Free Keep the Window Open for Me by Elizabeth Ventsias

missed seeing for the past two months. My breath caught as I saw hope flash within them. I wanted to tell him so many things that I loved him, that I believed him, and that I’d stay with him, but I couldn’t get the words out. Instead, gathering my courage, I leaned in close to him and pressed my lips against his in a gentle kiss. He reacted immediately and I nearly cried as I felt that familiar sensation of his kiss. It was perfect in all senses of the word. Suddenly we were the only ones left in this world. Through this kiss, everything else made sense. His feelings for me shown through effortlessly, and all my doubts dissolved away until nothing but security was left behind. The kiss ended only moments later, and I found myself in near tears because of it. I had been so stupid this entire time. But I couldn’t turn back the clock; all I could do was apologize.
    “I’m sorry I left,” I said softly. Danny smiled in relief at the apology.
    “It’s all right,” he said, squeezing my hands in reassurance. “I’m just glad you’re back,” he said. I turned away at the statement. I wasn’t back. Last night proved it. Soon, I’d be gone. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to find my courage. I had to conquer my fear that constantly ruled my life keeping me captive like a caged bird preventing me from truly living. If only I had told Danny sooner how much I loved him maybe we could have had more time together, but like a coward I had stayed silent for so many years. I had to tell him now what was going to happen to me. I couldn’t let my fear ever control me again. Danny deserved to know.
    “Danny—” I was about to tell him about my fate, when the door opened to reveal a young doctor holding a clipboard. This must have been the man that was now in charge of me. He must have been new to the hospital; I didn’t recognize him. The doctor smiled comfortingly and made his way over to my bedside.
    “Good Afternoon, Ms. Young. I’m Doctor Lawrence. I’m glad you’re awake. You had your poor friend over here worried sick about you,” he said cheerfully. I had to wonder why a doctor that knew I was dying would be so friendly and upbeat. Flipping open his clipboard, he went about checking the monitors hooked up to me before recording his findings.
    “How are you feeling today? Any chest pains or shortness of breath?” he asked.
    “Just a little pain in my chest area,” I answered. Nodding in acknowledgment, he wrote down my answer and looked back up at me with another reassuring smile. It felt strange seeing it. Being a nurse for years allowed me to be in the same room when doctors told a patient they were going to die. They were never smiling or chipper like this doctor was being. He didn’t act at all like I was a patient that was going to die soon.
    “Ms. Young, do you mind if I call you Erin?” he asked suddenly moving the clipboard under his arm. Shaking my head, he continued. “Erin, have you ever heard of broken heart syndrome?”
    “No,” I said.
    “Typically it occurs when an older woman is under a great deal of stress or suffers a major loss in her life. She has an abrupt heart attack with seemingly no cause and recovers within a few months. Think of it as a reverse heart attack. Although it may feel like it is constricting, a part of your heart actually temporarily enlarges so that it can’t pump correctly,” he explained. My eyebrows knitted together at the explanation. They had heart attacks with no cause. That sounded like what happened with my last heart attack.
    “I’m sorry, but what’s your point exactly doctor?” I asked confused by the importance of this random syndrome he was telling me about. This didn’t have anything to do with me.
    “My point is that I usually work with older patients particularly women with heart problems until your most unusual case was brought to my attention. Your doctors have told me that you suffer from a weakened heart that they believe is failing