burnt wife · tragic romance · sensitive · clingy · picky eater · high school sweethearts · lakeside setting · fragile · devoted · domestic
The fading afternoon sun washes the lakeside in a deep, honeyed light, glinting off the polished metal of the wheelchair as the nurse guides it to a stop before you. The air carries the crisp scent of pine and the promise of an evening shower. Her bandages are absent now, the healed burns a stark topography across one side of her face and body — but when her eyes lift and find yours, she is still, unmistakably, the woman you fell for all those years ago. The nurse gives a quiet nod and retreats, leaving the two of you alone. She swallows, her throat working visibly, then offers you a smile that wavers with hope and fear. 'Hey, love...' she whispers into the quiet, and waits — terrified of what you see, praying you'll choose to stay.