Chapter 20
During his days in the hospital, Blake was basically unresponsive most of the time.
He’d only look up when Sergeant Martinez called his name, otherwise he just stared at the ceiling like a zombie.
Everyone knew Blake was sick.
Martinez kept telling him to see a psychiatrist, but he’d just say. “I’m fine.”
After his second stomach pumping from unconsciously taking sleeping pills, Danny showed up.
Danny hesitated outside the hospital room but eventually came in.
He got straight to the point: “Blake, get some fucking help.”
Danny remembered the day Stella died.
He’d asked her if she had any regrets. She didn’t say much, but finally told him:
‘If Blake can truly move on and live a good life, that’s great.”
But if he’s stuck because of me…”
he paused for a long time before continuing.
If he can’t move forward because of me, you have to get him into therapy. There’s this new technology that can use brainwaves to remove painful memories.”
Let him forget me and move on.”
Janny stared at the man in front of him-clean military cut, strong jawline, the kind of face that would normally command a room-but those eyes were ompletely dead. So empty you could look into them and see nothing but a black hole.
t was fucking terrifying how alone he seemed.
Danny finally got why Stella was so worried about him even as she was dying.
hat kind of emptiness doesn’t happen overnight. It was like someone who’d been in darkness their whole life, caught one flash of light, then had it ripped way-leaving nothing but a void.
This was Stella’s last wish.”
Danny laughed bitterly: “Blake, if it wasn’t for Stella, I wouldn’t give two shits if you lived or died.”
But even when she was literally taking her last breaths, she was worried about you. She wanted you to have an actual life.”
Despite insisting he was fine, Blake agreed to the therapy.
The doctor explained: “You need to be prepared. Electroshock therapy might make you lose certain memories, but they’re the ones causing you pain, so it’s okay
After leaving the hospital, Blake truly had forgotten Stella completely.
His life got back on track.
One day, Sergeant Martinez tapped on his desk and waved his phone.
The screen showed a photo of a girl in a simple white dress standing in front of a school, with a soft smile.
“What do you think? She’s an elementary school teacher. Her name’s Vanessa. You’re not getting any younger-if you’re interested, I can hook you two up?”
Blake flipped through case files on his desk, glancing at the girl: “Sure.”
Martinez’s face lit up with excitement as he shouted across the office: “He said yes! He actually said yes!”
Their first date was at a coffee shop.
The girl was pretty shy, mostly just answering whatever Blake asked her.
Blake ran through all the first date basics-how old she was, where she taught, whether she liked her students, what she did for fun.
Eventually, he hit the awkward silence wall.
The girl blushed and grabbed the check before he could.
Thirty-two dollars for his overpriced cold brew and their muffins.
This girl was actually kind of cool, he thought.
Back at his apartment, he passed out scrolling through Tik Tok on the couch and dreamed about some girl.
