A Wedding Gift for You

I opened my eyes to the hospital's stark white walls. My boyfriend and best friend stood on opposite sides of the bed, their expressions filled with concern.

Anne Arterburn held my hand tightly, her voice breaking with emotion. "Hannah, you terrified me. I nearly fainted when I heard about the accident. I'm so relieved you're alright."

She nudged Bernard Drayton, her tone nasal and insistent. "Hannah just woke up. She must be hungry, so go downstairs and get her some soup."

There was something oddly familiar about the way she directed him, a comfort that suggested habit.

Bernard had seemed somewhat dazed ever since I regained consciousness. When Anne pushed him, he frowned but didn't argue, quietly stepping out of the hospital room.

Anne called after him, "Get me something, too—"

Bernard interrupted sharply, "I know. Broccoli cheddar soup."

"You're the best!"

Only after he left did Anne turn back to me. "What happened, Hannah? How did you end up in the crash? The police said you were driving when—"

I forced a smile and cut her off. "It's nothing serious. I was just tired from work and lost concentration."

Bernard and I were each other's first love. He was my senior in college.

During my second year, he fell for me the moment we met. After patiently waiting by my side for a year, I finally gave in, and we became a couple that everyone admired.

For four beautiful years, we shared a life full of love. We met each other's families, and marriage seemed like the natural next step. His eyes never wandered, always fixed on me.

I remembered when Anne first came back to town. Bernard and I went to pick her up.

When she learned I was his first girlfriend, she grinned and teased, "Seriously? A guy like you, and yet you've only been in one relationship? That's almost a loss."

I didn't know how to respond, but Bernard just drew me close, his expression warm. "Not at all. Meeting Hannah right away and getting to keep her? That's luck, not a loss."

Anne paused, then finally muttered with a pout, "Relax. It was a joke. You two are so serious."