Victoria visited Catherine’s room for the umpteenth time. She smiled as she showed her a bag of fresh fruit.

“Good morning, Catherine!” Victoria exclaimed with a smile.

“Who are you?” Catherine asked, puzzled.

Victoria placed the fruit down and continued smiling. “Catherine, we start with this every time. It’s me, Victoria, your nurse,” Victoria said loudly and clearly. “…beautiful, smart, and funny,” she added sarcastically.

“Oh, Victoria! Sorry, dear, you know my…” Catherine began.

“Yes, yes, I know, Catherine, your illness makes it hard for you to remember even such a bright person as me,” Victoria joked again.

She knew about Catherine’s Alzheimer’s, and each meeting began with her reminding Catherine of her name. But it wasn’t all bad. Catherine quickly remembered Victoria, and they always had something to talk about.

To Victoria, Catherine was an inspiration; it seemed she had lived a very full life. Victoria loved asking Catherine about her gifts and her past.

Surprisingly, Catherine could selectively remember things from her youth, though she sometimes forgot people she had met that morning.

“Look what I have!” Victoria pulled out two fortune cookies from the bag and showed them to Catherine.

“Tori, dear. Why do I need those fortunes? I’m at an age where the future doesn’t concern me much,” Catherine replied with a smile.

“Oh, come on, Catherine! How many times do I have to tell you you’re still a firecracker? Don’t talk like that! Now, let me help you with your cookie.”

Victoria opened the cookie and read the note inside.

“Time spent with loved ones is never wasted,” Victoria read aloud, feeling a pang of sadness. She had never seen any relatives visit Catherine.

She had no grandchildren or children, and maybe that was why Victoria wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. She felt like she needed it.

“How ironic. Based on this fortune, much of my life has been wasted time,” Catherine said, her voice tinged with regret.

“Don’t say that! I love your stories, and just talking with you is so interesting,” Victoria reassured her.

Catherine looked into the nurse’s eyes and smiled sincerely. “You’re a sweet girl, Victoria. Thank you.”

“Please remind me your last name, my dear,” Catherine asked suddenly. “Its Whitehouse, why?” Victoria answered confusedly.

Victoria returned the smile, feeling a warm sense of connection. Catherine opened her bedside table, took out an old diary, and handed it to Victoria.

“Dear, could you help me? Every time I see your eyes, they seem very familiar to me. I remember my youth, and it feels like I’ve forgotten something very important.”

“What did you forget? How can I help? Just tell me, and I’ll be happy to assist,” Victoria said, her curiosity piqued.

“Please read me my diary. I can’t see anything anymore, but I don’t want to die without remembering what I forgot,” Catherine explained, her voice trembling slightly.

Victoria smiled and opened the diary, flipping through the pages and looking at the dates while Catherine watched.

“Keep going, keep going, dear,” Catherine said slowly, trying to find the right date.

Victoria had almost reached the middle of the diary when Catherine smiled. “Yes, yes, it seems to be here. Please read.”

Victoria cleared her throat and began to read aloud, “Hello, dear diary. Today is an important day for me…”

As Victoria read, she delved into Catherine’s memories as if seeing the past before her eyes.

Young Catherine was at home at night, waiting for her husband, John. The house was quiet, except for the ticking clock.

She kept looking at the clock and the front door as if John would walk through at any moment. Her heart raced with a mix of hope and fear.

Suddenly, the door opened, and John entered the house in his military uniform. Catherine’s face lit up with relief for a moment, but then she saw the serious expression on his face.

“How did it go?” she asked, her voice trembling.

John took a deep breath. “I agreed to go on a deployment overseas.”

Catherine’s heart sank. “No, John! You promised you would think about it. We won’t see each other for over a year. I can’t bear it.”

John looked at her, his eyes filled with determination. “Catherine, this is my duty. It’s my career. I can’t miss this opportunity.”

Tears welled up in Catherine’s eyes. “But what about us? What about our family? I need you here.”

