My Angel's Watching Over Me - Marat Safin Fanfic

[Annaya]

Chapter 37


Marat felt the sun shining on his face. He didn’t open his eyes though, he felt a soft warm hand touching his cheek, caressing him, and he

felt peaceful. He felt it traverse through his hair. Then he remembered where he was. He’s supposed to be in the hospital

looking after Angela who’s in a coma. So whose hand was this? He opened his eyes. He almost fell off the chair when he

saw Angela looking at him. He quickly regained his composure. He blinked several times, trying to see if she’d disappear. She didn’t.


“Angela?” said Marat, “I’m not dreaming am I?”

“You are.” She said.



Then he woke up. He opened his eyes. For real this time, and saw that she was still in the same condition. He was disappointed of course.

He wished she had really woken up like in the dream. He wished he didn’t have to wake up from it. Not just yet anyway.


“When are you going to wake up, Angel?” He said, touching her face. “I’ve been here for three days. Please wake up…” He took her hand in

his. He let his fingers in between hers, and kissed the back of it.

A nurse knocked on the door but opened it herself anyway.

“Excuse me, sir. I have to clean the patient up. Please step out of the room for a while?” the nurse said.

He looked at Angela.

“I’ll just be outside okay, Gelya?” He said. He kissed her gently. Her lips felt warm. Marat stood up to leave but when he was pulling

his hand from Angela’s, he couldn’t let go. She was gripping his hand. It wasn’t tight, but enough to make Marat stop. He

looked at Angela, and at her hand surprised.

“Angela?” He called her.

“Sir, what’s the matter?” the nurse asked him.

“She’s holding my hand!” He said, he leaned closer to Angela. Her eyes were starting to move. Her hold on Marat’s hand got a bit tighter.

“Angela? Nurse, call someone…she’s moving! She’s waking up!”

The nurse ran outside to call whoever she needs to call. Angela began to stir. Her head moved. Marat continued calling her name hoping it

would help her to wake up. And then it happened, the moment he was waiting for. She opened her eyes. It wasn’t abrupt.

She opened them slowly. The Sun was too bright for her and it took her a while to get used to it.

“Marat…?” She said, still not able to fully open her eyes. Her throat was dry, and her voice was hoarse, but it was the sweetest sound

to Marat’s ears.

“Yes, I’m here. I’m here now, Angel.” He said, still waiting for her to open her eyes completely and see him. “I’m here. I remembered the

promise. It took me a while, but I’m here now.” He took her hands and held them close to his face.

“Marat…” She said. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry I lied…to you…I love you…”

“I know, Gelya…I know…I love you too.” Marat said.

The doctors arrived shortly and they asked Marat to step outside for a while, while they do what they had to. The boy John went out of his

room, because he heard the commotion. He saw Marat and sat beside him. He was crying out of joy.

“Something happened to Angela?” John asked him.

“Yeah. She’s awake!” Marat said. “Who are you?”

“I’m Johnny. Angela’s my friend.” John said, “You’re Safin right?”

“Yeah.”

John sighed, and shook his head. “I guess she really loves you. I tried waking her up but she wouldn’t…” he shook his head again. Marat

just looked at him, a bit confused but more amused. John looked at him again. This time he looked serious. “Just don’t

hurt her again, okay? Coz if you do, I’m gonna take her from you. And I don’t care if you’re 6-foot-4 and two hundred pounds

of muscle, I’m gonna whoop your ass! You got that?”

“Yeah, I got it.” Marat said. He was going to smile or even laugh, but John looked so serious when he said that, that he didn’t think it

was appropriate.

“Good.” John said, sighing. “Have you called her mom?”

He hasn’t. If John had not mentioned it, he wouldn’t have remembered to call Maria. So he excused himself from John and called her.

“Hello?” Maria answered the phone.

“Maria, It’s Marat.” He said, “You have to come here quick. Something happened.”

“What happened?” Maria asked, suddenly nervous.

“Just come.” That was all he said, and he put the phone down.



Within 15 minutes Maria was in the hospital. She rushed to Angela’s room, banging the door open.

“Angela?” She said, almost screaming as she entered the room. She saw Marat and Angela talking to each other, holding each other’s hands

and staring into each other’s eyes. They looked at her. And her tears just fell without warning.

“Angel?” She said, dropping her bag on the floor. Marat stood up and moved away a bit from Angela’s bedside so Maria can get to her.

“Mom.” Angela said, acknowledging her.

Maria moved towards her, she couldn’t believe she was actually awake. She held her face, with shaking hands. “Is it real? You’re awake?

