Chapter 7
KIRK'S POV
It had been a week, but nothing felt normal again. Every morning I walked into the hospital with a heavy chest, hoping today would be different.
I kept thinking Stacy would suddenly open her eyes and smile like she used to, but each day she stayed the same, lying there quietly. The sound of the machines beside her had become something I could recognize without even looking.
Her doctor said her body was strong, but sometimes strength wasn't enough. Every day I sat beside her bed, talking to her like she could hear me. I told her about the weather, the nurses, even about how I couldn't sleep well anymore.
I didn't know if any of it helped, but talking to her made me feel less useless. It made me feel like maybe she was still close somehow.
My parents only came once since everything happened. At first I thought they were just busy, but as the days passed, I realized they simply didn't care like I did.
When I called them again to give an update, they spoke as if it was just another story. Their voices had no worry, no fear, just plain indifference. It hurts in a quiet way, the kind of pain you don't talk about because it sounds embarrassing.
Arnold never showed up at all. Not even one call. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised, but knowing he didn't care enough to come made me feel angry, disappointed, and confused all at once. He started all of these in the first place. The least he could do was check on her. But no, he didn't. He left me with the worry alone.
Every time I stepped into her ward, I felt something tighten in my chest. I would sit by her bed and hold her hand carefully, telling her things I never imagined saying. "I never meant for any of this to happen," I whispered one afternoon, staring at her face. "You have to wake up, Stacy. I promise I'll make things right. I'll fix everything when you open your eyes. Just… come back."
The driver, Kim, kept visiting as well. He came almost every day, looking tired and guilty. When he introduced himself properly, he apologized again for the accident.
He kept blaming himself even though the doctor said it wasn't fully his fault. His face always looked like he barely slept. I didn't hate him; accidents happen. What mattered was that he cared enough to show up consistently. It showed he truly regretted it.
This morning, after spending hours inside Stacy's room, I stepped out to take a little break. My head felt heavy, and I needed air.
But just a few steps away from the door, I bumped into someone. At first I didn't recognize her. I just smelled a familiar perfume before I saw her face. My heart actually paused.
It was Lisa.
She looked almost the same - her bright eyes, warm smile—but something in her face told me she had missed me. And before I could stop myself, I was smiling too.
I didn't expect to feel that kind of surprise or warmth, but it came naturally. "Lisa? Is this really you?" I asked, still shocked.
"Kirk," she breathed, and before I could blink, she wrapped her arms around me. It was strange. Comforting and maybe… dangerous.
We never really had a proper breakup. She left the country suddenly, and life pushed us into silence. Seeing her again felt like opening an old box you forgot you kept.
She stepped back slightly and studied my face, like she was trying to read everything I'd been through. "I never stopped thinking about you," she said softly. "I know life happened, but… I never stopped loving you."
Her words hit me in a spot I thought was closed. Old memories rushed back- our late-night talks, how she laughed too loud, how she used to push my hair out of my face when it annoyed her. For a moment, my heart didn't know what to do. But when the memories settled, something clearer came up: Stacy.
I loved Stacy. I knew that. Seeing Lisa didn't change it, even though it stirred some old feelings. Maybe I had moved on faster than I thought. Or maybe I moved on because I had to. Either way, I couldn't go back to Lisa. Not after everything.
Still, I didn't want to hurt her. She looked hopeful, like she came back to fix things. "Where did you go?" I asked gently.
"I had to leave the country," she said. "Things were hard at the time. I planned to come back earlier, but life didn't let me. By the time I returned, we had already lost touch. But my feelings didn't change. Kirk… I still love you. I want to make things right."
Her voice shook a little, and for a moment, I didn't know what to say. I cared about her once, deeply. But my heart wasn't where it used to be. My chest felt tight again, not from sadness, but from confusion. How could life be so complicated?
Then she looked straight at me, her eyes soft but searching. "Or… are you seeing someone else?" she asked quietly. "Is there another woman?"
My throat dried instantly. My mind suddenly became noisy.
I wanted to say yes, because the truth was simple: my heart belonged elsewhere. But part of me felt scared, maybe because Stacy was still unconscious and everything felt uncertain. What if she doesn't wake up?
Or maybe because she was carrying a baby we weren't sure who the father was.
What if after the paternity test, it shows that Arnold is the father of the baby… I'd lose both Stacy and Lisa.
Different thoughts ran through my mind, I couldn't think straight.
I opened my mouth, trying to explain, trying to find words that didn't hurt her. But all that came out was a stammer. "Yeah… uhm… actually… no…"
The moment the words slipped out, I felt a strange twist in my stomach. Why did I say no? Why did the truth suddenly feel so heavy? Why couldn't I just say her name—Stacy—and end the confusion?
Lisa's eyes brightened immediately, like that one word changed everything. She stepped a little closer, hope rising in her voice.
"Then we have a chance, Kirk" she whispered softly. "Let's go out for a drink like old times."
And that was where everything froze.
Because I realized something painful and terrifying at the same time…