Enamored

25

Who's ready for angst🤪
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(N) watches the construction crew work. Ash taps his shoulder and he turns. "You came to huh?" "Hey, old lady." "This town just keeps changing but that's life. It's how people keep moving and growing." (N) shifts in place. "Do you think...if we stopped the construction Myles will get better?" "What? Don't be ridiculous. This town needs a big hospital. There's no need to get sentimental over it." "I guess. But I think I'm gonna end up hating this town."

Ash crosses her arms. "It's not that bad. The crew agreed to keep a couple of trees up." The woman gazes into the dark sky. "It looks like it might snow."
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The snow came down fast. It covered houses, cars, and the train station. Everything stopped moving. Like the town was frozen. Myles started to run a fever and then unexpectedly went into labor. It was two weeks earlier than his due date. He would have to have a home birth.
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Myles groans in pain and breathes heavily. (N) can only hold his hand and watch. "Hang in there Myles!" "Argh. Don't worry. (N). I'll be fine. After this, the three of us will live together." Clara, Ash, and Laura rush into the bedroom. "Damn snow! All the cars are stuck on the road! Why now?!" Laura takes off her coat and grabs Ash's arm. "I need you to boil some water." "Right!" The midwife walks over to the bed. "(N) I need you to encourage Myles. Hold his hand and don't let go."

(N) nods and looks back at Myles. "I'm right here Myles. Don't give up. You'll have River and we'll start our new life together." Laura walks to the other side of the bed. Myles pants and groans. "Breathe in. And out. In. And out. Good. Just like that."
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Hours had passed and (N) felt like he was trapped. All he could do was sit there and watch as Myles drifted in and out of consciousness. Waking up and passing out from pain. There seemed to be no end in sight. (N) sound himself slowly losing hope as he squeezed Myles's hand.

Finally, the loud cry of a baby breaks the silence. Laura holds up the baby. "It's a girl!" (N) smiles with teary eyes and looks down at Myles. The male's bangs were sweaty and stuck to his forehead. "Did you hear that Myles? Our baby girl River!" Myles smiles weakly at (N) with fluttering eyes. "We did it (N)." "No Myles. You. Did it." (N) squeezes his husband's hand and looks up as Laura hands him his baby.

"Here she is. Careful with her head. Congratulations." (N) fixes his arms as he holds his daughter. Tears gather in his eyes as he sniffles and laughs. "She's so small. Ha. We'll be changing a lot of diapers. Then before we know it she'll be going to school. Right Myles?" (N) looks down to see Myles with his eyes closed. "M-Myles?" (N) gently shakes his husband awake. Brown eyes flutter open and gaze at (e/c) one's.

Myles smiles wearily as his eyes try to focus. "I'm glad I got to have her here at home...I'm sorry (N)...I'm just a little tired...I'm gonna rest my eyes for a bit." Myles's eyes close as (N) sniffles. "Wait Myles. You can't sleep yet. You haven't gotten to hold her. Myles? Hey. Here feel how soft she is." (N) grabs Myles's hand and pulls his hand to touch River's cheek. Myles's hand slips out of (N)'s grasp and limply falls against the bed.

Clara gasps and softly calls out. "Myles?" (N)'s smile fades as he grabs Myles's hand and holds it up. Only for the hand to fall back down immediately. "No. No. No. You can't. Myles!" (N) cries harder. "You promised we'd stay together forever! Myles!" River cries in her father's arms as Ash tries to call for the doctor. "Damn it! The doctor still isn't here!" (N) sobs and grabs Myles's hand. "Myles, please! I need you!"

'Nothing good happened to me until I met you. I finally found something to live for. You promised we'd stay together forever. We both promised each other.'

(N) stands at the bottom of the hill gripping his bag. His eyes widen as he sees Myles in his school uniform standing under a tree. 'Wait. This is!' Suddenly the male claps his hands together and yells. "Please! Please let me graduate this time!" 'No. No.' (N) immediately looks down and grits his teeth. He stares at the ground as Myles gasps. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't know someone was here!" (N) clenches his fist as he hears Myles walk past him. "E-Excuse me."