John stepped closer and took her hands in his. “I know it’s hard, but we will get through this. We have to. It’s only a year, and then I’ll be back.”

Catherine, in tears, begged him to stay and refuse the assignment. “Please, John, don’t go. I can’t do this alone.”

John gently wiped her tears away and held her close. “I promise, Catherine. We’ll get through this. Trust me.”

A few months later, Catherine couldn’t bear the loneliness anymore. The empty house and the silent nights were too much for her. She wanted to feel like a woman, even if it was just for one evening.

So, she dressed up beautifully, wearing her favorite dress and applying makeup. She looked at herself in the mirror, hoping to see a glimmer of the vibrant woman she once was.

That night, she decided to go to a local bar. The atmosphere was warm and lively, a stark contrast to the emptiness she felt at home.

She ordered a drink and found a quiet corner to sit in. As she sipped her cocktail, she felt a mix of excitement and guilt.

Was it wrong to seek out happiness for just one night?

Then, she met Jerry, a man with a great sense of humor. He had an easy smile and a way of making her laugh that felt like a breath of fresh air.

He bought her another cocktail, and they started talking. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, and soon, they found themselves completely taken with each other.

Catherine felt a spark she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Jerry walked Catherine home that night. She couldn’t resist inviting him in as they stood at her door.

She missed male attention so much, and she felt alive and happy with Jerry.

John had never treated her the way Jerry did, with so much care and genuine interest. That night, she felt like she was living in a dream.

Catherine and Jerry continued seeing each other. They shared laughs, secrets, and moments of pure joy. Catherine hid the fact that she was married, unable to face the reality of her situation.

But this couldn’t last forever. One morning, Catherine realized she was pregnant. The news hit her like a ton of bricks. She knew she had to make a decision that would change her life.

One evening, with a heavy heart, she confessed everything to Jerry. She told him about her husband and that she couldn’t leave him.

Jerry was shocked and begged her to reconsider their future together. He promised to take care of her and the baby, but Catherine’s mind was made up.

She couldn’t bear the thought of disrupting her husband’s life despite the love she felt for Jerry.

As the time for John’s return home approached, Catherine knew she had to make the hardest decision of her life. She left the baby with Jerry, disappearing from his life forever.

She returned to her husband, carrying the weight of her choices and the memories of a love she could never fully embrace.

It was a painful decision, but Catherine hoped that one day, she would find peace with it.

After reading, Victoria sat quietly for a moment, absorbing the weight of Catherine’s story. She took a deep breath and looked at the elderly woman who had become so dear to her.

“Mrs. Catherine, why did you choose to return to John when Jerry clearly made you happier?” Victoria asked gently.

Catherine sighed deeply, her eyes clouded with old regrets. “I wanted to hide the truth. I was afraid of John’s reaction and what the consequences might be.

I feared what people would think and how it would change everything. But, Victoria, I always regretted not staying with Jerry.”

Victoria nodded, understanding Catherine’s difficult position. She could see the pain in her eyes, the regret that had lingered all these years.

Catherine then revealed why she had asked Victoria to read the diary.

“There’s something else, dear,” Catherine said, her voice trembling slightly. “The name was Jerry Whitehouse…”

Victoria’s face turned pale. That was her last name. She felt a jolt of shock run through her.

“Jerry… That’s my grandfather’s name. My mother told me she grew up without her mother… You’re my grandmother, Catherine!”

Catherine nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Yes, dear. I am. I’ve carried this secret for so long, and I never imagined I would meet you like this. Forgive me, dear. If I could go back, I would stay with Jerry. I would choose a different path.”

Victoria felt a rush of emotions—shock, sadness, but also a strange sense of relief. She had found a missing piece of her family’s puzzle. “It’s okay, Catherine… Grandma. I’m glad I got to meet you.”

They embraced, and Victoria felt a sense of connection and closure. Catherine’s life had been filled with difficult choices and regrets, but now, in this moment, they found a way to heal some of the old wounds.

The diary had brought them together, bridging the gap of lost years, and they both knew that this newfound bond was a precious gift.