p class="MsoNormal"Coming home from his golf weekend refreshed, Freddy entered the apartment with a skip in his step. He could smell something wafting through the air and crossed the living room to open the window./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hess, I think you left the gas on… Hess?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"He checked the bedroom, but she wasn't there. emShe must have left for groceries or something./em As he turned to take in his surroundings, something on the hearth caught his eye. Examining it closer, he realized it was a letter addressed to him. He opened the note and began to read it:/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanemDear Freddy,/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI've been trying to figure out what to write to you for hours now. All I can think of to say is I love you and I pray that with my dying breaths you are able to gain all the happiness you deserve. I hope you find someone who can love you and care for you the way you need. I wish I had been able to be that woman for you, but I can see that all my efforts have been for naught. I could tell that you were becoming dissatisfied with our relationship, and I tried to make it up to you, to accommodate your needs, but I've come to realize that you crave more from life than I am able to provide. Everything I own is yours. Do with it what you see fit./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSincerely, Hester/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Freddy fell to his knees in shock. That's when he noticed Hester lying on her back, covered from head to toe in a blanket, unconscious on the floor. He hadn't noticed her there until he saw the pads of her feet from where he was on the ground./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hess! Oh God, Hess…"/p
p class="MsoNormal"He peeled the blanket back from her face and shook her by the shoulders./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hester, wake up! Wake up, please…"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Freddy lifted her into his arms and carried her closer to the window, hoping the fresh air would help remove the toxic fumes from her lungs. He placed his head on her chest, hoping to hear a heartbeat or feel her inhale, some sign of life. The weight of Freddy's head caused Hess to start coughing. Freddy cried with relief./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hess! Oh God, Hess… I was so worried… It's okay, Hess, I'm here. Just hang in there…"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Freddy ran to the phone and called emergency services. An ambulance was on its way. Hess stirred weakly and opened her eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal""Freddy…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm here, Hess. Paramedics are on their way… Why'd you do it, Hess… Why'd you do it?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm sorry, Freddy…"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Hester started to drift out of consciousness. Freddy slapped her lightly on the face and shook her in an attempt to keep her awake./p
p class="MsoNormal""Stay with me, Hess. Don't leave me…"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Tears were flowing from his eyes. He lifted her limp form onto his lap and began to stroke her hair./p
p class="MsoNormal""Please, don't leave me…"/p
p class="MsoNormal"The paramedics burst onto the scene several minutes later. They laid her out on a stretcher while Freddy watched helplessly. Freddy followed them into the ambulance./p
p class="MsoNormal"Hester woke up in a hospital bed, her husband right beside her, holding her hand./p
p class="MsoNormal""Freddy…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Hush, darling. Everything is going to be okay. I'm here. Freddy's here."/p
p class="MsoNormal"A rush of emotion washed over her, causing her to sob. She was conflicted between being grateful to still be alive and being ashamed at having survived. She wanted Freddy's support but was afraid to even ask for it considering how she had hurt him./p
p class="MsoNormal""Freddy… I—"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Shh… It's okay, you don't have to say anything. Just get some rest. I love you so much, Hess. I never tell you that enough. I really do love you. You mean the world to me. You are my everything. Just rest up."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Freddy kissed her gently on the forehead, caressing her cheek with one hand and stroking her hair until she relaxed./p
p class="MsoNormal"After two weeks, Hester was discharged from the hospital. She was still relatively weak, and she was ordered by doctors to stay in bed as much as she could. Freddy stayed by her side the whole time, giving her meals in bed and doing everything he could to make her feel comfortable./p
p class="MsoNormal"Hess was grateful for her husband's attention, but guilt and shame were slowly gnawing at her. She was withdrawn and pensive. Freddy could tell something was wrong, but Hess denied it every time he asked her. He was starting to get concerned, afraid Hess would do something rash again. After Hess had finished eating her breakfast one morning, Freddy decided it was time to have a conversation. He took a seat on the bed and faced her./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hester, what's bothering you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh, it's nothing. I'm just tired is all."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Hess, I know you're holding something back."/p
p class="MsoNormal"She couldn't bear to look at him as all her doubts and insecurities came flooding back. Freddy could see she was beginning to shut him out and grabbed her hands./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hester, darling, you can tell me anything. I've been so worried about you."/p
p class="MsoNormal"And with that, Hess burst into tears. Freddy pulled her into an embrace and cradled her head in the crook of his neck. Hester continued to sob heavily as Freddy rubbed her back, trying to calm her down./p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh, Freddy… Oh, God…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Shh… It's okay, Hess… I'm here… Please don't cry."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm so sorry, Freddy… I'm so sorry… I'm such a monster for what I've done… I've ruined everything…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Shh… You haven't ruined anything, Hess, and you're not a monster. You were in pain, and I didn't see it. If anyone should be sorry, it's me. I made you feel so terrible…"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Freddy was crying now, too. He couldn't help but remember the image of his wife half dead in his arms, of the letter telling him she had done it to herself because of him./p
p class="MsoNormal""I was so afraid I was going to lose you. I felt so guilty. I promise to show you my appreciation more often. I never meant to make you feel inadequate. You are the best woman any man could ask for. Don't trouble yourself over what happened. I don't want you to feel like you aren't good enough. I love you, Hess, never doubt it."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Freddy kissed her fervently on the mouth, pulling her close as he climbed into the bed next to her. They laid in bed holding each other close for hours, afraid to let each other go./p
p class="MsoNormal""I love you too, Freddy… I love you too."/p