She was diagnosed a year ago with an incurable disease. She had no idea what to think when they told her. She shut myself up in her room and cried for days, she wasn’t ready to die yet there was so much that she hadn’t done. So much that she still wanted to do, she wanted to.
She made a list of everything that she wanted to see and do before her year was gone. It ended up being ten things. The next day as she stood in line at the Starbucks looking over her list a boy looked over her shoulder and asked “What is that?” she turned around to face a very handsome curly haired boy. “It’s a list” she said as she took in all of his features, he was really very attractive and he had kind eyes. “A list of what?” he asked now very curious “of all the things that I want to do before I die” she said, she didn’t know why she told him this but she felt like she could trust him. “Oh…that’s cool” He said “I’m Nick by the way” “nice to meet you Nick, I’m Charlie” “Charlie…that’s a cool name” he smiled. “Thank you” She blushed a little. “So what’s on that list of yours?” He asked and she handed him her list “Wow, that’s a lot of stuff to do” he said “Can I help?” he questioned. “You want to help me finish my list?” she asked thoroughly confused. “Yeah, I really do” “Well..okay”
Over the next year, Nick and Charlie did everything on her list, some things more than once. Charlie never told Nick that she was dying or that she only had less than a year left to live. She had no intention of telling him any time soon, she was so afraid that if he knew that he would treat her differently like everyone else she knew. So instead she just told him that there were ten things she wanted to do each year before she died and he accepted that.
One day she didn’t show up to go to the movies and he got really worried. He called over to her house and her mom told him that she was in the hospital. He was very confused and worried and immediately drove over to the hospital.
“Hi, I’m looking for Charlie Stevens” Nick said wringing his hands
“She’s in room 42A” A nurse with a smile told him
“Can you tell me what’s wrong with her?” he asked before going to her room
“Are you family?” the nurse asked
“well…no” he said
“Then I can’t tell you, that’s up to her” the nurse said and turned away
Nick found her room and knocked on the door
“Come in” A faint voice that sounded like Charlie’s said
He walked in and saw her laying there in her hospital bed pale, helpless, not even able to breathe on her own.
“Charlie…” He said shaking his head, unable to comprehend his friends current state
“Nick, I have something to tell you” she said
He nodded his head because he couldn’t say anything
“Nick, I’m going to die”
“No, you’re going to be alright” he said taking her hand and sitting next to her on the bed
“Nick I’m sick, the doctors say I only have a few days left” she squeezed his hand
“How long have you known?”
“Since last year…right before I met you actually” she said
“That’s why you wanted to get the list done in a year”
“Yeah” She started coughing really hard
“Are you alright? Do I need to get the doctor?” He said jumping up, but she grabbed his hand and stopped him
“I’m alright, thank you though”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was afraid”
“Afraid of what?”
“the way you would treat me if you knew”
“Charlie…”
“I know it was stupid, but I was just so scared and you’re the first person that didn’t treat me weird and I liked that”
She began coughing again, this time worse than before and the doctors had to come and send Nick out to the waiting room. He waited for three hours until the doctor came out and told him that he could come back in. He walked in and barely recognized the girl lying in the bed before him. She looked up at him as he walked in the door and a weak smile crossed her face.
“They say I only have a few hours Nick”
A tear fell down his cheek as he stared at her
“Did you finish your list?” he asked another tear coming down
“Yes, thanks to you” she smiled and patted the spot next to her on the bed and he obligingly came and sat and put his hand on her cheek.
“Anything else you want to do?” he asked her
“No, I think we did it all” she said
“Alright”
“Hey Nick”
“Yeah?”
“Could you close the window? It’s kind of cold in here”
“Of course” he replied and walked over to the window to find it already closed.
“The window’s not…” He turned around and looked over at his friend
“Charlie?” He said “Charlie…Charlie wake up” he shook her and tears began to stream down his face.
A couple of days later a letter arrived at Nick’s house as he was getting ready to go to Charlie’s funeral. As he looked at it his heart almost stopped as he saw who it was from. He ripped open the letter as fast as he could.
Dear Nick,
If you are getting this letter I am already gone. I asked my mom to send it you. Thank you for helping me complete my list without asking any questions. It means more to me than you know. You coming into my life was more than I could ever hope for. You are so kind and generous, everything that I always wanted to be. You helped me do everything that I wanted before I died. And gave me something more. The one thing that I was not expecting to do before I died was to fall in love, but I did. I fell in love with you Nick. I wish I could have told you before I died, but I was to afraid. But I thought you should know. Because I wanted to thank you for giving that to me, even though you didn’t know that you had. I loved you Nick with all my heart. I wish for you love and happiness for the rest of your life. I love you.
Charlie
As he stood there at the funeral all he could think about was the letter that he had received just minutes before he left to come.
At the end of the funeral everyone had left and he was still standing there. The coffin hadn’t been lowered yet and he stood there staring at it.
“Nick, Come on” his brother Joe said
“Alright just a sec”
Nick turned back to the coffin and went and placed his hand on it.
“One more thing before you go Charlie…I love you too”
He placed a kiss on the top of the coffin and walked down the hill to meet his brothers.
