A little too late (A Pete angst Story)

Chapter 13

~Present day~ Pete POV

It's a few days after my 21st birthday and things have been amazing. I am pretty popular on TikTok to the point I am making a decent income from there but more so on twitch. I see my friends a lot more. I have happily been with my girlfriend for seven years and will probably get married around 25. We moved in together last year when we turned 20 and things have been great. I go out to get the mail and see I have a letter. There's no return address but it is in a black envelope with gold trimming. I opened and read a letter from Wynter, I haven't talked to her in a few years. We just grew apart but nothing specific happened. I don't know what this letter means but it makes me uneasy. I sit by Rose and put my AirPods in deciding to scroll on TikTok to get my mind off it when I see a TikTok that causes me to drop the letter. It's showing different pictures of Wynter and a sad song is playing in the background with a dove and heart in the caption. I go to the comments to read a bunch of rest in peace and people talking about their memories of her. The TikTok came from the college she was going to, she was pretty good at photography and creating stories with pictures so they have a second one showing her art and what she meant to the school. No, she can't...she can't be dead. I have so many questions but before I can truly process any of them Rose calls my name.

"Pete, I got a call from the doctor. They can do my eye surgery, I will be able to see again!"

I try to sound normal and be happy for her.

"That's great babe, when is the surgery?"

"Tomorrow, my mom will be taking me"

"We had been waiting for a while, what happened?"

"Someone died a few days ago and they said I was at the top of the list for the transplant. I was told there would be a note from the donator for me to read after but there's no name and they won't tell me their name"

I hug her and she heads to her room to call her family and tell all of them. I try to catch my breath but my phone rings and it is from Arny.

"Arny..."

"Hey buddy...when are you free? Nick and I need to come in and take you a few places"

"Arny, Wynter"

"I know, she wrote the husbands each a letter and had dying wishes she wanted us to fulfill and as much as none of us want to we need to do this for her"

"When did you get your letter?"

"She gave us letters after we spent time with her for her birthday and told us we couldn't open them until a couple of days after your birthday. We all had these letters for five months and none of us ever thought to read the letter early or questioned why we had to wait so long. Thinking back to the day I spent with her she was extremely happy and peaceful but seemed to be emotional also. I thought it was just her being herself but now I wish I would have questioned it more"

"I messed up Arny, I left her. I got so wrapped up in my relationship that I let our friendship fade away and it is all my fault"

"Hey, it is not. Even in her most depressive state she never spoke ill of you or spewed hatred. Never spoke jealousy. She loved you, her depression was just worse than what we all thought"

"I need to free up the next few days of my schedule to process so whenever you two want to come you can. Rose will be with family for a few days, she finally gets her eye surgery so she can see tomorrow"

"Okay and congratulations, that's great for her"

"I think Wyn...Wyn... I think she donated her eyes to Rose because she knows how badly she wanted to be able to see me"

"Oh...that's kind of bittersweet then. Our schedules are a bit hectic so at a later date we will all come in for a week or so to spend with you and grieve together but for now, we will come one by one. I'll be there soon so we can go."

"See you soon, I'll be at the coffee shop by my house"

"See ya"

He hangs up and I text Rose where I will be. I don't know why but I didn't feel like telling her that Wynter is gone, not right now while she is excited. I head to the coffee shop by my house, it is similar to the one Danny, Wynter, and I used to study at. I sit in a corner and I consider reaching out to her mom but I can't dial the number. I wonder if she blames me. I never wanted this and I hope she doesn't hate me. I would understand if she did because Wynter and I stopped all communication for almost two years. I got really popular quickly and it was like I left her behind. I was busy pleasing fans and hanging with my friends that I abandoned the one that was there before it all happened.

"Hey Pete"

"Hey Arny, I wish we would have met under better circumstances"

"Yeah, we have to spend more time together. I guess I lucked up because I am only taking you to get comfort type of things"

"Well, let's go. Can you at least spend the night? I'm really conflicted about how I feel and although I seem to be just in shock I don't know if being alone is a good idea. I really need a friend"

"Of course, Nick I think is coming a little later so we both can stay"

So we head to his car and head to Walmart and he grabs a cart. I wonder what we are getting from here.