LOST LOVE

RAIN

**Catherine's POV**

I spent the day with Mom. She's my only relative. Our world was small-just me and her. Then James came along with his family.

It had been a long time since we spent time together, and it brought back old memories. I felt lighter today. I think she noticed the change in my behavior, but she didn't ask anything. Thank God. I wouldn't have known how to answer her questions.

On the way back home, my car suddenly stopped. I tried to start it again, but it wouldn't budge. There were no subways or buildings nearby. Stranded with a broken-down car, I messaged James. Usually, he doesn't pay much attention to my messages, but this time, he replied quickly. Maybe he was worried about me, I thought. James said he would come to pick me up. So, I waited. I called the workshop, and they sent someone to tow the car.

"Hey lady, do you want us to drop you off?" the repairman asked.
"It's hard to get a vehicle out here, especially at this time. We can drop you off at the subway," he added.
"No, thank you. My husband is on the way," I replied. They nodded and left, towing my car behind them.

James had agreed to pick me up, so how could I trust a stranger? As the time passed, it started getting darker.

Suddenly, it began to rain. With no place to take cover, I ran under a tree.

I've been waiting for him for three hours now. Did he seriously forget about me? Isn't he home yet? If he's at home, he should realize I'm not there. If he can't pick me up, why did he say he would? I'm such a fool to have waited all this time in a strange place. All these thoughts raced through my mind.

I took out my phone and dialed Serena. She picked up on the second ring.
"Serena, are you free right now?" I asked.
"Yeah," she replied.
"Can you come and pick me up?" I asked, feeling guilty for bothering her so late. But I had no other choice. My body was shaking from the cold.
"What happened to your car?" she asked, concerned.
"Breakdown," I replied curtly.
"Okay. Where are you now?" she asked, sounding worried. I heard the sound of keys jingling.
"I'll send you the location," I said before hanging up and sending her my location.

The rain was pouring heavily, soaking me completely. My wet clothes clung to my skin, and I shivered from the cold. The rain blurred my vision, and smoke was beginning to rise from the ground. I thought about James. What could he possibly be doing that made him forget about his wife? Don't I mean anything to him?

A car's headlights appeared in the distance, and soon, Serena ran toward me with an umbrella. "Come inside," she said, opening the car door for me. She handed me a towel.
I wiped my face and started drying my wet hair as she started the engine and drove us home.

"I never imagined you'd be this foolish," she said, her eyes on the road.
I tried to laugh, but the sound didn't come out.
"Why were you standing in the rain?" she asked, still focusing on the road.
"I called James, and he said he would come to pick me up," I explained, which made her laugh.
"And you waited for him?" she said, her tone full of disbelief.
"Yes," I replied.

"When did you message him?" she asked, a question I really didn't want to answer.
"When?" she repeated, her voice rising when I didn't answer immediately.
"Around six," I replied quietly.
"You stood in the rain for over three hours?" This time, she glanced at me, her eyes wide with shock.
She didn't ask anything else, and we drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence.

When we reached my house, I noticed there were no lights on. So, he wasn't home. He was probably still at the office, which is why he forgot about my message. I went inside and took a hot shower. I tried calling James, but he didn't answer. I hoped he wouldn't go searching for me at that place, so I messaged him, "I'm home."

Time passed, but James didn't come home.

I guess he isn't coming today. I lay down on our bed and fell asleep.

**The Next Day**

When I opened my eyes, it was already afternoon. I lay there, feeling exhausted. I could barely keep my eyes open.

My body was burning up. Too tired to walk, I reached for the cupboard and took some pills. I swallowed them with water and went back to sleep.

I woke up to the sound of the doorbell. I got out of bed and slowly walked to the bathroom. I knew it wasn't James-he had his own keys. My body was heavy with fatigue as I dragged myself to the door and opened it. It was James's sister, Susan, standing outside with a wide smile.

"Hi, Cat," she greeted. Before I could respond, my body collapsed to the floor. The cold tiles sent a shiver through me.

I heard her calling my name and shaking me, but I couldn't respond.

**Third POV**

Susan had come to James and Catherine's house to visit, but she never imagined she'd find her sister-in-law fainting at the door. She called 911, and they rushed Catherine to the hospital. Panicked, Susan tried to call her brother, but he was unavailable. She then called their parents.

"Susan, what happened to Catherine?" James's dad asked when they arrived.
"I don't know, Pa. She just fainted in front of me," Susan replied, still shaken.
"She's already been through so much. Now this. God, please don't test my child any more," James's mom prayed.
"Mom, her body was burning up," Susan added.

The doctor came out of the room.

"How is Catherine?" Mr. Jordan asked.
"She's stable," the doctor informed them.

They all sighed with relief.
"Where is James?" Mr. Jordan asked Susan, realizing his son was missing too.
"I've tried calling him multiple times, but he's still not answering," Susan said, annoyed.
"What an irresponsible boy!" Mr. Jordan muttered, frustrated with his son's behavior. He was already causing issues at work, and now he wasn't even there for his wife.
"I've already messaged him," Susan added.

They sat in Catherine's hospital room as she slept.
"Dad, Mom, you should head home. I'll stay with her," Susan said.
"No, Susan. I'll stay with Catherine. After all, James isn't here yet," Mr. Jordan insisted.
"James could show up at any moment. It's already late, Dad," Susan countered, knowing her parents were getting old and needed rest.
After some time, they finally agreed and left.
Susan sat in the chair beside the bed and rested her head on the table.

After a while, there was a knock on the door. Susan opened it to find James standing there. She had so many questions but held them back. He looked like he'd been through a marathon. His shirt was wrinkled, his hair messy, and his buttons were mismatched.

"How is Catherine?" he asked from the doorway.
"She's sleeping," Susan replied, her voice tinged with bitterness.
James looked at the bed where Catherine lay sleeping soundly. Susan watched his every move, casually observing him.
"You can go, Susan. I'll stay with Catherine," James said, avoiding eye contact.
"Where were you, James?" Susan asked, her patience wearing thin.
James hesitated, searching for a lie.
"You weren't at the house, and you weren't at the office. So, where were you?" she pressed.
"I was with a friend," James muttered.
"Which friend?" Susan wasn't letting it go.
"You don't know them," he replied, clearly lying. Susan saw right through him.

She picked up her bag and walked out of the room. Only then did James exhale deeply. He looked at the woman sleeping in the bed. She had grown thin, and her once-radiant face was now dull. Memories flooded his mind-school days, the beginning of their love, their wedding day. He stood from the chair, reaching out to touch her face but stopped when his phone pinged.

It was Elena. Her message jolted him back to reality. He sat back down in the chair and started chatting with her, completely forgetting about the woman lying in the hospital bed. He didn't even ask the doctor about her condition.