You’re really awake?”

“Yes, mommy.” She said, she glanced at Marat and he smiled. “I’m really awake.”



For the next couple of days Angela seems to be getting better as far as her physical appearance. Her color had come back. She was

talking a lot, always smiling. She was happy again. She had wanted to get out of the hospital but Dr. Dane had advised her

to stay for at least a week more. She was supposed to go through another therapy, but she didn’t want to do it anymore.

This time, her mom allowed her to make the decision. So one week after she woke up, she was discharged from the hospital.

[Annaya]

Chapter 38


December 12, 2005 2:45 p.m. Maria and Angela’s apartment.

Marat has been staying in Maria and Angela’s pad since they got out of the hospital. They set up a couch in Angela’s room where

he can sleep. That afternoon, they were at the living room, sharing the couch, cuddling under a thick blanket. Maria had gone to

the restaurant and it was just the two of them in the apartment. Angela had asked Marat to take the shoe box from her closet.

The box was locked with a combination padlock. She quizzed him on what the combination is.

“You have to give me clue.” Marat said.

“It’s a very important date.” She told him, “I can’t give you too much detail or I’ll be giving you the answer. You have to guess it!”

He tried several combinations but didn’t get it. After a several minutes, he gave up.

“I give up.” He said, putting the box down on the table. “I don’t know what it could be. Just tell me?” He sat back on

the couch, leaned his head over the edge.

She sighed, “Someday I will.” She ran her fingers on his hair, “Ay, Marat Mikhailovich…you should learn to be more patient…”

He just smiled and sighed. “I know that…I just…can’t help it.”

She put her head on his chest and, hugged him. “Let’s go out.”

“Where to?” He asked.

“I don’t know…I just want to get out. I haven’t been out of the apartment since we got back from the hospital.”

“Okay. Are you sure you can…” His voice trailed. Although she was allowed to go home, they all know that she wasn’t really

okay. Nor will she ever be again. She’s not the same somehow. She has become weak. Even her smile is weak. It bothers both

Marat and Maria, and they have been especially careful with her. But when she’s like this, Marat could not say no, and have to let

her get her way.

“I want to go to Central Park.” She said, “Or maybe to Time Square. Let’s go skating!”

Marat looked at her. She was like a child that was completely dependent on him. He felt how vulnerable she was, how fragile.

That thought was like a prick on his heart. He thought he could give anything for her. And he would too, if it means she’d live

longer. “Okay, we’ll go.”



They went to the skating rink at Times Square first because it was closer. But when they got there, Angela’s changed her mind

about skating.

“We’re here. You want to change into your skates now?” Marat asked.

“No.” She said, “I don’t want to skate anymore. Let’s just sit here and watch them. Besides, they don’t fit anymore.”

“Why did you ask me to bring them, then?”

“Hmm… I thought I’d give them away. I won’t be wearing them…” she said, “anymore.” She added under her breath. Marat looked

at the skates. It was still her size.

Marat sighed, “Who do you think will want them?”

“Just leave it here somewhere…I’m sure somebody will want them.” She told him, “They’re fairly new.” She took the skates off from

his shoulders and placed it on a bench nearby. “C’mon, let’s sit over there.” She told him. Marat followed her to a bench on the

other side of the rink.

They sat together there for a while. She watched the people skate. He watched her. He remembered when they were young. She

used to watch him practice on the courts in the old club his dad worked in. She always cheered her on when he was doing great,

and reassured him when he isn’t so much.

She finally noticed him staring at her.

“What’s the matter?” She smiled at him.

“Nothing. It’s getting dark.” He said, “Maybe we should go, before it gets really cold.”

“Oh…Alright. But let’s go to the park first.” She said, sweetly “Please?”

There she goes again, he’s powerless when she puts on the charm. “Okay.”



So they went to the park. She just wanted to see the sun set, and the stars to come out. But most especially, she wanted to eat

hotdogs by the pond. She hasn’t done that for a while. When Marat left her to buy some hotdogs and drinks, he left his mobile

phone in her bag. She saw it when she was looking for a compact mirror. She took it out and tinkered with it for a while, and found

the video clip recorder. She used it to record a message for Marat. When she saw him coming back, she finished her message.

But Marat saw her with the phone and asked her if anybody called. She told him it fell out of the bag that’s why she was holding it,

and that no one called. She didn’t tell him she recorded a message.



