Bethcouldnothelpbutsmile.Hermotherisandwillalwaysbeherbestfriend.
Jakesatinhishoteltheschoolrentedforhim.Schooloflaw.Helovedgoingoverseasforeverything.ButhemissedbeingwithBeth.Thathurthimthemost.
Spendingthelonelynightsinthehotelmadehimthinkofhowmuchitwouldhurttospendtherestofhislifewithoutherinit.
Gettingupoffhisbedhewentintothebathroom.Watchinghisreflectioninthemirror,allhecouldthinkaboutwasBeth.HewouldleaveThursday,andgetthereFridaynight.
Turningoffthelighthejumpedintothecoldbed.Onacoffeetablenearhisbedrestedaframewiththeminit.Itwastakenatabeachabouttwoyearsago.Itwasthebesttimeoftheirlives.
ItwasThursdaymorningandBethwaitedforJake』smorningphonecall.Hewouldcallateight—itwasten.
Bethgotoutofbedandgotherfavoritebluetanktop.Shetookoffhershirtandscreamedatthetopofherlungs.
「What?What?」Hermothercamerushingintoherroom.Staringathernakeddaughtershesawthelumpofher.「Doesithurt?」
Bethcouldonlysay「No.」Lookingatthelump,shecriedinpain.
「Let』sgetyoutothedoctor.」
「Ok,letmegetdressed.」
Shuttingthedoorbehindher,theroombecamesilent.Shakingsheputonhershirt,andranoutintothelivingroom.
「Mom,wherearemyblueshorts?」
「Inthedresser,seconddrawer.」
Finishinggettingdressedshehoppedintohercar.Herredmustangdrovelikeababy.
Theywaitedforthedoctortocomein.Bethcouldnotbegintothinkshehadcancer.Asherminddriftedoffhercellphonerang.
「Hello?」Herheartskippedabeat,hopingitwasJake.
「Hey,howareyou?」Heaskedoutofbreath.
「Couldbebetter.Whydidn』tyoucallmethismorning?」
「Sorry,schoolgotaholdofmetoday.」
「Whyareyououtofbreath?」Lookingstunnedshestaredathermother.
「I』msosorry,he』llcallback.」HermothergaveBethahug.
Thedoctorcamein,andgreetedhisself.「Hello.I』mKevinBaker.」Hesmiledwhileexaminingher.
Afewminuteswentbywhiletheywaitedforananswer.「Yeah,itscancer,itlookslikeit』sbeenthereforawhile.」
Jakesatinthewaitingroom,unsureaboutgoinginornot.Hejustwaited,fiveminutespassedashewalkedtowardsaCNA.「Hi.Mygirlfriendisseeingadoctorrightnow;canIhavetheroomnumber?」
Shecheckedherfiles.「What』shername?」
「BethFoley.」Jakelookedaroundthewaitingroom.
「Jake!」Bethsaidsurprised.Shegavehimahug.Heheldhertightly,neverwantingtoletgoofhisangel.「Imissedyousoverymuch.Ileftlastnight;Icouldnotstandbeingwithoutyouagain.」Hekissedherlips.
「Imissedyou,too.」Bethansweredback.
「Let』sgohome.」KayhuggedJake.
OncetheygothomeJakegrabbedherbythehandandsatherdown.
「Beth,Ilovedyouallmylife.EversinceIsawyouonthemonkeybars,sayingyouweregoingtomarryme.IknewIlovedyou.Ican』tspendanotherlonelynightathomewithoutyoubeingthere.Youmakemylifecomplete.Willyoumarryme,Beth?」
Tearsofpainfloodedherblueeyes.「Ican』tmarryyou.」Sheshookherhead,「Ijustcan』t.」
Gettingup,hermothertriedstoppingher.ButBethclosedthedoorbehindher.Thedoorthatshehidbehind,hopingonedayshecouldwakeupandthecancercouldbegone.AndJakecanhaveawonderfullifewithher.Forever.Howcanhelovesomeonethatisgoingtodiefromcancer?
Aweekpassed,messageaftermessage,Bethwouldnotanswer.Hermotherwouldanswerthephoneeverytimehecalled.Jakehadnoideawhatwasgoingon.HeneededtotalktoBethrightaway,andholdinghisphonecallswasnotgoingtohelponebit.Itcouldn』thelpthecanyondeepwholeinhisheartthatwasfullofpain.
Hehadtoseeher,whethershelikeditornot.Hehadtotellherhedidn』tcarewhathappenedtoher,hestillwantedtobewithher.Gettingdressedinhisbluejeanshorts,andhisfavoritewhiteshirtshelovedtoseehimin.Hegotintohiscar.
Reachingherdoorhelookedinthedriveway,hermother』scarwasnotthere.Nowshewouldhavetofacehim,andnothidebehindhermother.Heknocked.
「Coming.」Bethanswered,sheopenedthedoor.Sheworearedrobewithhernameonit.Shegotfromhergrandmaafewyearsago.
「Pleaseletmein,weneedtotalk.」
Shecouldnotberude.Theyneededtotalkalright,abouthowhewasgoingtolosehisonlylovetocancer.Howwashegoingtotakethat?Sheopenedthedoorwider,andheslowlywalkedin.
「Ihatehowyoucan』ttalktome.Ihatethatwecan』tbetogether.Don』tyouunderstandIloveyou?」Heranhishandthroughhisbrownhairfrustrated.「Youcantellmeanythingyouneedto.I』mhereforyoutoday,tomorrow,andforever.Andyouknowthis.Nowwhatiswrong?」
Hecradledherontheleathercouch.Allherfearsandpainwentawayforthatmoment.Nothingseemedtomatter,buthimandher,together,forever.AsilenttearrandownherrightcheekandlandedonJake』sshoulder.
「Iloveyou,that』swhyIhavetoletyougo.」Shewipedhertear.Jakehatedtoseehersoupset;shewasusuallyastrongwilledperson.Hercomingdownlikethiswasnotusual,anditfreakedhimout.
「Letmego?Comeon,what』swrong?」Jakeheldhertighter,givingheralightkissonhercheek.
「Ihavecancer.Ifoundoutafewweeksago.Idon』twanttomarryyou,andhaveyougethurt…」
Hestoppedherwordswiththesweetestkissmancouldmake.Allherdoubtsandfearsslowlydriftedawaylikethewind.Everythingfellintoplace;theyfoundthelovetheythoughttheyhadmissed.Theywillforeverbeinlove』sarms.
貝絲對她愛慕已久的傑克說：「總有一天我會嫁給你。」她穿著最喜歡的帶玩具熊的藍色襯衣。四歲的她，藍色的眼睛在陽光下閃閃發亮。
傑克說：「不，不行，你還是一個小女孩呢。」
加利福尼亞午後的微風吹拂著他淺棕色的頭髮。他從單槓上跳下來，一路笑著跑回了教室。
貝絲獨自坐在那裡，滿臉迷惑，不知所措。她坐在高高的單槓上哭起來。她未來的丈夫怎麼就這樣走開了呢？
她一定要得到他，但該怎麼做呢?「我不會讓他離開我！不會！絕不會！」
15年後：
「我也愛你，傑克。」掛斷電話之後，她發現母親在笑。「怎麼了？」
母親坐在黑皮沙發上說道：「他什麼時候從法國回來啊？他在那裡待了有一陣子了。」整棟房子都是印度風格的設計，牆上掛滿了各種不同的捕夢網。母親的母親是純正的切羅基印第安血統。在貝絲八歲時她就去世了。
「他現在學業很繁重，可能要到這週六才行。」