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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The countryside blurred past as Nathan's car sped down the motorway. I gazed out the window, watching fields and hedgerows melt into a green smear. My stomach was a knot of excitement and nerves, knowing what lay ahead.
"You're quiet," Nathan said, glancing over at me. "Having second thoughts about jumping out of a perfectly good aeroplane?"
I laughed, shaking my head. "No, not at all. I can't wait, actually. Just... thinking."
"About what?"
I hesitated, unsure how to put my jumbled thoughts into words. "Do you ever wonder about... leaving your mark on the world?"
Nathan's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know, exactly," I sighed. "It's just... I've been thinking a lot lately about what I want to accomplish. About how I want to be remembered."
There was a moment of silence, broken only by the hum of the engine and the faint music playing on the radio.
"Is this about the bucket list?" Nathan asked gently.
I nodded. "Partly. I mean, I love ticking things off, but... it feels a bit selfish, you know? Just doing things for myself. I want to do something that matters, something that makes a difference."
Nathan reached over and squeezed my hand. "Beth, you make a difference every day. Just by being you."
I smiled, grateful for his words, but not entirely convinced. "That's sweet, but I mean something bigger. Something that lasts."
"Like what?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "That's the problem. I keep thinking about all these grand gestures or big achievements, but they all feel... impossible. Or not enough."
Nathan was quiet for a moment, considering. "Maybe it doesn't have to be one big thing," he said finally. "Maybe it's lots of little things that add up."
I turned his words over in my mind. "Maybe," I said. "I just... I don't want to be forgotten, you know?"
Nathan's grip on my hand tightened. "Beth, listen to me. You could never be forgotten. Not by me, not by your family, not by anyone who's ever met you."
I felt tears prick at my eyes, touched by the intensity in his voice. "Thank you," I whispered.
We drove in comfortable silence for a while, my thoughts drifting. Eventually, Nathan spoke again.
"So, are you going to tell me about this nightmare that had your mum so worried?"
I looked at him, surprised. "How did you know about that?"
He grinned. "Your mum might have mentioned it when she was listing all the reasons why skydiving was a terrible idea."
I groaned, imagining the conversation. "Of course she did."
