strong, and she’ll be able to move on. But Alan… I don’t know what’s going to happen to him. Who’s going to take care of him? Where’s he going to live?”

“Savannah will take care of him.”

“I know she would. But is that fair to her? To expect her to shoulder that responsibility?”

“It won’t matter whether it’s fair. She won’t let anything happen to him.”

“How? She’s going to have to work—who watches Alan then? Remember, he’s still young. He’s only nineteen. Do I expect her to take care of him for the next fifty years? For me, it was simple. He’s my brother. But Savannah…” He shook his head. “She’s young and beautiful. Is it fair to expect that she’ll never get married again?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Would her new husband be willing to take care of Alan?”

When I said nothing to that, he raised his eyebrows. “Would you?” he added.

I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. His expression softened.

“That’s what I think about when I’m lying here. When I’m not sick, I mean. Actually, I think about a lot of things. Including you.”

“Me?”

“You still love her, don’t you?”

I kept my expression steady, but he read me anyway. “It’s okay,” he said. “I already know. I’ve always known.” He looked almost wistful. “I can still remember Savannah’s face the first time she talked about you. I’d never seen her like that. I was happy for her because there was something about you that I trusted right away. That whole first year you were gone, she missed you so much. It was like her heart was breaking a little bit every single day. You were all she could think about. And then she found out you weren’t coming home and we ended up in Lenoir and my parents died and…” He didn’t finish. “You always knew I was in love with her, too, didn’t you?”

I nodded.

“I thought so.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve loved her since I was twelve years old. And gradually, she fell in love with me, too.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because,” he said, “it wasn’t the same. I know she loves me, but she’s never loved me the way she loved you. She never had that burning passion for me, but we were making a good life together. She was so happy when we started the ranch… and it just made me feel so good that I could do something like that for her. Then I got sick, but she’s always here, caring for me the same way I’d care for her if it was happening to her.” He stopped then, struggling to find the right words, and I could see the anguish in his expression.

“Yesterday, when you came in, I saw the way she was looking at you, and I knew that she still loved you. More than that, I know she always will. It breaks my heart, but you know what? I’m still in love with her, and to me that means that I want nothing more than for her to be happy in life. I want that more than anything. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for her.”

My throat was so dry that I could barely speak. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying don’t forget Savannah if anything happens to me. And promise that you’ll always treasure her the same way I do.”

“Tim…”

“Don’t say anything, John.” He raised a hand, either to stop me or in farewell. “Just remember what I said, okay?”

When he turned away, I knew our conversation was over.

I stood then and walked quietly out of the room, shutting the door behind me.

Outside the hospital, I squinted in the harsh morning sunlight. I could hear birds chirping in the trees, but even though I searched for them, they remained hidden from me.

The parking lot was half full. Here and there, I could see people walking to the entrance or back to their cars. All looked as weary as I felt, as if the optimism they showed to loved ones in the hospital vanished the moment they were alone. I knew that miracles were always possible no matter how sick a person might be, and that women in the maternity ward were feeling joy as they held their newborns in their arms, but I sensed that, like me, most of the hospital visitors were barely holding it together.

I sat on the bench out front, wondering why I’d come and wishing that I hadn’t. I replayed my conversation with Tim over and over, and the image of his anguish made me close my eyes. For the first time in years, my love for Savannah felt somehow… wrong. Love should bring joy, it should grant a person peace, but here and now, it was bringing only pain. To Tim, to Savannah, even to me. I hadn’t come to tempt Savannah or ruin her marriage… or had I? I wasn’t sure I was quite as noble as I thought I was, and the realization left me feeling as empty as a rusted paint can.

I removed the photograph of Savannah from my wallet. It was creased and worn. As I stared at her face, I found myself wondering what the coming year would bring. I didn’t know whether Tim would live or die, and I didn’t want to think about it. I knew that no matter what happened, the relationship between Savannah and me would never be what it once was. We’d met at a carefree time, a moment full of promise; in its place now were the harsh lessons of the real world.

I rubbed my temples, struck by the thought that Tim knew what had almost happened between Savannah and me last night, that maybe he’d even expected it. His words made that clear, as did his request that I promise to love her with the devotion he felt. I knew exactly what he was suggesting that I do if he died, but somehow his permission made me feel even worse.

I finally stood and began the slow walk to my car. I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go, other than that I needed to get as far away from the hospital as I could. I needed to leave Lenoir, if only to give myself a chance to think. I dug my hands into my pockets and fished out my keys.

It was only when I got close to my car that I realized Savannah’s truck was parked next to mine. Savannah was sitting in the front seat, and when she saw me coming, she opened the door and got out. She waited for me, smoothing her blouse as I drew near.

I stopped a few feet away.

“John,” she said, “you left without saying good-bye last night.”

“I know.”

She nodded slightly. We both understood the reason.

“How did you know I was here?”

“I didn’t,” she said. “I went by the motel and they told me you’d checked out. When I came here, I saw your car and decided to wait for you. Did you see Tim?”

“Yeah. He’s doing better. He thinks he’ll be getting out of the hospital later today.”

“That’s good news,” she said. She motioned to my car. “Are you leaving town?”

“Gotta get back. My leave’s up.”

She crossed her arms. “Were you going to come say good-bye?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”

I saw a flash of hurt and disappointment on her face. “What did you and Tim talk about?”

I looked over my shoulder at the hospital, then back at her. “You should probably ask him that question.”

Her mouth formed a tight line, and her body seemed to stiffen. “So this is good-bye?”

I heard a car honk on the road out front and saw a number of cars suddenly slow. The driver of a red Toyota veered into the other lane, doing his best to get around the traffic. As I watched, I knew I was stalling and that she deserved an answer.

“Yes,” I said, slowly turning back to her. “I think it is.”

Her knuckles stood out white against her arms. “Can I write to you?”

I forced myself not to look away, wishing again that the cards had fallen differently for us. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Yes, you do,” I said. “You’re married to Tim, not me.” I let that sink in while gathering my strength for what I wanted to say next. “He’s a good man, Savannah. A better man than me, that’s for sure, and I’m glad you married him. As much as I love you, I’m not willing to break up a marriage for it. And deep down, I don’t think you are, either. Even if you love me, you love him, too. It took me a little while to realize that, but I’m sure of it.”

Left unspoken was Tim’s uncertain future, and I could see her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

“Will we ever see each other again?”

“I don’t know.” The words burned in my throat. “But I’m hoping we don’t.”

“How can you say that?” she asked, her voice beginning to crack.

“Because it means that Tim’s going to be okay. And I have a feeling that it’s all going to turn out the way it should.”

“You can’t say that! You can’t promise that!”

“No,” I said, “I can’t.”

“Then why does it have to end now? Like this?”

A tear spilled down her face, and despite the fact that I knew I should simply walk away, I took a step toward her. When I was close, I gently wiped it away. In her eyes I could see fear and sadness, anger and betrayal. But most of all, I saw them pleading with me to change my mind.

I swallowed hard.

“You’re married to Tim, and your husband needs you. All of you. There’s no room for me, and we both know there shouldn’t be.”

As more tears started flowing down her face, I felt my own eyes fill up. I leaned in and kissed Savannah gently on the lips, then took her in my arms and held her tight.

“I love you, Savannah, and I always will,” I breathed. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You were my best friend and my lover, and I don’t regret a single moment of it. You made me feel alive again, and most of all, you gave me my father. I’ll never forget you for that. You’re always going to be the very best part of me. I’m sorry it has to be this way, but I have to leave, and you have to see your husband.”