Stay Until You Forgive

“Gab! It’s raining so hard, where are you going? Aren’t you sleeping here tonight?”

I smiled at Daniela and stepped outside. The night was dark and cold. I knew Paul was on his way home from work, and I planned to pick him up and surprise him.

Paul has been my long-time boyfriend, but our relationship has never been smooth. We frequently broke up and got back together. Currently, we’ve been together for almost two years, which is the longest we’ve managed.

We love each other deeply, so much that even when we part ways, he always comes back to me after he’s had time to rest and reflect.

I entered his office building, waiting for the elevator to arrive.

3…2…1…

As the doors opened, I froze, dropping my umbrella in shock.

There he was—Paul—standing with another woman. Their faces were so close their lips touched. I saw the same shock mirrored in his eyes when he noticed me.

This was the first time Paul hurt me because of another woman. Before, when he broke up with me, it was always about his personal problems or stress from work. But this… this was different.

I quickly picked up my fallen umbrella and ran outside. I heard him call my name and felt his hand grab my arm.

“Gab, please let me explain.”

I turned to him and slapped him hard across the face. “Cheater!”

“No! What you saw—it’s not what you think!”

“You’re right—it’s worse! You have a girlfriend, Paul!”

“I know, Gab. I was caught off guard. I didn’t expect her to do that.”

“Caught off guard? It didn’t look like that to me. You looked too comfortable in that position.”

“Please, Gab. Don’t do this. I’m exhausted.”

“Exhausted? Do you want a break?” Tears started streaming down my face.

“If that’s how you see it…”

“Why now, Paul? We’re so close to hitting two years.”

We stood under the same umbrella, rain pouring down around us. I could see his tears falling as well.

“I just need to rest, Gab,” he said.

“Is it because of her? Do you want her?”

“No!”

“Then why? Why are you always tired? Why do you keep leaving me?”

“I don’t deserve you, Gab. I’m sorry.”

He stepped away from me, letting the rain soak him. I wanted to close the distance between us, but he shook his head, his actions breaking me even more.

He cheated, yet I couldn’t bring myself to be angry. I still believed him. I refused to accept that the other woman was the reason he wanted to walk away.

For us, “rest” had always meant a breakup. But this time, it was unbearable. My heart shattered as I walked back to my cousin’s apartment, tears blinding my path. I dropped my umbrella, collapsing onto the ground as the pain overwhelmed me until I felt nothing.

“Ga...Gabby! What... happened...?!” Daniela exclaimed, looking at me with concern and pity.

“We broke up again, but this time, I think it’s really over.” I approached her, and she quickly wrapped me in a comforting hug.

I cried on her shoulder. When I looked into her eyes, tears were slowly falling from her face too.

“You know he’ll come back to you, right? Why did you come home looking like this?”

“He cheated.”

“What?!” She clenched her fists in anger, but I grabbed her hand to calm her.

“I’ll be fine… eventually,” I said softly.

“Daniela! Open the door! Let me see her!” I heard Paul shouting from outside. The pain he caused me was still fresh, but I wanted to see him. I nodded at Daniela and smiled weakly, silently asking her to let him in.

“How dare you hurt my cousin!” she spat at him.

“I didn’t mean to…”

Paul’s eyes were swollen, his expression frantic. He dropped to his knees in front of me.

“I’m not breaking up with you, Gab. Please stay with me. Please.”

I swallowed hard, unable to speak. I was angry, hurt, and frustrated, but I couldn’t stand seeing him like this. Love and pity overwhelmed me. I knelt before him, placing my hands on his shoulders.

“I’ll stay, Paul… and you know I’ve always wanted to stay forever.”

Daniela sighed in frustration, leaving us alone. I felt like I had reconciled with Paul that day, even though he claimed we had never really broken up. Things went back to the way they used to be.

“I never cheated on you, Gab,” Paul said one day, his voice soft.

“I don’t know, Paul. I let my emotions get the better of me back then,” I admitted, looking down.

“I understand why you were mad. You had every right to be, and you still do.”

“I can’t stay mad at you, and you know that,” I replied, wiping away the tears I didn’t want him to see.

We were walking through the park, holding hands, smiling outwardly despite our shattered hearts.

“Please… stay.”

“I will.”

