Only A Heartbeat Away Novels & Stories

I listened in the somewhat tense quietness, the heartbeat of people, the most overwhelming sound out of everything I could hear. My eyebrow furrowed as I realised something. The more I focused on the heartbeats, the clearer they became. But even amongst the five hearts that were beating with tension and adrenaline, there was a little heartbeat that stood out in my ears above all the rest. Fuck.

Sharp pain and suffocating pressure spread through me. My eyes widened, and I clutched at my chest. I instinctively reached out to Ethan for help. “Help… help me… my heart…” Ethan knocked my hand away coldly. He was heartless. “Stop pretending, Amelia! It is just a glass of whiskey! It can’t hurt you. “I’ve known you for a very long time and never once heard about your heart condition. I stayed silent because I loved you. I wanted to give you a chance, but you disappointed me.”

She’s right there. Within arms reach. And what of his arms do reach for her? How can I be sure that won’t happen this time? All I need is to hear one heartbeat today. That’s all I need.

But instead, they seemed to mirror the thoughts within him, it's light reflecting his thoughts. He had spent years building walls around his heart, guarding it fiercely against any potential hurt or disappointment since the demise of his wife. Yet, Mitchell had effortlessly broken those barriers, leaving him exposed. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time. It was a mix of fear, excitement, and a longing for something he couldn't quite define.

It feels like death, just the same as bereavement and in quiet moments, it chokes my breath. Only Marvis whom I loved so much could be my assassin. It takes an inside job to attack one so resilient to emotional injury. That is my heartbreak. My heart has been shattered to millions of pieces that I don't even know how to pick and gather them so I can mend it.

Then he nods. Then Dr. Carter says something and the room moves and I stop thinking about shareholder meetings and twelve-year conspiracies and corridors and Gabriel Kane and all of the things that have been requiring my attention for six weeks and I think about one thing. The heartbeat. Small and fast and completely certain of itself. The way it was from the very beginning. The way she has always been. Already certain. Already here.

Only ambiguity. Only the fragile silence of two hearts beating in a wild, unpredictable rhythm.

I wore my loose tank top with a black half-slip underneath, a pair of leggings, and white running shoes. It isn’t hot outside, just the perfect weather for a morning run. Alison lives around forty minutes walking distance from me. I just chose not to spend money on the bus fare and just jog. It’s good to exercise. I was just about to lock my door when I heard my phone ring. Hiro calling… I wonder what he’s calling me for. “Hello?” I treaded. “Ayen, hey,” Hiro, on the other line, greets, and I lightened up at the sound of his voice. It’s been awhile since we last talked, after all.

“Definitely a baby in there. Nice strong heartbeat.” “Oh wow,” Cameron whispered. Aislen turned her head to where the four men stood near the desk. Cameron was grinning through tears. A muscle worked in the corner of Heath’s jaw as he fought for control. Talen used his thumbs to capture his tears. And Rhett’s face was hidden in his hair, but his throat worked as he swallowed hard, and she knew from the wash of emotion in his mind, that he was moved by the sound of that rapid beat. “Is it… Ahem,” Heath had to clear his throat. “It’s very fast. That’s normal right? I read that’s normal. But it’s one thing to read and another to hear…”

My heart was beating twice as fast, as our faces were now barely a breath away from each other. ‘This can not be happening.’