Rebecca coped with her depression by organizing her life so there’d be no time for it. She’d been doing that for years since the divorce. Until one persistent stranger decided to interfere with her strict, lonely routine. Little did Rebecca know, he’d become the one person she’d end up missing.
In the dim light of her bedroom, Rebecca lay on her back, her gaze locked on the digital clock beside her bed. The numbers read 6:29. She took a steady breath, waiting for the clock to change. As soon as it clicked to 6:30, the alarm went off, but Rebecca was quick to silence it.
She sat up, threw the covers aside, and rose from the bed with practiced precision. First things first—Rebecca smoothed out her sheets, arranging every corner until the bed looked crisp and perfectly made. She walked into the bathroom, where everything had its place.
Rebecca took a moment to look at her own reflection, her expression calm but distant. She was forty-seven, with lines of experience and resilience etched onto her face. Seven years had passed since her divorce, and though the pain had dulled, it had left behind a scar.
Her response to the heartache had been order, discipline, and strict routine. These things brought her a sense of control.
At exactly seven o’clock, Rebecca laced up her running shoes, plugged in her headphones, and stepped outside, ready for her morning jog. For years, these runs had been her escape.
But for the past month, something had started to disrupt her carefully designed routine—a neighbor named Charlie.
Charlie’s house was right across the street, and every morning, just as Rebecca fell into her steady pace, he would come bounding out. This morning was no different.
“Rebecca! Wait, it’s me!” he called, his voice cheerful. Rebecca pretended not to hear him but soon he was jogging alongside her.
“You’re fast… as always,” he managed between pants, giving her a crooked smile.
Rebecca pulled out one of her earbuds. “Oh, hi, didn’t see you there,” she replied, with just a hint of annoyance.
“Hey, want to hear a joke?” he asked eagerly.
“Why did the scarecrow get a promotion?” he asked, grinning.
“Because he was outstanding in his field!” Charlie delivered the punchline with a broad, triumphant grin.
Rebecca paused, and against her better judgment, a chuckle escaped her lips. Charlie’s face lit up with delight.
Each morning, Rebecca found herself looking forward to the sight of Charlie bounding out of his house with his untied sneakers and his cheerful grin. His silly jokes had grown on her.
As she laced up her shoes one morning and looked out the window, Rebecca found herself glancing at his house. Today, though, something felt different. There was no sign of him.
She hesitated, then walked over to his house and knocked on the door. No answer.
“Charlie! Are you there?” she called. Just then, Mrs. Lewis, an elderly neighbor, spoke up.
“He was taken to the hospital by ambulance last night.”
Rebecca’s heart skipped a beat. Without a second thought, she headed to the hospital.
At the reception desk, she blurted, “I’m his girlfriend.” The receptionist led her to room 113.
Charlie’s eyes lit up when he saw her. “Yes, yes! Rebecca, come on in.”
“Girlfriend, huh?” Charlie teased.
Rebecca gave him a mock-scowl. “I had to say something to get in here, didn’t I? And you missed our jog this morning! What happened?”
Charlie sighed. “Well… it’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but those jogs? Not exactly great for my health. I have a heart condition.”
“Charlie, why didn’t you tell me? You shouldn’t have been running at all!”
“Well… if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have seen you. I wouldn’t have gotten to know you.”
Rebecca felt her face soften. “So you were willing to risk your health just to talk to me?”
“Yes,” he said simply. “I’ve watched you every morning… You’re someone special, Rebecca.”
Rebecca reached over and took his hand. “Charlie, you don’t need to run to spend time with me. How about dinner at my place instead?”
Charlie’s face broke into a warm smile. “Now that sounds a lot safer for my heart.”
Rebecca chuckled, looking forward to an evening with someone who had become surprisingly important to her.
