To the Love of My Life

Ruby accepted it and said “Thank you” again, still thinking in her mind how to broach the subject of asking Steve to go to the hospital.

The living room fell silent as Steve stared at Ruby for a long time before finally turning his gaze away. If he could, he would have liked to stand here with her, forever. But he knew she had to return to the Gregorys. Wanting to spend more time with her, he cleared his throat and asked, “Do you want me to take you home?”

Ruby moved her lips but didn’t respond.

Steve put the wax candles he held on the tea table, then took the candles and lighter from Ruby’s hands and said, “Let’s go.”

With that, he walked to the foyer area first and put on the other shoe.

Ruby still stood there, motionless. She saw Steve’s left leg trembling visibly as he slid it into the shoe. Perhaps from the pain, his movements to tie the shoelaces were hasty, and even after tying, he lifted his fingers and pressed hard on his left leg before slowly standing up.

Although his back was to her, she could clearly feel that he must have grimaced in pain and took a sharp breath before turning towards her, pretending to be fine, and said in a light tone, “Let’s go.”

Ruby’s fingers slightly curled, and then she walked towards Steve.

Ruby followed at Steve’s left, her lowered eyes fixed on his left leg.

They walked in silence, the firecrackers echoing non-stop in their ears, and the fireworks exploding one after another on the horizon. The trails of light fell like meteor showers, dazzlingly grand.

Amid such splendor, neither of them had the heart to pay attention. One was consumed with thoughts of the other’s leg, while the other wished that time could freeze.

It was the first time in three years that Steve escorted Ruby home. The scene was strikingly similar to the past, but unlike before, she wasn’t chattering by his side.

As always, Steve stopped at the entrance of the Gregorys’ house.

He stood beside Ruby for a while before turning to look at her somewhat lost face, lowering his voice and saying, “It’s a bit cold, better go inside.”

Ruby instinctively glanced at Steve’s left leg.

Once upon a time, when she needed him, caring for him seemed so justified, so natural. She even wished she could find a way to care for him every day. But now, with no more opportunities to exploit or values to share between them, she realized that the concern buried deep inside her heart was so genuine, so profound, but also something she didn’t know how to express with her current role.

They had already parted ways, and it turned out that even the right to care was stripped away between two people separated from each other.

Seeing that Ruby still hadn’t moved, Steve lowered his voice and asked again, “What’s the matter?”

Ruby slowly shook her head at Steve, pursed her lips tightly, lowered her eyes, paused for a moment, and whispered, “I’ll go in, then.”