Free Forever You by Sandi Lynn Page B

something was on her mind. I was just about to ask her if she was ok when she started to
    speak.
    “It was my 16th birthday when I was diagnosed with cancer. Hey, happy sweet 16! Guess what,
    you have cancer.”
    I was stunned by what she had just said. Why was she telling me something so personal? I gulped
    because I didn’t know what to say. Her voice was soft, and her eyes were focused out in the distant
    ocean waters. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and hold her tight, but I couldn’t. I was afraid of
    her reaction. I reached over and lightly took her hand in mine as I whispered, “You don’t have to do
    this.” I watched her take in a sharp breath as she continued.
    “I couldn’t bear the thought of my father having to go through that torture and pain again like he did
    with my mother, so I decided I was going to spare him from having to.”
    “Ellery,” I whispered as I leaned closer to her. I still had her hand in mine, and she didn’t try to
    pull away. The feeling inside me was overwhelming as I softly rubbed her warm skin with my thumb.
    “He was going out on one of his drinking binges, and I knew he wouldn’t be home until the middle
    of the night, if at all, so that was my opportunity to put my plan into action. I filled the bathtub with hot
    water, laid back, and took a razor blade to both my wrists. Can you believe it was the one night he
    forgot his wallet and came back to the house? Talk about fate, right? He found me and called 911. I
    almost didn’t make it; I had lost so much blood.”
    I couldn’t say a word. I was choked up as I just sat there holding her hand. I was feeling her pain,
    and it hurt me so much to know that my friend, this beautiful woman, went through something so
    terrible.
    “I guess God had other plans for me. I went through a year of chemo and went into remission. I was
    given a second chance at life, and for that, I’m grateful. Like I said yesterday, I was young and stupid,
    and I made a terrible mistake.”
    The overwhelming need to hold her finally won. I let go of her hand and put my arm around her,
    pulling her into me. She rested her head on my shoulder.
    “That’s why you have this overwhelming need to help others, isn’t it?” I asked her as I lightly
    kissed the top of her head. “You’re a good person, Ellery Lane,” I whispered in her ear.
    Tonight was a turning point for me. Ellery let her guard down and showed me her broken side. I
    knew when I saw the scars on her wrists that she had a troubled past. I never dreamed she would
    have to fight cancer. She closed her eyes as she left her head resting on my shoulder. She was
    exhausted, and it was late. I needed to get her home. I picked her up from the sand and carried her
    across the beach. She put her arms around my neck and laid her head on my chest. I held her tight. I
    needed her to feel safe with me. I opened the door to the Range Rover and gently laid her in the front
    seat. She started to stir so I whispered to her, “Sleep, angel.”
    I pulled out of the parking lot and drove to her apartment. I kept looking at her as she slept
    peacefully. She looked like an angel. Everything I tried to bury tonight came back to the surface and
    drowned my fears with a bit of hope. Maybe, just maybe, something more could come of our
    friendship one day. I pulled up to curb of her apartment. Her purse was lying next to her so I opened it
    and grabbed her keys. I got out and walked around to the passenger side, and I opened the door. I
    carefully picked her up as she put her arms around my neck, and I carried her to the door. I inserted
    the key, unlocking the door and lightly kicked it open with my foot. I carried her down the hallway to
    her bedroom and gently laid her on the bed. I looked around the room and saw a blanket in the corner.
    I walked over, picked it up, and covered her with it to keep her warm. I stood over her while she
    slept and ran the back of my hand down her soft cheek. “Sleep well,