Jonathan sat in Liza’s room, stroking her hair. It had been a week since Stacey had visited. Even though he had broken things off with Stacey he couldn’t help but cringe when he remembered. Stacey was definitely an attractive and intelligent woman, but she was nothing compared to his Liza. He wondered why he had ever started fooling around with Stacy, when he had the woman he loved the most waiting for him at their home. He loved everything about her, her smile, the way she laughed when she found something funny, the way she blushed, her habit of sniffing him or how she bit her lip when she was nervous. He was in love with every single trait of her. There was no part of Liza which he didn’t love. She consumed him completely. He couldn’t even remember a single reason why he did all those things with Stacey. He wondered if he could ever forgive himself for the mistake he made. ‘No’, he thought to himself ‘It wasn’t a mistake it was a sin that I committed’. How could he ask Liza to ever forgive him? How could he even face Liza? He looked down at her unconscious form and wondered if she could hear him. Liza had been showing signs of improvement since few days and the doctors had said it shouldn’t take more than a few days for her to wake up.
“I love you Liza” he whispered in the silent room “I really do. I know that I have made many mistakes and broken many promises. I didn’t know what came over me, what led me to commit this- this sin but love I will make it up to you. I will beg and grovel till you forgive me. I will lay down my life if you want me to. You have always been so beautiful Liza, inside and out, and Lord knows that I don’t deserve an angel like you but darling I am a selfish human and I will do whatever it takes to earn your trust back. I won’t let you get away from me. I will make you happy once again, I will bring back that smile on your face. I will do anything to earn your trust Liza, absolutely anything.” His voice was painful and raw with emotions. Tears was rolling down his cheek.
Alice stood by the half open door of the hospital room. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop on her brother, but she couldn’t help but listen as he spoke to Liza. She could hear the regret in his voice. She knew that he was punishing himself and she thought that he should. She had seen Jonathan’s and Liza’s love blossoming to something wonderful, something that you hear about only in fairy tales. When Liza had first told her about Jonathan she hadn’t believed her, she had told her over and over again that maybe it was a misunderstanding or maybe that Stacy had thrown herself at him. But after witnessing it firsthand she couldn’t help but hear her heart break for Liza. Liza had been her best friend and Alice knew her inside out. There was nothing Liza could hide from Alice or Alice could hide from Liza. Alice had seen Liza’s eyes getting duller with every day that had passed, her smile getting faker and her face masking her pain under that fake bright smile that she put on for everybody. Jonathan was her brother but she knew that what he had done was inexcusable. But still he was her brother and though she might not be able to forgive him but she could offer him a little comfort from his pain.
Alice entered the room closing the door silently behind her. She went to Jonathan who was sitting on a small metal chair beside Liza’s bed. She put her hand on Jonathan’s shoulder. “Jonathan” she said softly. Jonathan turned around. His green button down was wrinkled, his hair was disheveled and there were deep purple bags under his eyes. He had been spending every single day in the hospital beside Liza. He only left her side when it was absolutely necessary. She could see that he was tired, not only physically but emotionally too. It was the same look that she had seen on Liza’s face during these past few months. “You should go get some sleep” she said to him. “You know that I can’t Alice, every time I close my eyes I am reminded of every single mistake I made, of Liza’s face the day I asked her for divorce.” He said, his voice was dejected. She knew that he wanted to earn Liza’s forgiveness but how could he do it when he couldn’t forgive himself. “You have to sleep at some point Jonathan, you have tough road ahead of you and as much as I want to skin you alive and guillotine you, you are still my brother. I really don’t want Liza to forgive you, as her friend I can’t see her forgiving the man who broke her heart but as her sister I know that she needs to forgive you, for her own closure.” Alice said her voice breaking. “Go home Jonathan, I will stay here and call you if any new development happens regarding her condition.” She continued. Jonathan seemed reluctant to leave Liza, pained even but he quietly stood up from the chair letting Alice sit on it. He kissed Liza’s forehead and after giving her one last look he turned to leave.” Jonathan, you forgot your box of letters, if you can’t sleep then read it maybe they will because you pain but they will also let you know that once she really did love you” Alice said giving him the box. “Thank you Alice “Jonathan said his voice was still raw and then he left.
As Jonathan walked out of the room he knew that he won’t be able to sleep but he had already caused so much pain to Alice by hurting Liza and by letting her down that he couldn’t bear to see her worry about him. He glanced at the box of letters and instantly knew that he was going to read them all no matter how many times they ripped him open he will still read them all.