Faded Like the Aurora

On the day of the surgery, Cyrus held my hand tightly, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Don't worry. I'll be waiting for you right outside the operating room."

The nurse handed him a consent form to sign.

Florence walked over to me and said with a smile, "Don't worry. I will properly rescue you."

She bent down and said into my ear, "After all, Cyrus had promised me that once you recover, he will take me to Ice Islands to see the aurora. He said that this is something that he owed me."

She added, "Oh, by the way. The day I shaved your head, Cyrus had been standing outside the door the entire time. I got him to wait. I told him that it was a surprise for you. He agreed to it."

Her breath brushed against my ear, sending a chill through my entire body.

Cyrus walked over. "What are you two talking about?"

Florence stood up straight. "Nothing. It's our secret."

He didn't press further. Instead, he looked at me seriously. "Gayle, I'll be waiting for you to come out."

The doors of the operating room opened before me… then slowly closed.

In the final second before my consciousness sank into darkness, the last thing that flashed through my mind was Cyrus over the past five years.

I had once casually mentioned how I like a cake from a certain bakery. He had queued up for three hours just to get them for me.

Whenever he returned from business trips, his suitcase was always stuffed with little gifts for me, sometimes local snacks, sometimes a delicate bookmark.

When I tried learning to cook, he finished that plate of charred, blackened food without changing expression, giving me a thumbs-up.

"What creative cooking! Keep it up next time!" Then, he would secretly gulp water down.

The day I was diagnosed with my illness, he held me, trembling harder than I was, his voice shaking, "Don't be afraid, Gayle. I'm here with you. We'll certainly get you treated. We will have many more five years together."

…

When I opened my eyes once more, I was back in the room.

The nurse saw me looking around, so she said, "You must be looking for Mr. Shields. He is with Ms. Grant at the moment."

I shut my eyes as tears fell onto my pillow. Luckily, I survived. To live was the most important thing.

As for the others, they didn't mean anything anymore.

My lawyer sent me the document according to my request.

When Cyrus came to visit me, it was late.

"Gayle, look. Your favorite sunflowers." He placed the bouquet by the nightstand. "There will be more sunshine in your life in the future."

I quietly looked at him. "Where were you just now?"

"Florence wasn't feeling too well." He cleared his throat and continued, "After all, she had just donated her bone marrow. It takes a toll on her. So, I stayed with her a little bit longer. Gayle, I'm sure you understand, right? She's your savior."

Savior.

How insulting.

"Hmm." I said gently, "You should be with her."

Cyrus sighed in relief. He walked over and tried to hold my hand, but I subtly hid my hand underneath the blanket.

He paused, assuming I was simply uncomfortable, and didn't think much of it.

"I knew you'd be understanding, Gayle." He sighed in relief, as if a great burden had just been lifted. "Once you recover, we must properly thank Florence. She has done so much for us."

"Yes." I quietly chimed in, "She has done a lot, so you should give her whatever she wants."

Cyrus looked at me. He wanted to say something, but he hesitated.

"Oh, by the way." I handed him the document folder and said calmly, "The nurse just gave me this. Some after-surgery documents that you need to sign. Please sign them."

Cyrus didn't suspect a thing, swiftly signing his name on the document.

"Gayle, there's an urgent project at work that needs me in Ice Islands. I didn't want to leave you but…"

"Just go," I interrupted him. "Work is important. The nurse can take care of me. I'll be fine."

I accepted the document folder and clutched it tightly in my hands.

He looked at me with a complicated gaze. "Are you sure you'll be alright alone?"

"Yes, I'm sure." I nodded and smiled at him. "Go. Come back soon."

"Take care. I'll be back as soon as I can." He kissed me on the forehead before saying, "I can stay a bit longer tonight with you. My flight is at nine tomorrow morning."

So was mine.