After they finished eating the hotdogs, Marat insisted they go back to the apartment already. This time she didn’t refuse. They

hailed a cab and went home. In the cab, she leaned on Marat’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist the whole drive

home. She fell asleep like that. He held her in his arms and let her sleep. When they were getting off in front of the building, he

didn’t wake her up and carried her all the way to the unit, to her bed. He took her coat, shoes and glove off and covered her with

her blanket. Then he took his coat and shoes off himself. He didn’t get in under the blanket, but just lay beside her and held her

all through the night.

[Annaya]

Chapter 39



December 18, 2005 Week before Christmas.



It started out like any other day. But from the get go, there was something with how Angela was that bothered both Marat

and Maria. She was paler than usual, and her eyes were dead. She didn’t have any appetite to even eat a toast. Maria wanted to

stay home to take care of her, but Angela insisted it would be okay that she leaves for work, and that Marat was there to take care

of her anyway.


Then suddenly, at around 2:00 in the afternoon, while she was watching Marat build a fire in the fireplace, she collapsed.

Marat rushed her to the hospital. She was unconscious for more than two hours. Dr. Dane had asked Marat and Maria aside to tell

them about what was happening to Angela, while she was out. Marat didn’t want to come. He was too scared and nervous to hear

what the doctor has to say. So Maria went to see Dr. Dane alone.

“Sit down Maria, please.” Dr. Dane told her.

“What happened to her, Mark?” She asked him. It was obvious she was very nervous.

“What we already know was gonna happen, Maria.” He said, grimly. She knows what he was talking about. She was

dying.

Dr. Dane continued to explain Angela’s condition but she wasn’t really listening anymore. She has accepted the fact

that she was going to lose her daughter. She just didn’t know how to react. She felt cold all over, she wanted to cry. But her tears

just won’t fall. She just can’t help but be heartbroken. After they talked, Maria went back to Angela’s room. She opened the door

really quietly that Marat and Angela didn’t hear her. He was brushing her hair off with his hand, caressingly. She watched them for

a while.

“How are you feeling?” Marat asked her.

“I’ve been better.” She said, weakly. “Nice timing, huh? I was hoping we could go out shopping for gifts like we planned.”

“Don’t worry about that, all you need to think about is yourself.” Marat told her.

“Marat?”

“Hmm?”

“When I die…” She started saying.

“No, Gelya…” Marat protested.

“No, Marat, listen…” She said, “We both know it is going to happen whether we want it to or not.”

He didn’t say another word. He knows what she said was true. He knows he can’t keep denying it either.

“When I die…I want you to have that box I showed you last week.”

“I don’t even know how to open that.” Marat said.

“You will. Soon.” She stroke his cheek gently. Then she saw Maria standing outside the slightly opened door. “Mom, why

don’t you come in?” She said.

Maria opened the door and came in. She went to the other side of Angelas’s bed. Angela looked into her eyes, as she

was looking in hers. Then Angela smiled at her.

“He told you?” She asked her mom. Maria nodded. Angela turned to Marat. “Marat, can you leave us for a moment?”

She told him, “There’s just something we have to talk about.”

Marat looked at Maria, and then back to Angela. “Okay, I’ll just take a walk.”

After Marat was gone for a while, Angela turned to her mother. She was still smiling. Maria could not understand why, given

that she must know what’s going to happen.

“Did he say how long?” She said, “I mean…how short.”

“Honey…” Maria said, tears filling up her eyes.

“Mom, don’t cry.” Angela said, reaching for her mother’s face to wipe away her tears. “You had me for twenty-three years…

don’t you think it’s about time I get to see dad and spend some time with him?”

“No. No, it’s not fair.” Maria said, “I get twenty three years and he gets eternity? He’s the one who left me! It’s not fair. And it’s

not right for a parent to have to bury her child. It should be the other way around.” She could no longer hold the tears back. She

held Angela’s hands over her mouth.

“Mom, you’ve already done so much for me. So much so to a point where you don’t even see other things that are happening for

you. I’ve caused you so much hardships, and pain, and sorrow…you shouldn’t be sad when…when I go.” Angela said, “Mom,

I’m not saying you shouldn’t be sad. But think about it this way. When I’m gone, you can start a new life.”

“I don’t want a life without you.” Maria protested.

“I know. But it’s one you’re gonna have to live through. Wouldn’t it be better if you can have someone who would be there to live

it with? Someone who would take care of you, and not the other way around for a change?” Angela said, “Dr. Dane’s a good

man. I know he likes you a lot. Maybe, after all this, you can give him a chance. He can help you. And I know he’ll take care of

you.”

