Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right

1 brought Hayden back to Kahmark

One evening as the sun melted into the horizon,

of growing old together

I

But I couldn’t leave not yet I stayed, keeping him company, pretending he was still there

When I was a kid, I overheard my mom talking about how a person’s sou dont just vanish after they

I die. She said it lingers for a while, staying close to the people it loved–especially for the first the something days

I didn’t know if it was true, but I clung to the thought. I didn’t want Hayden’s soul to feel alone so stayed Watched over him until I felt like he was truly gone. Only then did I let myself think about leaving

During those days, I cut myself off from the world. My phone stayed off I lived like Yuna used to– reading books, picking wildflowers, brewing tea from petals, and painting

I painted Hayden, again and again. Every stroke reminded me of the portraits Wayne had made of me hidden in that house.

Moming and night, I talked to Hayden like he could still hear me

“Hayden, show up in my dreams tonight, okay? Say the stuff you never got to say

“Hayden, I miss you so much. I keep wanting to hold you, but you’re just gone. It hurts so bad sometimes, I wonder if I should follow you, just to make it stop.”

“Hayden, I found this little bird today. It was all alone. I tried to feed it. Maybe I can save it.”

“Hayden…”

I said everything I needed to, hoping for an answer. But no one ever replied.

Well… sometimes, it felt like there was a response.

When I sat by his side, the wind would brush against my face. Soft, warm–just like his touch.

The days blurred together, marked only by the quiet rhythm of sunrises and sunsets. On the 35th day after his death, I brought fresh flowers to his grave.

“Hayden, is this it? Is today the last day you’re here? Will you be gone tomorrow?

My voice shook, but I kept going. “I’ll be leaving soon, too. I’ll go back to work, back to normal life. And…. I’ll face the people I need to face.” I hesitated, then added. “And I’ll come after the ones who did this to Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

you.”

As I spoke, a soft breeze passed by, lifting a strand of my hair and brushing it across my face. It even grazed my lips.

Tears spilled over before I could stop them. In the month since Hayden’s death, I’d barely cried. Only in those quiet, unbearable moments when I missed him so much it felt like my chest might cave in.

But now, I reached for that strand of hair. “Hayden… is that you? You’re here, aren’t you?”

The wind picked up again, ready and gente le an aper

That night, I stayed longer, unwilling to leave When ally Self added dreamed of ant

The door creaked open and his voice, soft and steady called out to me cu lu

My eyes flew open. The moment save him, I wrapped thy arms around fine herding in tight stame

him,

He ran a hand through my hair. “Don’t stay here alone Go back be happy, Kik. Live for me tos

–

He said more, but it blurred in my memory. I just held onto him like I’d never be the sunlight pierced through my eyelids and dragged me awakke

When I opened my eyes, he was gone

The pillow in my arms was soaked with tears.

It was just a dream. A heartbreakingly beautiful dream

But it was enough.

The Hayden in my dream had felt so real.

As the sun rose, I smiled.

I left, carrying his hope with me.

When the plane landed in Seavora, I didn’t go straight home. Instead, I headed to Lena’s.

She was in surgery again, but I wasn’t in a rush. I waited in her lounge, flipping through her medical books to pass the time.