Chapter 4 - THE SECOND LIFE
Daniel woke up screaming.
Pain ripped across his abdomen.
Machines beeped around him.
A nurse pushed medication into his IV.
“Daniel, you’re okay.”
“Claire?”
“She’s here.”
“Did it work?”
The nurse smiled.
“It worked.”
Daniel began crying.
Claire entered minutes later.
She looked exhausted.
He had never seen anything more beautiful.
“Hey,” she whispered.
He reached for her.
“You were right.”
“About what?”
“I woke up.”
She laughed through tears.
For the next two days, Daniel couldn’t stop talking about the future.
“I want to see Italy.”
“Okay.”
“I want steak.”
“Probably not today.”
“I want to run again.”
“You hate running.”
“I want the option to hate running.”
She laughed.
Then Vanessa arrived.
And the future cracked open.
After Claire stormed out, Dr. Harris remained in Daniel’s room.
“You cheated on her?”
Daniel looked toward the door.
“I didn’t sleep with Vanessa.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“What business is it of yours?”
“None.”
“Good.”
Dr. Harris turned to leave.
Daniel stopped him.
“What did you mean before?”
The doctor faced him.
“When you said Claire could find out what you know.”
Dr. Harris paused.
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“You already did.”
“Focus on recovering.”
“No. Tell me.”
The doctor’s expression hardened.
“Talk to your wife.”
“She won’t answer.”
“Then give her time.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“She sees one woman walk in here and suddenly I’m the devil?”
Dr. Harris stared at him.
“One woman?”
“We talked.”
“You told Vanessa you were separated.”
Daniel looked surprised.
“How do you know that?”
“I have ears.”
Daniel looked away.
Dr. Harris stepped closer.
“You nearly died on that operating table.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Then maybe use this second chance to become a better man.”
Daniel’s face tightened.
“Thanks for the marriage counseling.”
The doctor left.
Claire didn’t return that night.
Or the next morning.
On the third day, she arrived with a bag of Daniel’s clothes.
She placed it on the chair.
“You’re getting discharged tomorrow.”
“Sit down.”
“No.”
“Please.”
Claire remained standing.
Daniel breathed out.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For Vanessa.”
“Be specific.”
Daniel hated that.
“For talking to her.”
“Lying to her?”
“Yes.”
“Lying to me?”
“Yes.”
“Planning to meet her after surgery?”
Daniel froze.
Claire pulled out his old phone.
His stomach dropped.
“You went through my phone?”
“It started ringing while you were in surgery.”
She tossed it onto the bed.
“She texted you.”
Daniel stared at the screen.
Claire’s voice shook.
“She wrote, ‘After this, we can finally start our life.’”
“Claire—”
“Our life.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“Then tell me what it was like.”
He couldn’t.
Claire nodded slowly.
“That’s what I thought.”
She headed for the door.
Daniel panicked.
“Are you leaving me?”
Claire turned.
Her face was empty now.
“No.”
Hope rushed into him.
Then she finished.
“You already left.”
She walked away.
Daniel stared at the open doorway.
His phone buzzed.
A message from Vanessa.
I’m sorry about what happened. But I meant what I said.
Then another.
If you want me, I’m here.
Daniel stared at the words.
May you like
For one dangerous moment, he felt less abandoned.
And that was all it took.