“How could you be thinking about that when this is happening right now?” Maria asked, “Why are you worrying about these things?”

“Because I can’t worry about it later.” She answered, “Mom, I just want you to be happy.”

“I’ll be happiest with you.”

“You can’t have me much longer.” Tears beginning to well up in her eyes as well but with her smile still intact. She wiped her tears away.

“We knew about it all along didn’t we?” She said. “I’m more worried about Marat. He didn’t have the time to prepare himself for

this.”

“You always were worried about him, even when you were apart.”

“My heart is meant to love him. It’s just too bad, the body won’t hold up.” She said. “Mom, there’s something I want you to do after

I’m gone.”

Meanwhile, Marat was taking a walk around the hospital when his phone rang. It was Peter, his coach. He wanted to know if they

would be meeting in Valencia to start practice for the start of the season. Marat told him that he could not make any commitment

yet, as there was something he needs to take care of. He did not tell him about Angela, or her condition. He didn’t want to elaborate.

After he put the phone down, he found himself in the hospital’s garden on the 10th floor. It’s where the therapy patients are trained

as they learn to walk again. It was empty though, nobody was around. He was alone. He sat on a chair and rested there for a while.

Suddenly, a butterfly settled on his shoulder. It was unusual for a butterfly to be around in the middle of winter. He just let it stay

there.



He remembered one summer, when they were younger, he was around 12 at that time and Angela was 10. He and his father took

Angela with them fishing, but she was afraid to go into the boat so she would stay behind at the shore. When they came back she

wasn’t where they’d left her. So, he went to the woods to look for her while his dad packed up. He was going to be angry because

she made him worry but that plan dissipated when he found her. She was sitting on a toppled down tree with butterflies flying all

around her.

“Why did you leave? I told you to stay there.” He told her.

“Sorry. This one fetched me. He was circling around me.” She said, referring to the one sitting on her finger. “Then he flew away

and I followed, and everyone was here. I supposed he wanted to introduce me to everyone, I couldn’t leave without saying hello to

all of them!” She beamed.

“You’re crazy!” He said. She just giggled.

“C’mon sit down with us.” She told him. He did as she said. “You know, I love butterflies. I wish I have wings like them

so I can fly and see the world.”

“I don’t think they get to see the world. They don’t live that long. Most of them die in the winter.” He told her. He was being sarcastic.

She just smiled.



Then he snapped back to the present. How mean was he when he said that, he thought. But most importantly, why did he remember

that now? Was it some kind of premonition? He didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t like thinking about it. He swatted the

butterfly off, and it flew away.

[Annaya]

Chapter 40

Christmas Eve 2005 8:15 p.m.

For the whole week since Angela got admitted at the hospital, she has been on a steady decline. She had needed to be
placed on a wheelchair because she had gotten too weak to walk. Her color had drained, but she still manages to smile once in a
while.


That evening, there was a small celebration at the hospital. Her friends from the apartment, and the studio where she
used to dance came to see her. Some of her mom’s staff from the restaurant came as well. Dr. Dane, and John with his parents
were there too.

“Hey, Angela!” John rushed to her side.

“Hey, Merry Christmas, Johnny.”

“I have your I-pod right here. And the cd with the songs you asked me to burn for you.” He said, handing them to her.

“Thanks. Did you get them all?”

“Of course!” He said.

“Great.” She took the cd, but not the iPod. “You can have the I-pod.”

“Really? Are you sure?” John asked.

“Yeah, I won’t be using it anymore.”

“Hey baby! Merry Christmas!” Bruce, the concierge in her mom’s restaurant said as he approached her.

“Baby? Is there something I should know?” Marat asked her.

“Are you jealous Mr. Safin?” She whispered to him, smiling. “Don’t worry…he calls everyone ‘baby’”

“This your boyfriend, baby?” Bruce asked.

“Yep, it’s him.” She told him.

“Hey, baby! Nice to meet you!” Bruce said to Marat. He gave him a bear hug in the process as well. Marat just smiled
and looked at Angela.

“I told you.” She mouthed.

The party went on the whole night. Angela had asked to be transferred to her wheelchair so she could go around and
mingle at least. Her mother had told her not to tire herself though. Around 10 in the evening, Maria left to attend to her job at the
restaurant. There was an office Christmas party that they were hosting, and she needed to be there.

11:40 p.m.

Some of the guests had already left. Only a few friends remained. John was still there though. His parents had left him
there because he didn’t want to leave her room yet. He was having so much fun. Angela saw that he was getting sleepy.

