Hold On I Still Need You

-A Heartfelt Goodbye-

*Song: "Remember Me" Coco---Piano Solo

A/N: You might want tissues for this chapter. 😢😢

Sophie's POV:

The room is unusually quiet. The steady beep of the heart monitor serves as a constant reminder of my failing body. The sterile hospital scent lingers on my skin, making me feel like I belong here. Dr. Elwin's words keep replaying in my head, "The treatment didn't work. There's no more options." I try to push away the heaviness of those words, but they sink in deeper with each passing moment. Things aren't turning out like I had hoped they would. 

I look out the window, the gray sky mirroring the weight in my chest. How much time remains? I'm uncertain. However, one thing is clear—I can't depart without expressing what I've concealed for too long.

My hands tremble as I reach for the pen and paper beside my bed. I want to say everything, but where do I even begin? My thoughts race, but the words come slowly, as if the pen itself understands the gravity of this moment.

Keefe,

I don't even know where to begin with this. My heart feels so full of words, but they all seem to escape me when I try to write them down. Maybe that's just how love works—too big to fit into any one sentence. But I'll try anyway.

From the moment you entered my life, I had no idea just how much you would mean to me. You've been there through every storm, every dark corner, and you've never once faltered. Your laughter has been the light in my hardest days, and your support... I never knew someone could make me feel so strong just by being near me. You've given me so much, more than I could ever have imagined. When I think of all the moments we've shared—the quiet ones, the loud ones, the silly ones, and the serious ones—it feels like a lifetime packed into a short span of time. And I wouldn't change a single second of it.

I never thought someone like you would become my everything. You've always been so much more than just my best friend, and I think we both knew it long before either of us could admit it. But we didn't rush it, did we? We let it grow into something real, something deeper. That bond we share... it's not something I ever expected, but it's something I cherish with every part of me.

I wish we could have had more time. I wish I could have been there for you in the future, for all of the things we had yet to explore. I wish I could have held your hand through everything still to come. But even if I don't get that chance, I want you to know that what we had was more than enough. You gave me a love that was beyond anything I ever thought I deserved. And I will carry that with me, wherever I go.

If I'm not here to see it, I want you to know that I am so proud of everything you've done, of the person you've become. You're stronger than you realize, Keefe. You always have been. No matter where life takes you, no matter what happens, I believe in you. You're going to do great things, and you'll continue to be the incredible person you are.

Please, remember the laughter. Remember the good times. Remember that you're loved, so, so loved. I will always love you, Keefe. Always.

Even when I'm gone, you'll still be with me.

-Foster

Grady and Edaline,

I've never known how to say this, but I guess there's no perfect way. All I can do is hope that these words can somehow express what's in my heart.

First, I want to say thank you. Thank you for everything you've done for me—every sacrifice, every moment you've given, every bit of love you've shared. You two have always put me first, and I don't think I can ever fully explain what that has meant to me. You gave me a home, a family, and a life that I never thought possible. Your unwavering support, your endless kindness, and your patience have shaped me into the person I am today. You've made me feel safe when the world around me felt so unsafe. You've given me strength when I thought I had none left. And most of all, you've given me love—so much love.