CHAPTER 8
KIRK'S POV
Everything inside me felt tangled, but I still followed Lisa when she asked if we could talk more.
"Gosh! What are you doing, Kirk?" My heart screamed, but I kept following.
Maybe I needed the break. Maybe I needed space from the hospital smell, from the fear, from everything that had been sitting on my chest for days. Or maybe I just didn't want to think for a few hours. She headed toward the parking lot, and when she pressed her car key, her car blinked.
I offered to use mine, trying to be polite, but she shook her head quickly. "No, I made the offer," she said with a small smile. I didn't argue. She always liked being the one in control of outings, and somehow, it felt like nothing had changed. I settled into the passenger seat, still feeling the weight of my earlier answer sitting on my chest like a stone.
The drive felt strangely calm. The city buildings passed slowly, the sunlight warm on the glass. I looked out the window, thinking about Stacy, thinking about everything, but Lisa tried to lighten the mood.
She asked about my life and work, and I answered the best I could. We were both into real estate management, so the conversation flowed naturally. She talked about interesting projects, the new building regulations, and the changes in the market since she returned.
Then I asked the question I had been holding in. "Why were you even at the hospital?"
She glanced at me briefly before turning her eyes back to the road. "Came to see a friend," she said simply. "I was already leaving when you bumped into me."
I nodded. "Same," I said softly. "Came to see someone too."
She didn't press, and I didn't explain. Part of me was grateful. The silence that followed wasn't heavy—just two people trying to reconnect after life had taken them far apart.
When we reached the small restaurant she chose, I tried to take the bill, but she slid it away from me quickly. "Kirk, please," she said. "I invited you. Let me do this."
I didn't argue. She always had a stubborn sweetness to her. We sat for a while, talking about Paris. She told me about the streets, the business culture, and the real estate market that was booming.
She talked about the people she met and the opportunities she found. I listened quietly, imagining everything she was describing, and for the first time in days, I felt something different…hope.
She leaned forward a little. "You know, Paris changed a lot for me," she said with a small smile. "I learned more about real estate management there than I ever did here. And honestly, Kirk… you would do so well there."
Her words caught my attention. She talked about connections she had made, investors she met, and how the market there was wide open for someone like me. "There are so many things happening," she said. "New developments, new ideas, better pay, better exposure. It can open doors for you - doors you never imagined."
I felt myself becoming quiet. Opportunities like that didn't come easily. I had always dreamed of something bigger, something outside this country, something that would take me farther in my career. And here she was, placing it in front of me like a gift.
She smiled softly. "You could come for a few months, learn, explore… build something. Maybe even start your own thing. I know people there who can help you get started fast."
My heart thumped a bit faster. It was tempting. Too tempting.
"And," she continued gently, "it will give us a chance too. To rebuild. We can try again. We didn't end. We just paused right?"
I swallowed lightly. The offer sounded unreal—Paris, opportunities, a new start. She made it sound like everything I had ever wanted was waiting there. And maybe part of me missed having something stable, something familiar.
I leaned back slowly, feeling my thoughts twist in different directions. "I'll… think about it," I said honestly.
Her smile widened. "That's all I wanted to hear."
We continued talking on the way back to the hospital. She told me about the income she had made in just a few years in Paris. She explained how a person as diligent as I am could rise faster over there than here. My head kept nodding even when I didn't plan to. Everything she said made sense. Too much sense.
Part of me felt guilty even considering it. Another part felt excited. For so long, everything had been heavy. And suddenly there was a door open, bright and welcoming. A door I had once begged life for.
When we reached the hospital, she parked the car slowly. I opened my door, still thinking about Paris. Even about the part where she said, "We can build something." That part kept repeating in my head even though I tried to push it away.
We stepped out of the car, and I was still lost in my thoughts…
But everything stopped the moment a nurse called my name urgently.
"Mr. Kirk!"
I turned quickly. My chest tightened again. The nurse waved me over, and I hurried to her. Lisa paused beside the car, watching us with confusion.
"Doctor wants to see you," the nurse said breathlessly.
My heart dropped.
I followed her, my steps fast, my mind racing. Every fear I had carried for days came crashing back. I didn't know what to expect. Lisa walked behind us slowly, unsure if she should follow.
The moment I reached the doctor, he gave me a small smile - one filled with surprise and relief. "Kirk," he said gently, "I think you should come with me."
My voice shook. "What… what happened?"
He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Stacy is conscious," he said softly. "This is a miracle, I must confess."
Everything inside me exploded at once—shock, fear, relief, confusion.
My legs moved before my mind could catch up. I ran toward the ward, barely breathing, barely hearing anything else. Lisa called my name faintly behind me, but I didn't stop. I couldn't.
For days I had been drowning in fear. For days I had been begging God under my breath for this one moment. And now it was here.
But at the same time…
So was the offer.
So was the confusion.
So was the fear of what her waking up would mean.
And what truth I would have to face now that she was conscious.