He shakes his head. “Hard to say. The last time I took you to the doctor a month ago, he said six or seven months.”
My body goes cold. Six months. Six months left on this earth.
If that’s all I have, I’m damn well going to enjoy it.
“Graham,” I say. “Thank you for running my business while I’ve been sick. You’ve done a good job and… I want you to keep doing it. Keep it going. Please.”
He nods slowly, his brow wrinkled.
“But I don’t want to live here with you anymore.” I shake my head. “I don’t even know who you are. And I’m sorry, but I don’t love you. This arrangement needs to end.”
Graham drops his eyes. “I love you, Tess. Maybe you don’t remember me, but I remember you. I want you to be happy. I’ll do whatever it takes…”
“I’m not happy here. And there’s nothing you can do except let me leave.”
His eyes widen. “But where will you…？” He stops mid-sentence and turns to look at Harry. “Oh.”
“I’m sorry,” I say quietly.
Graham looks down at his loafers. His chest rises and falls. “I just want you to be happy, Tess. So whatever you need to do…”
I thought he would put up more of a fight. But he isn’t. He’s letting me go.
For a moment, I wonder if I’ve got it all wrong. Maybe Graham is The One. I married him, after all. He’s the one I had planned to spend my life with. When I thought I had a whole life to spend.
But then I look over at Harry, wringing his hands together. There was always only one person for me. I somehow got lost along the way, but having terminal cancer can show you what’s important.
“Harry,” I say. “Will you let me spend these six months with you?”
His eyes light up. Even though I’ve lost my memory, I know it’s the first time I’ve felt happy in a very, very long time.
Chapter 43
Graham and I come up with an arrangement. We’re going to have a contract drawn up by a lawyer to make it all official, but we hashed out most of the details:
Graham will keep the house. I don’t want to stay in one place anymore, anyway.
Graham will make sure the restraining order against Harry is dropped, as well as the current charges against him from last night.
Graham will remain CEO of My Home Spa and keep it running while I’m gone. As much as I loved it, I’m not capable of running it anymore. And that’s not how I want to spend my last months. When I’m gone for good, the company will be his.
Camila will get a generous severance package.
Ziggy will stay with me.
As soon as I’m done packing, I will leave with Harry and never return.
Graham is on his phone with his lawyer right now, eager to get the papers drawn up today. He says that his attorney can email him the documents and we can take care of it right away, although I feel like it can wait till tomorrow—now that tomorrow will exist. But I also feel like it will be good to get it done with. I want to leave this house and start living the rest of my life. Now that I know how little is left, I don’t want to waste any time.
While Graham is in his office, my father kisses me goodbye while Harry and I relocate to the kitchen. I get some coffee brewing, then we go to sit at the kitchen island, waiting for it to be done. While we wait, Harry holds onto my hand like I’m his life preserver.
“Hey,” I say. “What’s with the beard?”
He rubs the stubble on his chin. “Do you like it?”
“I can’t decide. When did you decide to grow it?”
“Right after you contacted me.” He grins at me. “It’s kind of my disguise.”
I laugh. “It’s a good one. I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“Yeah, I was considering an eyepatch too. And a fake scar. But then I was like, maybe too much.”
“I prefer being able to see your face.”
He rubs the beard again. “I’ll get rid of it then.”
“Just like that?”
“Sure. Why not?”
I raise my eyebrows. “Is this what it’s going to be like? Anything I ask, you’re going to do it without question?”
He smiles at me, but a bob of his Adam’s apple betrays his true feelings. Everyone else has had a long time to deal with the reality that I’m dying. Harry found out today, just like me. For a moment, it looks like he’s fighting back tears. He wins the battle and his eyes stay dry. “What can I say? I’m crazy about you. I always have been.”