Leaves fall from the trees as (N) bites his lips. 'This is good. We shouldn't have ever met. I should've ignored you and walked by. We never would have gone out, gotten married, and...and River would have never been born.' (N) covers his mouth and swallows a sob. 'This is better. I won't have to go through any suffering and you'd still be here...we never should have met.'
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'I was only living because dying is troublesome. Wake up. Work. Eat dinner. Sleep. Repeat. This became my daily routine out of habit. I work and work to forget.' (N) sorts through a stack of paper as his boss sits across from him. "(N). Why don't you take a break?" "I'm almost done, sir." The older man chuckles dryly. "I appreciate all your hard work but you can't keep working yourself like this. How about taking some time off?"

Without looking up (N) flips through the papers. "I'm good sir. I work because I want to." 'It's difficult to enjoy my days off. I spend my time gambling and drinking. Staying away from home. Hiding because I was afraid of reality. I hate this town...but I can't go anywhere else.' (N) shuts his front door with his foot and walks past the kitchen filled with trash bags and unwashed dishes. He drags himself to his bedroom. He tosses his bag on the floor and flops onto his bed. 'I wanted to forget everything I did. Everything I did was a mistake. Meeting him. Falling in love. Getting married. Having a baby. It was all one big mistake that I couldn't take back.'
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(N) groans as his doorbell rings and sits up in bed. He walks to the front door and opens it. His eyes widen as the woman in front of him smiles. "Good afternoon (N)! How are you doing?" "Uh, Clara." "Sorry did I wake up?" (N) looks around the woman nervously. "Are you alone?" "Yup!" "Sorry. Give me a second to clean up." After tidying up the apartment (N) and Clara sit in the living room. "It sure is hot out today." "Uh yeah."

Clara smiles at the young man. "Even so. You can't stay inside all day." "Mmm. Takashi tells me the same thing. That I need to get out more. There's no reason to go out by myself on a hot day." Clara hums. "Then let's go out."
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(N) side eyes Clara and sighs. "What's with you?" "What do you mean?" "Why are you going out with a guy like me?" "Why not? You're sweet, funny, and handsome!" "I'm not all that great." (N) stops walking and looks at a building. "I don't even recognize this place anymore." "You don't come by the station often?" "No. I stay on my side of town."

Eventually, the pair make it to the family restaurant. "You haven't taken a vacation in a while. Why not take off a week or two?" (N) chuckles sips his drink. "My company would love that. They keep telling me to take time off." Clara smiles brightly. "Wonderful! Let's take a trip somewhere. It'll be so fun." "Just the two of us? I might just agree." "Actually I was thinking that everyone can come." "Who's everyone?"

A little girl runs past the booth yelling. "Papa! Papa! Hurry up! Let's go!" A man walks after her. "Quiet down sweetheart. Let's use our inside voice." (N) glares at the table and Clara smiles. "You know Ash misses you too. She wants to go out drinking sometime. Don't worry so much. It'll be fun!" "I'll think about it."
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The home phone rings and (N) answers it. "So did you think about the trip?" Clara asks from the other end of the phone. "Not yet. I'm still thinking about it." "Alright. I'll call you back later." (N) smiles wearily as the call ends he places the phone down. "She really wants me to go on that trip." Just as the male moved to exit the living room the phone rang again. He picks it up and Clara questions him again. "So have you thought about it?"
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'I don't really want to go on this trip but I feel like I would be betraying Clara. She's done so much for me. The least I can do is go on one trip.' (N) steps into the house with a bag in his hand. "I'm here! Hello?! Clara?! Old lady?!" He walks into the living room to find a note on the table along with two tickets. "I'm sorry (N). Something suddenly came up and Ash and I had to leave. Please take care of things while we're gone. Love Clara."

(N) sweats and looks at the tickets. "You've got to be kidding me." Light footsteps cause the male to turn around. He tosses his bag to the floor and walks upstairs. His eyes drift to a closed door. "Myles." (N) whispers but quickly walks back downstairs as a small shadow runs by.