Free Second Chance by Shaun Dowdall Page A

slid from his chair and sat on the bed beside Hannah. She could feel the warmth of his body, the cool touch of his hand as his fingers wrapped between her own.  
    She stared up at him, holding his gaze as he leaned forward to kiss her lightly on her lips. Her heart pounded in her chest, tears falling free as her happiness overwhelmed her. He was alive. He was real.
    “They gave me a second chance,” he explained, his nose only inches from hers. “They gave me a chance to finally hold you.”
    Once again, he kissed her, chasing away all of her pain and fears. She had thought she would never get this chance, never get the opportunity to be happy with him, but that had all changed now.
    “What next? Why?” she asked, so many questions burning on the tip of her tongue.
    James smiled at her; one of his reassuring smiles that told her everything was going to be okay.
    “It doesn’t matter,” he answered. “So long as I have you, nothing matters. I love you, Hannah. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you that before, I was just so scared.”
    Hannah smiled back, giggling to herself, squeezing his hand in her own.  
    “I love you too, James,” she whispered. “I was terrified I lost you, that I’d never get to tell you that.”
    “You never have to be scared again,” he said. “I’ll be by your side forever.”
    They lay together, arms wrapped around one another, savoring their first moments. As she lay there, she could feel his heart beating against her, a sign that he really was alive. Everything she ever could have wished for had come to life, all of her hopes and dreams falling into place.
    They had been granted a second chance to live, a second chance to find happiness in each other’s arms, and she intended to live every minute as though it were her last.