No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

They say men don't easily shed tears.

Especially in front of women.

But there I was, witnessing Grant's eyes turn red before me, then tears cascading down his cheeks.

I didn't try to console him. Instead, I left his office, giving him space to mourn his bond with Ernest.

Grant had told me the company was Ernest's idea, but Grant was the one running it. That alone spoke volumes about their friendship; Ernest trusted him enough to leave everything in his hands. But now Ernest was gone, leaving Grant waiting for a return that would never happen.

That pain must be no less than mine in losing Ernest!

I left Grant's office for Ernest's lab. He was in R&D, always testing his own theories, so his office was filled with all sorts of gadgets and gizmos. Despite the chaos, it was an organized chaos. Looking at those tools, the experiment logbooks on his desk with data and his strong, confident handwriting, my heart twisted in pain.

Everything about Ernest reminded me of him, yet he was out of reach, a feeling only those who've lost can understand.

Eventually, I sat at Ernest's desk, opening his drawer. His pen, flash drive, notebooks, Bluetooth earpiece...

clear box

bracelet, its material unlike anything commercially available,

off and searched the box, discovering unassembled parts and a piece of paper with the bracelet's design, including the clasp and a pendant. The

meant to give it to me, but he never

this bell served as proof that even

be wouldn't

bracelet otherwise.

and sweet. I started assembling the incomplete bracelet, but the missing clasp halted my

before his departure, his untimely

to let this bracelet remain hidden in a box. It was Ernest's gift to

figured I'd make one myself, just

finished attaching the bracelet with

little bell tinkled with

Grant asked,

have seen Ernest