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Chapter 2

Penulis: Sleepless Vigil
The lights along the hospital corridor were blinding.

The doctor read my charts, his expression grim.

“You can’t keep putting off the treatment.

“It’s time to get you admitted.”

I clutched the strap of my bag.

“I’ve got plans tomorrow morning. Would the afternoon work?”

The doctor snapped his head up at me.

“What’s more important than your life?”

I didn’t answer.

The nurse murmured at the side, “Did you come here alone, Ms. Living?”

I nodded.

She glanced at my ring finger.

“You should call your next of kin.”

I slipped my hand into my pocket.

“I don’t have family.”

The nurse didn’t press further.

While I was put on an IV drip, George called me three times.

I left them unanswered.

By the fourth call, I hit decline.

George sent me a text.

“Liam’s arm is fine. It was just a little scratch.

“Where are you?

“Don’t threaten me with divorce, Millie.”

I stared at the screen.

Everything just felt so pointless.

That was George to me.

The moment Tammy needed him, George would be the first one out of the door.

When it came to my matters, George simply told me to stop being dramatic.

I switched off my phone.

Just as I closed my eyes, the lady in the next bed leaned closer to me.

“Did you have a fight with your husband, girl?”

I said nothing.

The woman sighed.

“Don’t let a man take you for granted.

“The more understanding you are, the more he assumes you’ll never leave him.”

I smiled.

“I’m walking away tomorrow.”

The woman was shocked.

“You’re actually divorcing the guy?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you really bring yourself to do it?”

I watched the fluid fall, drop by drop, through the IV line.

It took a while before I said, “Even if I can’t bring myself to do it, it won’t change anything.

“He has already given up on us.”

George found his way to the hospital at eleven at night.

He opened the door and walked in, bringing the cold draft with him.

His sleeves were rolled up, showing the bit of blood on the back of his hand.

The blood wasn’t his.

It must belong to Liam.

Spotting me in the infusion chair, George furrowed his brows.

“Is it your stomach again?”

I didn’t even look up.

“Captain Tanner, done with your duties?”

His face fell.

“Must you take that attitude?”

I met his gaze.

“How am I supposed to talk to you then?

“Should I thank you for making time out of your busy schedule to visit your wife?”

George choked on his words.

He put down a takeaway box next to me.

“I bought you food.”

I stared at the container.

The logo was familiar.

It was from the restaurant on the south side of town.

It was Tammy’s favorite place for chicken soup.

I uttered, “I don’t like carrots.”

George paused.

He peeled back the lid, and a cloud of steam rose.

Sure enough, it was chicken soup with carrots.

George looked mortified for a second.

“I forgot.”

I bobbed my head.

“Yeah.”

It had been seven years.

The fact that I didn’t like carrots slipped his mind.

Still, he remembered that Tammy couldn’t have sugary drinks.

He never forgot that Liam was allergic to citrus.

George kept in mind that Tammy had to take half a melatonin before a night flight.

Yet, it was so hard for him to leave carrots out of my food.

George placed the lid back on, his tone of voice softening.

“Millie, I didn’t mean to abandon you today.

“Liam is just a child.

“Tammy just moved back, and she doesn’t have anyone around.”

I asked, “Doesn’t she have parents?”

“Her parents live out of town.”

“No friends?”

“She’s sensitive. She doesn’t like bothering anyone.”

“So she doesn’t have coworkers?”

George stopped.

I finished the sentence for him.

She does.

“But she chooses to burden only you.”

George looked annoyed.

“Can you not assume the worst of her?”

I looked at him.

“Can you stop acting like nothing hurts me?”

Silence hung heavily in the room.

A lump seemed to catch George’s throat.

There wasn’t a peep from him.

I ripped out the IV needle and held a cotton swab firmly against the puncture wound.

The nurse hurried over.

“Excuse me, but your drip isn’t finished yet.”

I replied, “I’m done.”

George put his hand out to stop me.

“Don’t be stubborn.”

“Tomorrow at nine.”

I didn’t break eye contact with him.

“The county clerk’s office.”

His arm went stiff.

“I won’t be there.”

I took the divorce papers out of my bag.

“You will.”

George scoffed.

“What makes you think I’d sign the papers?”

I flipped to the last page.

His signature was already there.

George stared at the signature, his expression broken.

“What is this?”

I answered, “You signed this last minute.

“You said there were too many ownership transfer documents, so you asked me to go through them and mark the places where a family member needed to sign.

“You didn’t even look at the file.

“You scrawled your name right there and then.”

George snatched the papers.

“Did you set me up, Millie?”

“Yes.”

I was quick to own up to it.

George was stunned.

I dumped the cotton swab into the trash can.

“You had your chance.

“I checked with you three times if you were sure you didn’t want to read the file.

“You told me not to bother you. Apparently, Tammy was waiting for your call.”

George’s chest heaved.

“Divorce is not a game.”

“It’s not a game to me.”

I grabbed my jacket and stormed out.

George was right behind me.

“What do you want from me?”

I came to a halt at the end of the corridor.

Spinning around, I looked at him.

“I want you to show up on time tomorrow.

“For once, don’t make me wait for you.”

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    When the final divorce decree was placed in his hands, George stared at it for a long time without moving.The clerk said, “Next.” George finally rose to his feet. We walked out of the hall, one behind the other.It was raining outside. It was just a drizzle, though. George popped his umbrella open and tilted it toward my side out of habit. I took a step back. “I’ve called a ride.” His arm froze midair. “Millie.” “Yes?” “Don’t push yourself when your stomach hurts next time.” I smiled. “I’ll see a doctor. “I’ll have all my meals on time. “I won’t sit around waiting for someone until the dinner turns sour.” George teared up. “I was awful, wasn’t I?” I said nothing. He chuckled, his head down. “You don’t have to answer. “I already know.” Raindrops pattered against the umbrella. A taxi pulled up to the curb. I opened the door to the vehicle. Out of nowhere, George stopped me. “Millie, if there ever comes a time…” I looked at him. He

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