𝑯𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒈𝒊𝒇𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔.
Elizabeth Reid learned, at seventeen, that she was going to die. Diagnosed with terminal cancer, she's faced with a question that no one should have to answer.
How do you leave a mark on a wo...
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I stood in front of my wardrobe, staring at the jumble of clothes inside. Dresses, tops, and trousers all mixed in a colourful mess. My eyes darted from one item to the next, but nothing seemed right. I needed something perfect for tonight. But why? It wasn't even a proper date. Or was it?
Nathan had been so confusing lately. First, he'd asked me out on what sounded like a date. Then he'd backtracked, saying it was just a friendly outing. I couldn't understand it and wasn't sure how I felt about it either.
I glanced at the clock on my bedside table—4:05 pm. Nathan would be here in less than an hour, probably even sooner than that, and I was still standing in my dressing gown, hair a mess, and not a clue what to wear.
A soft knock on my bedroom door interrupted my spiralling thoughts.
"Beth? Are you decent?" Mum's voice called from the other side.
"Yeah, come in," I replied, returning to face the wardrobe.
Mum poked her head around the door, a gentle smile on her face. "How's it going, love? Found something to wear yet?"
I sighed, shaking my head. "No, nothing looks right. I don't know why I'm making such a fuss. It's just Nathan, after all."
Mum stepped into the room, her eyes twinkling with understanding. "Just Nathan, eh? Is that why you've been standing here for the last half hour?"
I felt my cheeks grow warm. "Has it been that long?"
"I'm afraid so," Mum said, coming to stand beside me. She peered into the wardrobe, her head tilted to one side. "Now, let's see what we've got here."
As Mum began rifling through my clothes, I fidgeted with the tie of my dressing gown. "Mum," I started, then hesitated.
She turned to look at me, eyebrows raised. "Yes, dear?"
I took a deep breath. "Do you think... do you think it's wrong of me to want this to be a date?"
Mum's expression softened. She reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Oh, sweetheart. Why would that be wrong?"
I swallowed hard, feeling the familiar lump in my throat. The one that appeared every time I thought about my diagnosis. "Because... because of everything. Because I'm ill. Because I don't have much time left. It's not fair to Nathan, is it?"
Mum's eyes filled with tears, but her voice remained steady. "Beth, listen to me. You have every right to live your life to the fullest every single day. If you want this to be a date, let it be a date. Nathan cares about you; we all do. Don't push people away because you're afraid of hurting them. That's not fair to you or them."
I nodded, blinking back my tears. "But what if he doesn't want it to be a date?"
"Then you'll still have a lovely evening with your best friend," Mum said firmly. "Now, let's find you something gorgeous to wear, just in case."
