A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

"Lance, hey, calm down. I swear, I haven't lied to you." Hudson's voice was

gentle. "This isn't what I wanted either, but...it's just how things are. Maybe I was always living on borrowed time."

"I mean, honestly, I've had a good run. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. Getting to really know you? Even better."

"Lance, you've got to promise me something, okay? Even if I'm gone, you have to take care of yourself. And besides, I'm not dead yet, am I?"

He tried to grin, even though it didn't look easy. "I'm right here in front of you. If there's anything you want me to do, just say it. I'll do it—whatever it is, I promise."

Hudson gave Lance a crooked smile.

"And hey, when I'm gone, will you bring me some flowers every week? You know flowers are my favorites. It'd mean a lot if you could leave some flowers for me every Sunday."

"But if you meet someone new, someone you really love, then you don't have to bring flowers anymore, alright?"

Lance clamped his hands over his ears, shaking his head, refusing to listen.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it! If you die, I'm not bringing you any flowers. Not a single one!"

you do die, I'm telling you right now, I'll go out and find someone else right

you hate, just to make you

angry. He glared at Hudson, refusing to

to the bar, and I'm meeting up with

spun around and

but not quite this much. He just couldn't process it yet.

glanced over at

managed a small smile at Calliope. "Don't

worried about you," Calliope admitted

of everyone, Hudson was the one hurting the most. It wasn't like he'd chosen this illness. Nobody would choose to die if they had a

he

it, I'd stay," Hudson said, smiling a little. "But I knew he'd react like this. Still, you were

been hard on you. And, listen, if you feel like you need to get back home, don't worry about me. I know you're busy, and you've already done more

genuine gratitude. He felt bad for

sighed, her expression softening. "I'm sorry. Guess my medical skills just aren't

down, she knew