Shadow [The Wanted - Nathan Sykes]

Part 6: Destiny, Not Coincidence

I was completely alone. I had brought Shadow to the vet and he said Shadow wasn't sick... not physically, anyway. He said it could be a psychological problem and I didn't even know dogs went through  psychological problems like depression the way humans did. The vet said it came with old age and they were going to take care of him for a week. I was going to pick him up that day, as well.

Gen wasn't around either. She had gone back to Gloucester to visit her family and I couldn't go with her because I didn't get the week off she had. Nathan was busy all week, too, recording the album and all that. I was alone for an entire week, and it was one of the longest weeks of my life. 

Nathan had picked me up at the end of the week. He had offered to follow me to pick up Shadow. But before that, he brought me with him to the studio where they were recording for the new album.

"I know what it's like," I heard Max sigh, sitting next to me. "Thinking about losing your dog."

"Oh yeah, Elvis." I remembered, sitting up right.

"It's hard. When I heard he was getting sicker but I couldn't be there. He's a tough dog; he's been through a lot."

"Mine's brought me to a lot."

"He's brought you here. To him." Max said, looking to Nathan who was in the booth recording.

"Oh please, he isn't into me that way."

"Oh please," Max mimicked me. "He won't stop talking about you."

"You rescueing Shadow, him following and leading you. Him bringing you to Nathan then and again now. Don't think of it all as coincidence, Elle. I'm sure you know of our good friend destiny." Max said. And it got me thinking. What if it was all fate? The universe trying to tell me something about Nathan? Did the universe want us to be together in that way?

"Maybe that's his... 'mission'. You know where I'm going with this?"

"Like he's some kind of... 'guardian angel', leading me to Nathan and once his job is done he'll..." I gulped, "go?" It sounded like one of those mushy, touching movie plots as I said it loud.

"Yeah. He's brought you to a lot, but when the time comes you have to let him go, you know that, right?"

"Yeah," I nodded, although I was still in denial.

"Hey," Nathan said. He and Max had swapped roles; Max in the sound booth, Nathan beside me on the sofa. "How're you holding up?"

"Better. It's a good thing I know someone with some experience of a sick, old, dying pet," I said.

"Oh, Max and Elvis!"

"Heh, yeah. I have to let him go when I have to." I sighed, a tear forming in my eyes.

"Hey, hey." Nathan said, putting an arm over me and pulling me closer to him. "It'll be okay."

"I know it will," I admitted. "We've gone through so many great times together. Nothing lasts forever."

"Maybe we should go have lunch before we pick Shadow up. Food'll cheer you up, eh?" Nathan said. Simply thinking of food made me happy, of course I agreed for Nathan to bring me to lunch.

"I come bearing good news," the vet said. "He isn't sick. Neither psychologicaly nor physically. He's just getting old."

"Hey, buddy," Nathan said when Shadow was brought to us and Nathan carried him onto his lap.

What if I don't get together with Nathan. Would Shadow live longer? If that's what his purpose really is. And then I saw the image of Shadow getting old and suffering a long, painful death, because I refused to help him fulfil his duties. How selfish I would be if I did that. Max is right. You have to let go of Shadow when his time comes. You have to let go of some load to carry on.