Chance Encounters

But now, as I sit in the hospital where you lie helplessly in a room down the hall, I wonder if they weren’t so much situations we couldn’t overcome, as much as situations we chose not to. And by we, I really mean me.

I sit here unsure of your feelings for me and I think I finally understand how you must have felt all along. And I can never apologize enough for the pain I caused you. As hard as it was for me, I know it was harder for you. And for that, I am truly sorry.

It took almost losing you for me to see that there is no one else I want to be with other than you. There’s nothing more I’d rather do than sit in that room by your side every moment until you open those beautiful blue eyes and look at me again, but I’m not naïve enough to think that your life hasn’t continued on without me (Sally is fantastic by the way). I don’t want to assume that I still hold a place in your world. But if I do…and if you still want to be with me the way I desperately know I want to be with you…then call me when you wake up and I’ll be on the next flight out.

I love you…I always have. I was just too stupid, or cautious, or filled with worry and guilt to do anything about it. I’m finally ready to follow my heart—and all roads lead to your door.

xoxo, Caroline

“I can’t believe you kept this from me.” Jackson said tightly, his gaze focused on the letter he couldn’t believe he was holding in his hands.

“I’ll make it right with her. I’ll do anything. Please, just forgive me,” Sally pleaded.

Jackson shook his head and looked at Alex. “Does she know I’m awake?”

“I called her the day you woke up.”

“Of course you did,” Tommy chimed in snidely from the hallway.

Alex turned to glance behind him. “When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

Jackson ignored their exchange as he quickly calculated the number of days he’d been awake. He read her letter one more time before cursing under his breath. “She thinks I don’t love her.”

“Why would you say that?” Alex asked.

“Because she told me to call her when I woke up if I still wanted to be with her,” Jackson explained, holding up the letter.

Alex’s face dropped. “Oh.”

“Alex, I’ve been out of the coma for weeks, and she knows that.”

“But…”

Jackson interjected, “Have I mentioned the fact that I haven’t called her?”

“Unbelievable,” Tommy snarled and stormed out.

“But you can fix it! Just one phone call will fix everything. She’ll understand. Call her!” Alex pleaded.

“I can’t.” Jackson sighed as his eyes glazed over.

“What do you mean, you can’t?”

“Did he meet her when she was here?” Jackson tilted his head in Tommy’s direction.

Alex snorted. “Oh yeah. He met her, all right.”

“Was he mean to her?” he asked through clenched teeth.

“That’s an understatement.”

“What’s his problem?”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “I honestly don’t know.”

“I think I do,” Sally offered softly. She looked over at Jackson before he nodded with silent approval for her to continue.