“You always deserve me, Paul,” I assured him. He sighed deeply before turning to face me.

“I’m sorry, Gab. I’m such a failure. I can’t even afford a ring to propose to you.”

“I don’t need that! Your love is enough for me. I know your family needs it more, and I’m okay with that.”

“That night—”

“Forget about it, Paul,” I interrupted. But he continued.

“I lost my job, Gab. I didn’t know what to do. The woman you saw in the elevator—she’s my boss’s daughter. She offered me help, and we were discussing it when she kissed me.”

I had already forgiven him out of love, but now I forgave him for the depth of his reasons. I had been too quick to judge back then, letting anger drive me away.

“I’m sorry, Paul—”

“No! Don’t apologize to me. Please don’t. Just stay with me.”

“I will.”

Paul and I spent our days as though every moment were a date. He courted me repeatedly, taking us wherever our feet led.

One evening, we walked along the sand, hand in hand. He handed me a white flower. I looked at it, then at him, noticing the tears forming in his eyes.

“Why are you doing this? You’re just making it harder for yourself,” I said.

“You know how much I love you, right?”

“Yes… and I love you too.”

He smiled, gently resting my head on his shoulder as we gazed at the sky.

“How many years do you think we’d have if we never got tired of each other?” I asked.

“Five years… and I’d keep coming back to you because you’re my home.”

“Looks like you need to evacuate,” I joked. But Paul turned to me with a serious look.

“I can’t imagine waking up and not seeing you in the morning. I can’t imagine not having you bring me an umbrella. I can’t imagine not seeing you for even a day. How, Gab? How? I can’t live without you.”

“Of course, you can. You’re not a failure, Paul, and you have so many responsibilities to fulfill here, even without me.”

“Stay with me forever, Gab.”

“I will stay until…”

“Until when?”

Paul hadn’t been able to sleep for days unless I was by his side. Wherever I went, he followed. I knew life was hard for him, but his smile was so bright whenever we were together. He told me he had been applying to various companies and had already received offers.

I knew Paul well—he was incredibly hardworking because his family depended on him entirely.

“Come on, Gab! I finally have some free time,” Paul said enthusiastically.

“Free time? At least time gets to be free,” Daniela said

“Leave us alone, Daniela,” he retorted, as tension between the two of them began to rise again. Their arguments had become a frequent occurrence.

“Don’t you see, Paul? People are starting to think you’ve lost your mind!” Daniela exclaimed.

“I don’t care what anyone says!”

“Please, Paul, let my cousin go. Set her free. Let her rest!”

Paul froze at Daniela’s words, his gaze shifting between the two of us. Tears streamed down his face, and I could only sob silently, unable to speak.

“It’s all my fault! Daniela… it’s all my fault,” he cried.

“It was an accident!” Daniela blurted out, covering her mouth as tears filled her eyes.

Paul stepped closer to me and spoke again.

“I’m so sorry, Gab. Forgive me for everything.”

“I forgave you a long time ago, Paul. But… I think I need to rest now.”

“I can’t. I also rest, but I always come back, don’t I? Why is it that the rest you’re asking for has no return? Gab, I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Paul, and I’m willing to stay until…”

“Until when again, Gab?”

“I’ll stay until you forgive… yourself.”

That rainy night, I died in an accident. A truck lost its brakes and hit me, and I didn’t survive the impact. My body never even made it to the hospital. My soul, bloodied and broken, returned to my cousin Daniela’s apartment. She was overwhelmed with shock, fear, and grief when she saw me.

Paul and Daniela had a special ability—they were the only ones who could see me.

The light had been calling me for a long time, but I couldn’t leave Paul. Not yet. Not while he hadn’t forgiven himself for my death. I loved him deeply, and I couldn’t leave knowing that half of his soul was shattered.

“Remember, it’s not your fault,” I told him softly.

“I’m sorry… I know you’re tired of me.”

“But I can’t leave you like this.”

“I’m okay now, Gab. Remember, you’re the only woman I’ve ever loved—and will ever love like this.”

For the last time, Paul gave me a radiant smile, and I returned it with one of my own. And he finally let me go.

“I’ll treasure the love and forgiveness—for both of us,” I said.

“You can go now, Gab. You can rest now.”