Page 105 of Love Sick

Alanna instead appears on stage.

She is clapping zealously, tears in her eyes.

In some ways, she got her wish—I am her Frankenstein project. She gave me a heart and lived to tell the tale through song.

I know this will do wonders for her career. Her name will go down in history, and I hate that I’ve been a part of her victory.

The redhead rushes onto the stage and passes a microphone to Alanna, who gestures I’m to stand near her. I do as she says.

The crowd is still applauding, even Luna. I smile at her, memorizing her face because the next few minutes are about to change everything.

“I think we can do better than that!” Alanna says into the microphone, riling the audience up further.

She gestures her hand to the crowd, then over to me as she wants me to see all of this is for me. But this is for her.

I bow, which only incites them even more.

This is the greatest musical experience of my career, and it’s all because of Alanna wanting to cut out my heart.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Dutch Atwood!”

The clapping continues when I see some men in suits discreetly walk down the aisle to where Luna is. She doesn’t know what’s coming…

Forgive me.

Alanna passes me the microphone which I accept. I wait for the crowd to settle before I speak. “You’re too kind.”

Chuckles echo off the ornate white walls.

“It’s an honor to play for you tonight. It’s also a miracle that I’m still alive.”

The mood soon calms because who doesn’t love a good sob story with a happy ending.

“As you may or may not know, I received a heart transplant. I was told I would die without one. Every day was a miracle. But I was okay with dying. If that was my fate, then I was going to live like every day was my last. The only regret I had was I wouldn’t be able to leave behind a small piece of myself through music. But you all changed that by being here tonight, and that’s possible because of Dr. Alanna Norton.”

The applause starts up once again as Alanna shyly brushes the hair off her brow.

“Alanna never gave up. All she wanted was to help me, even when I didn’t want to help myself. The transplant was hard on me and I ended up needing help, something which no one should be ashamed of asking for.

“Parkfields was the best place for me. I got the help I needed to get better. I heard voices and I now know that’s a phenomenon called heart memory transfer. Something which Alanna will happily write about in her book.”

There are astonished gasps because this was a curveball no one saw, including Luna.

“I am here to say that Parkfields shaped me into the man I am today, and that’s all thanks to Alanna…the woman I love.”

I lock eyes with Luna, begging she forgives me. But there’s no forgiveness here. She simply appears as if she’s been told Misha died all over again.

Unable to stand her pain, I reach for Alanna and bring her in for a kiss.

The crowd is silent before they explode in a riotous noise, which is what I wanted because the two men in suits are orderlies from Parkfields who have been instructed to bring Luna to Parkfields.

They have been told to make it discreet and to give Luna a sedative so it appears they’re helping her out as opposed to her kicking and screaming. I make sure our kiss lasts long enough for them to escort her out.

When I break our kiss, I see her seat is as empty as is my heart.

We leave the stage, hand in hand, while Alanna looks happier than I’ve ever seen her before. Her happiness is at the expense of Luna’s, but I hope she understands why I did what I did.

We’re to mingle with the guests, which we do for what seems like a hundred torturous hours, but I promised Alanna that I would love her…and I never break my promises.

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