Life without you * English story *

Prologue

And then it's gone. Away! Vanished, somewhere along the way in the world wide web. Thanks to my fiancé Max. Max turns his office chair and makes eye contact with me. 'It's sent honey'. "There's nothing you can do about it now."
His words boomed through my head. I can't believe Max just sent it.
I quickly put my hands in front of my face. Before I know it, a squeaky office chair is rolling toward me. And Max pushes my hands down so my face isn't covered with my hands. Then I glance at Max who is now very close and still holding my hands.
A smile appears on his face. That looks confident.

'Liz you are excellent as a singer and everyone should hear this demo!' I shake my head.

"I'm not so sure." I sigh. No idea if this is really a good idea to send my demo to a well-known radio station.

"Just wait and we'll see if we hear anything, and otherwise you can always perform in our favorite pub." Max squeezes my hands gently for a moment. Then he suddenly jumps up from his office chair and is now very close to me. I feel his breathing and his familiar masculine scent. A masculine perfume fragrance called Cool Water. I know he always sprays these every day. Max wraps his arms around my waist and pushes me against him. I look up. Max has a pair of beautiful blue bright eyes, short brown hair, and a beautiful smile on his face. His eyes I immediately fell for that 3 years ago. Then he leans forward and presses his lips against mine. I wrap my arms around him and kiss him back passionately.

Max drives, as he does every week, the two-and-a-half-hour drive to his parents in Utrecht. It's a long way, but we're happy to do it. Like Max, I love his parents. When we drive out of the city, I notice that it is busy. Not surprising of course on a Friday afternoon, the rush hour starts early. With my thick winter coat on and crocheted scarf on, I settle into the chair and listen to the music coming from the speakers. Dusk sets in and I muse a bit about my own dreams for the future: Would my songs ever be heard on the radio? Encouraged by the warmth around me, I close my eyes for a moment.

We go with the curve later I open my eyes a little blurry. I'm having a good time – and I'm just turning to Max with a smile when I see a car driving towards us out of the corner of my eye. It takes me a while to register what's wrong. He drives on our half of the road! The car swings dangerously, alarmed I grab Max's arm. Max steers wildly, but it's inevitable. I hear myself screaming the moment the metal bangs against metal. I fly forward through the blow and feel the seat belt press against my chest.

"Max! ' My hands are clawing next to me. Red, blood. Still the sound of the abrasive metal and a strange hissing sound. The car spins, my head spins and then suddenly everything is quiet and black.

A few hours later, my eyes were half open. My vision is still blurry and I can't really focus everything on what room I'm in or the car I'm in. With my right hand, I feel something hard next to my body. When I move my hand up on my chest I feel a pain in my head. What is this? Then all of a sudden there are weird beeps next to me. My eyes are now opening further and I can see better now. I twist my body but then another pain comes into my head. Immediately my hand goes to my forehead. I feel a soft bandage. Would I have bumped something?. And... My eyes glide across the room. A curtain as a door, two white walls. A sink with a few cupboards next to the curtain and then to my right a computer with all letters and numbers. Then suddenly my curtain is pushed open. 'Here lies your daughter'. 'Thank you doctor ' I hear a familiar voice in the hallway. Not much later, my mother and father appear in the doorway. "Mom, Dad" I immediately shout. I look at them gratefully. "Liz! " My mother runs up to me. She gives me a hug. Later, she lets go of me and takes a step back so my dad can hug me too. "Where's Max? " I look questioningly at my parents. My mother shrugged. " He's in another room but I don't know how he's doing," she tells me honestly. I sigh. Max, my fiancé. I was in the car with him earlier today. My brain is now thinking about where Max will be. I hope he's just in another room. And just like I'll be awake now. Oh Max where are you? Then tears come to my eyes. I want so badly to know how he's doing. Not much later I hear heavy footsteps in the hallway and then a doctor appears in my room. 'Ah Liz you're awake'. This doctor comes to my bed. He is a tall, slightly older-looking man with short black hair. "How are you now? " he asks me. I look at him. I point to my head. 'My head still hurts but otherwise okay I think '. Then I think of Max. Where will he be? Then I open my mouth and I can ask the question that is really bothering me right now. "Do you know where Max is? '. The doctor looks first at my parents and then at me. 'Unfortunately, I have bad news for you' The doctor looks at all three of us. I swallow. What will that be? Immediately my thoughts start working. But before I can think of anything in my head, the doctor says to us. 

"Unfortunately, I have bad news." The doctor takes turns looking at us penetratingly. I swallow with difficulty. What can it be? Fear creeps over my skin as my head works overtime. But before I think of the worst scenarios, the doctor starts talking again: "Max just died."