The Fading Moon Chapter 20: The Promise Beneath the Stars

Read chapter 20 of The Fading Moon by MananTayal on NovelPedia.

The hospital room was silent. Too silent. The steady beeping of machines echoed through the darkness. Outside the window, snow drifted slowly from the night sky. White flakes danced beneath the city lights before disappearing into the streets below. Mike sat beside Jessika's bed. He hadn't moved for hours. His hand remained wrapped around hers. As if letting go would somehow make things worse. As if holding on could keep her here forever. Jessika slept peacefully. At least she looked peaceful. But Mike knew better. The pale skin. The exhausted breathing. The dark circles beneath her eyes. Every day the illness stole something. A little more strength. A little more energy. A little more time. The doctor had spoken with him earlier. The conversation replayed endlessly inside his head. The words refused to disappear. "We're doing everything we can." Those words always sounded hopeful. But this time they hadn't. This time they sounded like surrender. Mike lowered his head. For the first time since meeting Jessika, he felt completely helpless. There was no photograph he could take. No memory he could create. No dream he could fulfill. Nothing. All he could do was sit there. And watch. Hours later, Jessika slowly opened her eyes. The room was dark except for the moonlight entering through the window. She immediately noticed Mike. Still sitting beside her. Still holding her hand. "You stayed." Her voice was barely a whisper. Mike smiled weakly. "Of course." "You should've gone home." "No." "You haven't slept." "No." She sighed. "You're stubborn." "I learned from you." A small laugh escaped her lips. The sound made Mike's heart ache. Because even laughter sounded fragile now. For a few minutes neither spoke. They simply watched the snow falling outside. The city seemed peaceful from up here. Distant. Almost unreal. Then Jessika suddenly asked: "What time is it?" Mike checked his phone. "Almost midnight." She smiled. "Perfect." Before Mike could ask why, she slowly reached toward her backpack resting beside the bed. It took effort. Far too much effort. Yet she refused help. Eventually she pulled something out. A small wrapped package. Mike blinked. "What's that?" Jessika placed it in his hands. "Open it." Carefully, he unwrapped the paper. Inside was a camera strap. Simple. Black. Handmade. On one side, embroidered in white thread, were tiny words. Keep looking at the moon. For several seconds Mike couldn't speak. His vision blurred immediately. "Jessika..." She smiled softly. "I made it in the hospital." "You made this?" "Mhm." "It must've taken forever." "It did." Mike gently ran his fingers across the embroidery. Every stitch. Every thread. Every tiny imperfection. Each one made by her hands. "I love it." The words came out broken. Because he was already fighting tears. Jessika looked relieved. "Good." She leaned back against the pillow. Watching him. Almost as if seeing him happy was enough. Then silence returned. Comfortable silence. The kind they had always shared. After a while Jessika spoke again. More seriously this time. "Mike." "Hm?" "I want another promise." His chest tightened. He knew that tone. The tone she used when something truly mattered. "Okay." She looked toward the snow outside. Gathering courage. Gathering strength. "If I can't stay..." Mike immediately looked away. The sentence hurt before it even finished. Jessika continued anyway. "...promise you'll keep taking pictures." Mike remained silent. "Promise you'll publish that book." His throat tightened. "Promise you'll keep living." The words shattered something inside him. Because they sounded less like hope. And more like preparation. Mike closed his eyes. Fighting back tears. "I don't want to make promises like that." His voice trembled. Jessika smiled sadly. "I know." Neither spoke. The snow continued falling outside. Slowly. Quietly. Endlessly. Finally Mike looked at her again. His eyes shining with tears. "Then you make me a promise too." Jessika blinked. "