“Johnny, you wanna go to your room now?” She asked him.

“Yeah. I’m kinda sleepy…” Johnny said, rubbing his eyes.

“C’mon…I’ll walk…I mean, wheel you to your room.”

Johnny started to walk out of the room. Angela followed close behind wheeling her chair.

“Hey, where you going?” Marat said, following her.

“I’m just taking Johnny to his room.” She told him.

“I’ll come with you.”

So they went outside to the corridor and took Johnny to his room. Marat helped Johnny to bed. He said good night to
the two of them, then they left.

“What about you? Aren’t you tired yet?” Marat said, “I could ask the guests to leave…”

“No, don’t do that.” She said, “Let them have fun. Let’s just go somewhere quiet.”

“The whole hospital is quiet.”

“Okay, what about at the garden upstairs?” She said. Marat had told her about the butterfly he found there. “Maybe the
butterfly is still there…”



There was nobody else around when they got there. They were quiet for a while. Angela just looked at the single star
that was in the sky. When she spoke, it was so softly that Marat had to strain to hear what she was saying because they can still
hear the noise down the street.

“If you could make a wish…say, if it’s true that you can wish on a star, what would you ask for?” She asked him.

Without wasting a second, Marat answered her question. “You. I’d wish for you.” He said, “I’d wish to be with you
forever.”

She smiled, all too weakly, and touched his face. “I want that too.” She said, “But you know, it’s not going to happen.
Marat, I want you to be ready when…I go.”

“How could I possibly do that?” He asked her, looking away, to the star she was staring at a moment ago. “You asked
me once, if I believed in soul mates. I didn’t give you an answer, but I’ve had the answer for a while now…” He looked at her. “I
don’t believe in soul mates. I don’t believe that you are my soul mate. No, you’re more than that. You’re my soul.”

“Marat…” She uttered his name, but didn’t know really know what to say.

He kneeled beside her on one knee. “Angela, you are my soul.” Marat said, “Now, tell me…How could I possibly live if
you go? How am I supposed to live… or stay alive, without my soul? Without you?”

Hearing him say that, and seeing him almost on the verge of tears was so heavy for Angela. It’s like something is
clutching at her chest. She felt like crying herself, but she kept her tears from flowing.

“You say that now…” She said, “But someday, you’ll forget about me.” She touched his face.

“No.” Marat protested.

“No, you will.” She told him. “You’ll forget about me, and you’ll find someone who would love you, the way that I
do…maybe even more. And I hope you do…no, I know you will…so don’t worry, I won’t be jealous.” She smiled.

He took her hand and held it with both hands to his lips. “It’s not gonna happen.” He said.

“It will.” She said. She pulled her hands out of Marat’s hands to wipe away the tears that had already trickled down her
cheeks. She sighed. She breathed with great difficulty. There was pain in her chest that she could not fathom if it was emotional
or physical. She felt so weak.

“I’m cold.” She said softly.

Marat stood up and took his jacket off. “Here, wear this.” He placed it over Angela’s shoulder.

“Marat?”

“Hmm?”

“Which way does the Sun rise?” She asked him. “I want to see the sunrise.”

“It’s not gonna rise till maybe five in the morning.” Marat said, “But, it’s that way.” He said, pointing towards the east.
He stood behind Angela’s wheelchair, with his hands on her shoulder.

“Marat.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m thirsty.” She said, putting her hand on Marat’s hand on her shoulder. “There’s a cola machine down the hall. I’d
like a diet coke.”

“Let’s just go back to your room, I think someone brought a diet coke.” Marat said.

“No, I don’t want to go yet.”

“Okay. I’ll go get you one.” He said. “Stay there okay? Don’t…don’t go anywhere.”

“All right.” She said. “I’ll wait for you.”

Marat walked slowly towards the door. On his way out, he saw a butterfly flew past him in the corner of his eyes. He felt
a bolt of electricity run up his spine, and he stopped on his track. He turned around and saw the butterfly circling around her.
“Angela.” He whispered.

“Marat…” She called him. Her voice was soft and weak. “I changed my mind.” He could not hear, but she was
breathing hard. “I’m tired…let’s go home.”

Marat went back to her. “Okay. Let’s go back.” He was going to wheel her out of there but she stopped him.

“No…wait.” She said, “Let’s leave the chair. I don’t want to ride on it anymore.”

“But…”

“Can you just carry me?” She asked him. “Please?”

