After listening to Jenny's version of his father's story, Will was heartbroken!

He drove home, but no one was at home, including his father who was supposed to be lying there.

The sheets fell to the floor, messy and tangled, it was obvious that he had left in a hurry.

Will grabbed the keys on the table and rushed out. The "message" light on the right flashed on the transponder.

Will came outside the hospital and heard his wife Josephine calling him!

Will turned around and saw his wife at the public phone booth. She hung up the phone.

Will asked, "What happened?"

Josephine told him: "Your father suddenly suffered a stroke. He is upstairs, and your mother and Dr. Bennett are also there."

Will asked anxiously and hopefully, "Will he get better?"

Josephine didn't know how to answer!

Will smiled bitterly, knowing that his question was idiotic and his father would certainly not get better.

Will continued: "I mean, will he ever go back to what he was before..."

Josephine interrupted: "No, no. I'm sorry."

Will felt dizzy.

Night, in the ward.

Edward fell asleep quietly, with an oxygen tube inserted into his nose. There were no beeping monitors or flashing lights around him, everything was so quiet.

Sandra held one of Edward's hands tightly. Dr. Bennett had just given him his third comprehensive examination.

Sandra said: "In case...in case he wakes up, someone needs to be here."

Will said, "I'll stay. You and Josephine go home and I'll stay here tonight."

Sandra said to Dr. Bennett, "Is that okay?"

Dr. Bennett nodded: "Okay."

Sandra said to Will: "Call if you have anything to do."

Will said: "I will. Mom, do you still want to stay with Dad for a while?"

Sandra glanced at Edward: "Okay, thank you."

Dr. Bennett and Josephine left, and Will came to the door. Sandra was alone in the room with her husband.

She smoothed his hair, held his hand, kissed his fingers, and stroked her chin with his hand—the way Edward always stroked her.

Afterwards, Sandra was waiting at the door of the bathroom. She was very nervous, but tried to stay calm. She knew that things were inevitable, but she was unwilling to give in.

Josephine came out of the bathroom.

Josephine said: "I'm sorry. It seems like every hour I have to..."

Sandra said: "I understand. It was like this when I was pregnant with Will, like clockwork."

The two women walked forward, not in a hurry.

Sandra asked her: "Do you like being pregnant?"

Josephine stroked her swollen belly and her face was filled with inexplicable happiness: "I like it."

Sandra smiled: "I love it too. It sounds strange, but I really love every second of being pregnant. Edward often travels away, and when he leaves, I can feel that he is still with me. His soul is

Part of it is inside me, I can feel it. It's alive and it kicks you."

Sandra suddenly felt her heart surge, and she tried her best to control herself.

Sandra murmured, almost in a whisper, "I really miss that feeling."

They stood together in the corridor, just standing there.

At the same time, in the ward.

Will was sitting on the edge of the bed, playing the crossword puzzle. Dr. Bennett knocked on the door and came in, bringing his coat and bag. Will was going to spend the night here.

Dr. Bennett: "I'm glad to see that you didn't talk about your innermost thoughts with the patient. This is the most annoying thing for us as doctors. The family members keep talking next to them, and the patient can't hear it."

Will said: "My father and I have an understanding, we never talk."

Dr. Bennett checks Edward's blood pressure chart.

Will suddenly asked: "How long have you known my father?"

Dr. Bennett said with some nostalgia: "It's been thirty years, maybe it will be longer."

Will was curious: "How would you describe him as a person?"

Dr. Bennett did not answer but asked: "Then how would you describe your son?"

Will didn't know how to answer, so Dr. Bennett hung the blood pressure monitor on the bedside.

Dr. Bennett asked, "Did your father ever tell you about the circumstances of your birth?"

Will nodded: "I've told him a thousand times. He said he caught a fish that couldn't be caught."

Dr. Bennett shook his head and said, "It's not that, it's the real story. Has he ever told it to you?"

Will suddenly became interested: "No."

Dr. Bennett thought for a while and said: "Your mother came to the hospital at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. A neighbor drove her here because your father was doing business in Wichita at the time. You were born a week early, but the birth went smoothly.

It's a pity that your father didn't see you being born. But according to the custom at that time, men were not allowed to stay in the delivery room. So I think it doesn't make any difference whether he is there or not. This is the real situation when you were born."

There was a long silence, and only the hospital radio calling for a certain doctor was heard.

Dr. Bennett added: "It's not that exciting, is it? If I had to choose between the real situation and the fictional story, I would rather choose the well-conceived story, the story with the fish and the wedding ring. However,

It's just my choice."

Will smiled unnaturally, and Dr. Bennett patted him on the shoulder and left. Will stayed with his father for a long time, and Will took a pen to write a list.

Will turned to a new page, and the list grew longer and longer. He smiled, as if he remembered something. When he wrote on the fourth page, he looked up at his father, who was still motionless.

The first ray of blue light in the morning came through the blinds. Will was sitting on a chair. He had just woken up. His notebook was still on his lap and he still held a pen in his hand. He moved his neck.

Will yelled, "Dad?"

His father was already awake, gasping for air. His eyes were open, frightened and confused.

Will asked: "Dad! Do you need to call a nurse?"

Edward shook his head. Will had already placed his hand on the orange button but did not press it.

Will added, "What can I do? Can I help? Get you something? Do you want some water?"

Edward nodded. Will poured a glass of water and brought it to his father's mouth, but Edward didn't drink it and pushed the glass away. Obviously he wanted something else.

Edward whispered: "The river."

Will was puzzled: "That river?"

It took all Edward's strength to piece together each thought, as if he was desperately trying to hold on to the world.

Edward said inexplicably: "Tell me how it happened."

Will was even more confused. He couldn't understand his father's words at all: "What happened?"

Edward said again: "How did I leave?"

Will finally understood: "You mean what you saw in the glass eyeball?"

Edward nodded. Yes, that's what he wanted to say.

After a while, Will continued: "I don't know that story, Dad. You never told me."

Will held his father's hand, not knowing what else to do.

Edward looked around, confused and increasingly frightened. He knew the end was coming, but he didn't know what it was like. Without a story, he was lost. Will tried to control himself not to panic!

"I can try, Dad, you have to help start it."

Edward: "Just like this."

Will quickly said: "Okay, okay."

Will looked around the room, growing more desperate. He looked at the orange button to call the nurse and really wanted to press it.

Edward waited for Will to speak.

Will paused and began to speak: "In the morning, you and I were in the hospital. I fell asleep lying on the chair, and when I woke up, I saw you..."

What follows is Will's version of the story as told to Edward.

Will wakes up: "Dad?"

The first golden rays of dawn shine through the blinds.

Will continued to shout, louder and more concerned: "Dad?"

Edward, who was already seriously ill, became extremely agile at this moment, sitting on the bed and combing his hair.
To be continued...