When I got sick, he carried me to the hospital. When bullies picked on me in winter, he shielded me.
He was my brother. My best friend. My family.
He was someone I thought I could count on for the rest of my life.
Until that one evening in senior year, when I found his journal lying open in the study.
Page after page filled with my name–each line full of quiet, restrained affection.
I froze.
Fear rushed in, followed by panic. I didn’t know how to face feelings like that.”
It felt wrong.”
So, I buried myself in studying, trying to forget. But it only made me a target for jealous classmates.§
Slade stood up for me back then. He reminded me of Crawford, in a way.”
And I told myself, I can’t love my brother. But I can love Slade.‘
That’s when I began pulling away from Crawford. Avoiding him. Distancing myself, little by little.
He didn’t question it. He didn’t try to stop me.>
One day, out of the blue, he just told me he had officially terminated his adoption.
I was 18. He was 19.0
He was quiet and steady, like a mountain while I was selfish, like a child, and had no idea what it meant for him to walk away.
Later, when I started dating Slade, Crawford didn’t say a word.”
He just sent me a big check with a message. [Ginny, may you always be happy.]
For years after that, he never bothered me.>
But on every birthday, every New Year, every Valentine’s Day, and even on International Women’s Day, he’d still send a check.
Sometimes with a simple hote. [Stay warm. Don’t catch a cold.]}
T
I stopped replying eventually, and he stopped reaching out… until a few weeks ago.}]
In a fit of anger, I messaged him.
[Crawford, will you marry me?]
He replied almost instantly.”
[Of course.]
No questions. No hesitation. Not even a single “Are you just mad at Slade?”
Just one word. ‘Of course.
Crawford had been by my side since I was admitted.
Day and night, he never brought up the wedding or talked about the future.
He just stayed, quietly caring for me like he always had.
“You’ve lost weight,” I said softly, noticing the stubble on his jaw.
“So have you.” He smiled, but I could still see the red veins in his tired eyes.N
I sighed, wanting to say something. But the words stuck in my throat.
‘Why won’t you ask me? Why won’t you ask why I chose Slade? Why won’t you ask why I gave up?‘
I knew he must’ve found out everything the moment I called him.
11:30 AM
But he never brought it up and never used the moment to push marriage again.” And that made it even harder to bear.
Just like I chased after Slade–Crawford had always, always been chasing after me.§
11:30 AM