He didn’t say a word, not because he didn’t want to talk. He just couldn’t talk. He just carried her off the chair and onto
his arms. She was so limp. She put her head on his shoulder, and wrapped her arms around him. The butterfly followed them
everywhere.

“I love you.” She whispered in his ear, “Don’t forget that.”

He carried her all the way through the corridor, and onto the elevator. When they were halfway down to their floor, her
hand that was hanging on his back lost its grip and fell limply behind him. He just stared at his reflection on the mirrored elevator
door. The butterfly flew away as the elevator door opened. He knew what just happened and his tears just fell by itself. She was
gone.

After three days…

Marat was helping Maria with Angela’s things. Angela had asked her mother to give her stuff to charity after she die.
Maria found the box that Angela wanted Marat to have, and gave it to him.

“I don’t even know how to open this.” He told her, “She never got around to telling me.”

“You should already know.” Maria said, “It’s your birthday.” Then she left the room.

He remembered the clue that she gave him when she was telling him to guess what the combination was. She told him it
was the most important date in her life. He turned the lock to the combination of his birthday, and it clicked open. He opened the
box and found her most treasured possessions. He found the ribbon he gave her on her 6th birthday, an angel figurine on her 7th,
and some pictures of the two of them as kids as well as all the letters he wrote to her while he was in Spain.

In the bottom of the box was an old envelope. He took it out and opened it. It was a marriage certificate. Not the real
kind. It was something they made when they were kids. “I didn’t know she kept this one.” He said, thinking aloud. He had a smile
on his lips and a tear in his eyes. It brought him memories.



He remembered he was 11 and she was probably 10. Their old friends even signed it as witnesses.

“Do you Marat Mikhailovich take Angela…uh…how do you say your patronymic?” Leonid asked. They were role
playing and he was supposed to be the priest. Who would’ve thought?

“I don’t. I use my mother’s patronymic.” Angela said.

“But won’t people think she’s your sister rather than your mother?” Leonid asked.

“Will you stop asking questions already and get on with the ceremony?” Marat said. He was getting impatient.

“Okay, okay.” Leonid said, “So do you take her as your wife, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health and that
whole other stuff?”

“I do.” He said.

“Do you promise that?” Angela asked him, smiling at him brightly.

“Ya obeschayu.” He told her.

“So serious!” Yulya, another one of their friends said.

The two of them got teased the about it the whole day. But he didn’t mind it.









Angela’s body was cremated. She told her mother that she didn’t want to be buried. It was her dream to travel and see
the whole world. She asked her to spread her ashes to the ocean. That way, she said, she could flow with the water wherever it
goes.



Marat left New York before the New Year. He went to Monte Carlo to meet up with his coach. During his flight, he was
tinkering with his mobile phone when he found an unnamed video file, hidden in a folder. He played it. It was a video of Angela. He
figured she recorded it that time when they went to the New York Central Park.

“Hi, Marat. Uhm…when you see this, I’m probably…well, not with you anymore. I know it’s sad. But don’t be. Just think
of it this way…where I’m going…I’d no longer feel pain. People say it’s beautiful there, that it’s always sunny.” She sighed. “Well, I
made this…because I want to ask you to do something for me…I want you to promise me…that you’ll live your life to the fullest.
Live for the both of us, because I can’t. Be happy. Love. Live. I promise I’ll wait for you up there. But don’t hurry. Take your time.
I promise I’ll watch over you. I love you. Don’t forget.”

It was good that everyone was sleeping all around him when he watched it. His tears fell. He played it over and over for
a while.

He knows it may take a while before he overcomes his loss. Slowly but surely, he will.

Epilogue

Cincinnati 2006

Marat got into a car accident during the tournament. He was pulling out of the drive way when another car appeared out
of nowhere. He abruptly stepped on the break but it was too late and the car was totaled. It was a good thing that the airbag
opened in time and saved him from further injury. All he got from the accident were a few bruised and a stiff neck.

A couple of hours after the accident, he got a call from Dina.

“Hello?” He said, grumpily.

“I heard you got in an accident.” Dina said, on the other end. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine just a few bruises and my neck’s a bit stiff.”

“Are you still gonna play?”

“I don’t know yet…I’ll see if I can, if I can’t I might pull out.”

“Okay. Well, it’s good you didn’t get hurt much…you’re still lucky.” Dina said, “You’re guardian angel must be watching
over you.”

He didn’t answer her for awhile. He looked up to the heaven and smiled. “Yeah. She is. My Angel’s watching over me.
She promised me she would.” He said finally.

[Annaya]

The End