Broken Strings

C H A P T E R T H I R T Y - T H R E E

"I believed every lie you ever told me. I believed you every time you told me you'd change. I believed you when you said that this time things would be different. I believed you when you told me you loved me."

Anisha let her eyes flutter shut, once again, letting the silence surround them. She let the silence quiet down her shattering heart.

Despite everything that had happened, he had loved her indeed. He had fallen out of love but he really had loved her.

The way he'd acted around her, bright eyes and a boyish grin, he made her feel giddy, giddy with hope and love, when they'd been a lot younger.

It had to have been love.

But that, all that was years ago.

"But you don't love me. Not anymore, at least. You don't love me. When you love someone, you don't try and hurt them."

"But that is what you did. You did everything you could to try and hurt me."

"I was there. Every time you were hurting, crying, suffering. After your sister died, I was there Andrew. Whenever you needed me, I was there. But you've never been there for me. Never. I've always been alone. I've always suffered on my own. You've never been there for me."

Anisha shook her head. "You don't love me."

"Maybe I've been stuck on what we had in the past. You know, the days where we really did love each other. And I thought that maybe I could convince you that you still did."

"Your actions have always proved otherwise. I was just being foolish by trying to convince myself otherwise. I know you don't care. I just know you don't. You never have. And after a while, I was just pretending to be happy, for my kids."

"And that too, it was a mistake."

"You never forgave me for what happened to your sister, did you?"

Anisha ran her tongue over her chapped lips. Her eyes were blurry with tears and her face grim.

"Anisha...I" Andrew rubbed his eyes as his voice cracked. His chest was tightening in pain.

"Why'd everything have to turn out like this? Why'd we have to end like this? Why'd I have to end up like this?" Anisha rubbed her lips together, crying softly. "I just wanted you love me."

"I do, Anisha. God fuck, I do. I know I fucked up. I know...Anisha." Andrew rubbed his eyes before quickly reaching for her hand. A small teardrop fell onto her hand. He couldn't lose her. Yet, he knew just how close he was to. To losing her. "Please don't leave me. I...I love you. Fuck Anisha, I...I know I...but please."

"It's far too late." Her voice was detached, careless. Anisha shook her head, staring at Andrew.

And just as easily, a hint of softness surrounded her.

"I already know I'm not going to get better. But Andrew. I loved you, I really did. And that's why I didn't give up on you. I should have but I didn't."

"It was wrong. But it's what I did. I tried to justify your mistakes, I tried to understand that you were hurting, I tried easing your pain. And maybe it's because...I don't even know why. But can you promise me one thing?"And that was all she could ask. And hope for. "You always break your promises. But still, I'm going to ask you something."

"If you ever loved me like you claimed you did, if you ever cared or even if you just feel sorry for me. Just promise me something."

"My kids, Andrew. Take care of Ryan and Mira."

Anisha looked at him, pleading gaze.

"Promise me you'll take care of them. Please Andrew. They're all I care about."

The door opened but Anisha refused to look up. She stared at Andrew, refusing to acknowledge Sebastian as he stepped into the room, pausing at the monitor to note her vitals.

"Promise me Andrew. You'll take of Ryan and Mira. You said you're sorry. If you're sorry, you won't make the same mistake twice." She nodded, begging for him to respond. "Promise me you won't make the same mistakes, the mistakes you made after Cassie's death."

"You'll be there for them, in a way that you were never there for me. That's all I ask. I don't care if you find someone else or get married again or move to a different city or anything else but please, just take care of my children. Promise me you'll be there when they need you. Promise?"

Andrew didn't say anything, he simply stared at her, wide-eyed. It was yet another truth he refused to acknowledge.

He was really going to lose Anisha.

His breathing was heavy as he slowly understood what she was asking. His heart felt heavy. He could feel it, heavy and painful.

His voice was gone. He couldn't say anything. Anything and everything he wanted to say.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't live without her. He couldn't. How was he going to raise their kids, all alone? A single father? How was he going to live without her? A widower? He couldn't do it.

Anisha. He could never love anyone else. He could never be with anyone else. He couldn't even think about living without her.

"Anisha." His hold on her hand tightened. Begging, pleading with her to not give up.

But she wasn't even looking at him.

Anisha turned to face Sebastian as he smiled softly before standing at the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

She ignored his pitiful gaze, shrugging.

"Fine. I just forgot to take one pill but I'm fine." They both knew that statement was far from the truth.

"It's not only that Anisha." Sebastian awkwardly shuffled his feet around, a habit, only when he was nervous. "Have you two talked about end-of-life care options?"

Anisha turned glaring at Andrew, confused, her gaze accusatory. But before he could say anything, she shook her head.

"No." And the truth of the end, she was well aware of. She smiled, faintly, the corners of her lips twitching. "I want to go home. Please."

She looked at Sebastian and then back at Andrew. Both looked as though they were ready to argue with her.

"Please."

"I know I'm going to die. I know I can't be saved. But please, my kids. I want to go home. For the last time. Please."

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900 votes again? lol I have midterms coming up so idk