Lucy received the most devastating news imaginable from her doctors, prompting her to reach out to a long-lost love and confess her feelings in a letter. However, when she arrived at his home, another woman answered the door, forcing her to leave the message in her hands. But just as she was walking away, something truly unexpected happened.
“Mrs. Franklin, I believe it’s time to start getting your affairs in order. There’s nothing more we can do, aside from hospice care when the time comes,” Dr. Martins informed her. Lucy had been holding onto a shred of hope, but those words shattered it completely. “My best estimate is that you have about ten months left.”
For weeks, Lucy had undergone countless tests after collapsing at the grocery store where she worked as a manager. She had even sought second and third opinions from different specialists, but the answer was always the same—her time was running out.
It was then that she fully grasped how fleeting life truly was. People always talked about how short it was, but she never truly understood until that moment. The small worries that once seemed important now felt insignificant.
As she walked through the doctor’s office parking lot, memories of her past resurfaced, especially one regret that haunted her: her breakup with Mike.
Mike had been her college sweetheart, and they had planned to marry after graduation. But a misunderstanding involving another woman at their graduation party shattered their relationship. Lucy had lost trust in him, and they parted ways for good.
“I was such a fool,” she muttered, slipping into her car but hesitating to drive away. “What if he was telling the truth? Why did I waste so much time?”
Frustration overwhelmed her. She slammed her fists against the steering wheel before resting her head on it, tears streaming down her face.
Her life had been simple but fulfilling. After college, she found a stable job, bought a house in her hometown of Destin, Florida, and adopted a dog named Darwin. Evenings were spent unwinding with Netflix. It was a comfortable routine, one she had been content with—until now.
Wiping her tears, she came to a realization. She still loved Mike, and he needed to know. It may have been selfish, but in the grand scheme of things, it felt like the right thing to do.
“I think the universe will understand,” she whispered, shifting gears and pulling out of the parking lot.
At home, she searched for Mike on Facebook and quickly found him still living in the same town. Unsure of his exact address, she decided to call his mother.
To her relief, the older woman remembered her fondly and provided the information without hesitation. Lucy refrained from asking about Mike’s life, wanting to hear everything from him directly.
Before rushing out the door, she paused.
“What exactly am I going to say? How do I even begin?”
Her nerves got the best of her, and she jiggled her car keys anxiously. Then, inspiration struck—she would write a letter. That way, she could put all her feelings into words without stumbling over them in person.
She sat at her kitchen table, discarding several drafts before finally settling on the perfect version. “This is it,” she murmured, reading it one last time.
Sealing the envelope, she grabbed her keys and drove to Mike’s address. Her heart pounded as she knocked on the door. But when it opened, her smile faded.
A beautiful woman stood in front of her.
Oh no. Of course, Mike is married. What was I thinking? Lucy panicked internally, struggling to find her voice.
“Hello? Can I help you? Are you looking for someone?” the woman asked, tilting her head curiously.
Lucy had to think fast. She couldn’t let this ruin Mike’s life—but she couldn’t walk away without leaving the letter, either.
“Ah… I’m a courier,” she blurted out. “I have a letter for Mike Hanson. This is his address, right?”
The woman smiled and nodded. “Yeah, Mike lives here. I can give it to him. Thanks!”
Handing over the envelope, Lucy turned and walked away, breathing a sigh of relief. A weight had been lifted, and despite the bittersweet moment, she felt at peace.
But just as she reached the sidewalk, strong arms wrapped around her from behind, stopping her in her tracks.
Before she could react, a familiar voice spoke.
“Hey, you.”
The warmth in his tone transported her back to their college days. She turned in his embrace, her heart pounding as she looked into Mike’s eyes.
“What are you doing, Mike? What about your wife?” she stammered.
“My wife?” he repeated before chuckling. “You mean Sandra? She’s my cousin. Did you ever meet her?”
Lucy’s eyes widened. “No… I don’t think I did.”
“Well, she just handed me your letter. I only skimmed it before rushing out to find you, but I got the gist of it. So… you still have feelings for me?” Mike teased, though his voice carried genuine affection.
Tears welled up in Lucy’s eyes as she nodded, laughing softly. “I do.”
They went inside, where Mike read the letter carefully. Lucy then revealed the real reason she had written it. At first, he was stunned, but he didn’t hesitate to promise that he would stand by her through everything—including the difficult road ahead.
At some point, Mike explained what had really happened at their graduation. The other woman had been trying to flirt with him, and before he could even reject her, Lucy had seen them together and assumed the worst.
Though it no longer changed anything, knowing the truth brought Lucy immense relief. None of it mattered anymore—all that mattered was making the most of their time together.
Months later, when the inevitable moment arrived, Lucy lay peacefully in bed, her loyal dog Darwin curled up beside her. On the other side, Mike held her hand, just as he had promised.
