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Dear Alexis,

Sorry for the late reply. Life and work have been chaotic, and frankly, your question inspired a lot of thinking. “If you could rewrite the ending of a favorite story, how would it go?”

I must admit, I was taken aback when I saw your question—this wasn’t something I’d been asked before. But then I figured it out.

You must be asking because you’re feeling uncertain in this new world you woke up to. Perhaps this stems from a desire to rewrite your ending. But you see, there’s something fundamentally flawed about that.

While you’ve lost eight years and that is a very long time—I’m not minimizing that at all—your story has just begun. You’ve far from reached the end. So, I don’t think you need to rewrite anything, because you can create the ending you want.

Per the program requirements, I can’t tell you anything about myself, but I’ll tell you this. I’ve been exchanging letters with patients for the last eight years and all of them—I repeat, every one of them—find their footing in the new world again.

New perspective. New hopes. New dreams.

So I can say with certainty, you will too.

Warmth floods my veins as my fingers trace the words on the screen. His email is the perfect balm to the nausea and uneasiness I felt earlier.

I wish I could give the email writer a hug for understanding me so well.

He’s right. Per program guidelines, my pen pal’s identity has to remain anonymous, but I’m free to disclose my personal details.

And I did.

I’m embracing this new Alexis Vaughn. Flaws and all.

As for the answer to your question, if I could rewrite any story, I’d rewrite the love story of Eros and Psyche.

My heart races—The Secret Gardenis my favorite book and Eros and Psyche’s love story is my favorite Greek myth. The unwavering lovebetween Eros, the son of Aphrodite, and Psyche, the mortal woman he was never supposed to be with.

I remember curling up in bed with a flashlight when I was little, imaging the handsome Greek god watching over the beautiful Psyche while she slept, because she wasn’t supposed to find out his identity. I was breathless with anticipation, hoping Psyche would wake up and the lovebirds could finally see each other. Then, I was heartbroken when they were kept apart.

Their beautiful story ultimately had a happily ever after, the lovers reunited after Zeus intervened. But there was too much suffering to get there—Eros needing to hide his identity from the woman he loved, Psyche even coming close to death to prove her love to the other gods.

If I could rewrite the story, I’d wish for one thing only.

That Psyche wouldn’t have to endure so much to be reunited with her lover. I’d wish her journey was gentler, because any man who truly loves a woman would rather bear the burden himself. He’d want her to be happy and whole, even if it meant facing the darkness alone.

I hope this helps your journey. As always, I’m here for you.

Yours,

Polaris

An ache pulses inside my rib cage. Unlike minutes ago, I don’t feel sick.

Instead, I’m hit with an urge to cry.

The spot above my heart hurts, and I don’t know why. There’s nothing wrong with me—countless scans, X-rays, MRIs have told me that.

Wetting my lips, I process his words—he’s never told me his gender, but I’m sure Polaris is a man and someone who’s endured loss. Becausethat’s the only way he can write such insightful and thought-provoking responses.

A sense of déjà vu ripples through me. It’s like fate has engineered it all—me in this hospital room, randomly assigned to Polaris.

Perhaps he needs this outlet as much as I do. Maybe I can help him heal.

I click reply and a new window pops up. As I mull over what to write, someone knocks on my door.

The door opens, and in walks someone I definitely don’t expect to see.