Let's Take a Moment to Reflect on the Past Few Years of Our Lives

ALLIE'S POV

I nodded my head slowly as the doctor finished up my diagnosis, however weird it was. Apparently it was unusual for something like this to happen so early. I just didn't understand it. I mean...why was it happening to me?

"So...where's my dad?" He was the only thing I could remember, but it was strange, it was like I was missing years, because I clearly wasn't eleven, but my last memory was from when I was eleven...

The guy sat to my right sighed again and looked as if he was about to pull his hair out with the strain. I knew that I should know him, that I should recognise him, because he had told me he loved me. And you don't tell strangers you love them. But I just couldn't remember him. I couldn't put a name to the face. I couldn't...I just didn't know anymore.

The doctor came closer to me and gently squeezed my hand. "I'm so sorry Allie. Your father really was a wonderful man."

My throat tightened. That was what that woman had said, the one who had told me she was my best friend. But she was lying. She had to be lying. And now the doctor was too. "No, I don't believe you. Where's my dad? I want my dad!"

The guy next to me got out of his chair and put a hand on my face. It soothed me, it really did, looking into those brown eyes, but it scared me too. I didn't know him. He shouldn't be able to calm me down.

"Allie, you have to listen to us. Your father...he was a fireman, you remember that right?" I nodded. "He went into a building to save a kid who was trapped. He got the kid out, but it was too late for him. Please Allie, you have to believe us. We're not doing this to hurt you. I swear it's the truth, I wish to god it wasn't but it is. I'm so sorry."

Something in his eyes told me he was telling the truth, they told me he would never lie to me. So I had no choice but to take it in. I guess I kind of knew it too, really. There was something in my heart that wasn't quite whole, something that was missing. And obviously...well obviously that was him. My daddy.

I realised both the doctor and the stranger were waiting for a reaction from me. I bit my lip and nodded. They relaxed a little, the doctor explaining a few more things to me and the guy sat back down, faking a smile. Eyes telling the whole sorry truth.

He stayed with me that night.

He stayed with me and I didn't even know his name.

At one point in the night, I went to the toilet, and when I came back he was fast asleep. I took in the features of his handsome face, the slight stubble and the light brown short hair that lay in disarray, his closed eyes, thick eyebrows, and just knew that I couldn't stay.

I got the feeling I had broken his heart.

When I left the hospital, I was surprised that no one tried to stop me. Somehow I made my way back to my house, or my old house. I found things that I guessed would belong to me, shoved them in a bag and just walked away. I didn't know where I was going, I just knew I couldn't stay.

I thought back to what I had whispered in that angel's ear as I had left.

"I'm sorry I broke your heart."