DECEMBER 31, 1996
THE PARTY WAS IN FULL SWING DOWNSTAIRS, BUT LIZ WASN’T IN THE MOOD TO JOIN in the celebrations, so I remained by her side the whole night. There would be a million more parties, but there would only ever be one Lizzie Young.
I knew she was doing better since coming home from hospital, but she wasn’t the same. There was something different about her. I didn’t understand what that something was or why it had happened, but I knew it had.
Liz was always tired now, and she didn’t spin around in circles on the grass like she used to. Her eyes didn’t twinkle with mischief anymore, and she was a lot quieter these days. It took her longer than usual to answer questions or toss out a smart-ass comeback—something she had always been the queen of doing.
Now, grown-up things were happening to her body and there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening or make her feel better.
All I could do was stay.
So that’s what I did.
Because I knew deep down inside that I would sit with Lizzie Young for the rest of my life if it kept the sadness out of her eyes.
If it kept her safe.
“Hey, Hugh?” Liz said a little while later, when we were reading on her bed.
“Yeah, Liz.”
She pointed to the clock on her nightstand. “Happy New Year.”
I checked the time and saw it was indeed gone midnight, which meant one thing. Leaning in close, I pressed a kiss to her cheek, finding it a little more difficult to pull away this year. “Happy New Year, Liz.”
