End of the Line

The familiar scent of disinfectant filled my nostrils.

I saw my doctor looking at me with a frown.

"Didn't I tell you to have some quiet rest and avoid any emotional stress during your treatment? How did things get this bad in just a few days?"

I looked down. "Dr. Smith, the survival rate for late-stage stomach cancer is really low. Chemotherapy is painful, too… I don't want to do it anymore."

Before I could go on, Doctor Wade Smith gave me a sharp rebuttal.

"Annie, I told you that your situation is different. There's a ten percent chance you can recover. Why not give it a try? What if the treatment succeeds? You're still young. You have friends and family. Why not try and live?"

I slipped the wedding band off my finger and left it on the nightstand, whispering, "No. I have nothing left."

Wade paused, then turned away, his voice a bit hoarse. "Let's start with an IV and get you stable. We can talk more about your treatment later."

I lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Seven years together…

We had gone to the beach to pick up seashells, listened to the waves at night. Climbed snowy mountains for five hours just to see the peaks showered in gold at sunrise. But most days, we were just at home. Zach would cut up a plate of fruit and pour two glasses of fruit juice. We would curl up on the couch, listening to each other breathe, getting impatient at the couples in the TV drama for their painfully slow romance.

Back then, Zach would ruffle my hair and tell me that I should tell him right away if there was anything happened. That I shouldn't keep it to myself.

"I'll worry about you," he had said.

But he was the one who told the biggest lie.

He was the one who betrayed me first.

There must have been a moment in those seven years when Zach thought about telling me the truth, but in the end, he gave up.

I didn't want to think about the reason anymore.

We're over. Thinking about it wouldn't change anything.

I heard Zach and Jessica talking in the hallway. "Jess, the doctor said you got here just in time. There won't be any scars on your face. Don't worry. I want to go back and check on Annie now."

Jessica buried her head in his chest. "Zach, my eyes feel a little weird… Can you ask the doctor to take a look?"

"Your eyes?" Zach hesitated. "Is it your corneas? We searched everywhere for a match, but only Annie's mother was a match. Maybe her cancer affected the transplant? Come on, let's have a doctor take a look."

I pulled out the IV from my hand and held the spot where the needle pierced me as I walked out.

I saw Zach carefully holding Jessica. I pushed down all the emotions inside of me, and calmly called his name.

"Zach."

He froze, and he turned around stiffly. His face was ghostly pale as I looked at him.

"How long are you planning to keep lying to me?" I asked.