By admin A Romance In Passing Chapter 18
“Farumy! Ezmmy!” William screamed into the dead phone line. His voice cracked with desperation as the call abruptly ended.
In a panic, he threw himself off the bed, the heavy plaster on his leg hitting the floor with a thud.
But he didn’t feel it not the pain, not the impact. A nurse burst in and saw Willaim crawling toward the window. Emily’s name spilled from his lips over and over, his face soaked with tears.
“Mt. Silverstein! You can’t do this!”
But William didn’t seem to hear. He clawed his way up the window frame, his gaze locked on the distant sky, as though hoping to see her somewhere beyond the horizon.
Emily curled up on her couch, determined not to leave her house that weekend after everything that had happened.
But then, a strange noise outside caught her attention. She peeked out the window and saw Keith standing below, calling her nam
As always, he wore that sunny, carefree smile–the same one that never faltered, no matter how messy things got. No matter how many times he witnessed her at her worst, he stayed by her side.
Her heart softened. She changed her clothes quickly and headed downstairs.
To cheer her up, he brought his bike and cycled along the Selene River, weaving through the soft breeze. They laughed and chatted like nothing had happened the day before.
When they finally stopped for a break, he laid out a picnic blanket beneath the warm sunlight.
“Feeling better?” Keith asked, smiling as he offered her a cup of coffee.
Emily was touched. The entire moming had clearly been planned just to lift her spirits. She gently clinked her coffee cup against his and gave a soft nod with a smile.
Keith studied her for a moment before speaking again. “I’ve got a small photo exhibit on campus tomorrow. Would you come?”
He handed her two tickets, his voice a little nervous. His eyes sparkled with hope, bright but bracing for disappointment.
“Are these just for me?” she teased, her tone playful.
“I… Uh…. Do you want to come?” he stammered. He found himself at a loss for words.
“Sure,” she replied with a smile, her heart fluttering.
The next morning, as she was brushing her teeth, Teresa knocked on the bathroom door with a smirk. “That guy’s downstairs again.”
Flustered, Emily rushed to the window and saw Keith, casually waiting with his headphones on. She wasn’t sure why, but this time, it felt different. It felt like a date.
Her heart thumped a little faster. She slipped into a dress and hurried downstairs. At the exhibit, they browsed through the gallery pamphlet together before entering the other rooms.
Suddenly, Emily froze. Hanging before her were candid portraits of her.
There she was, standing in the sunlight. Sitting in a cafe, lost in thought. Dozens of moments she didn’t know had been captured. Each one was like a memory from another lifetime.
She turned, stunned. “When did you take all these?”
Keith scratched his head, half sheepish, half smug. “Sorry. Every time we met, I just couldn’t help it. Call it a photographer’s instinct.”
Her ears turned red, and she quickly walked to the next room, trying to hide the warmth on her face.
But the next gallery wall stopped her in her tracks. It was covered with photos–dozens more of her. All signed by Keith.
Her reading at the library and feeding birds in the park. The way the wind tangled her hair during their picnic by the Selene River.
“Keith…” she whispered, face flushed. She looked at him in disbelief.
He leaned closer and asked expectantly, “Will you be my model?”
“M–model?” She waved her hand. “I’m not photogenic,”
“I know you think you’re not photogenic, but to me, these are the most beautiful versions of you,” he replied.
“Emmy, “he said her name with such care, “I know you’ve been stuck in the past. I want to help you leave it behind. Maybe this could become your new start- something fresh, something just for you.”
Emily stared at the photos. The smiles, the light in her eyes, she hadn’t seen herself like that in so long. It felt like another woman entirely.
She looked back at Keith, at the hand he was holding out gently toward her.
And somehow, she knew she could trust him with her whole heart. She reached out, placing her hand in his. “I’d love to.”