“Eric, what’s the deal?” Nella asked, her voice filled with concern. “Are you seeing someone? Why are you hiding out here?”
Eric’s face fell, and he let out a deep sigh. “No, Nella. It’s not like that. I told you there’s no one else.”
“Then what is it? Why are you doing this? You’re freaking me out.”
After a moment, Eric reached into the backseat and pulled out a bunch of children’s books and a small recording device. His hands were shaking as he explained.
“I didn’t want to worry you,” he said softly. “But I’ve been recording bedtime stories for the kids… because I might not always be here to tell them.”
Nella’s breath caught. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t you be here?”
Eric hesitated before confessing the truth. “A few weeks ago, I went to the doctor. They found a tumor. It’s cancer, Nella. It’s bad. I don’t know how much time I have left.”
Her world shattered. The man she loved, her rock, had been carrying this devastating secret all by himself. Tears streamed down her face as she clung to his hand tightly. “Why didn’t you tell me? You don’t have to go through this alone.”
“I wanted to protect you,” Eric said. “I didn’t want you to see me differently. But I also wanted to leave something behind for the kids—a way for them to still hear my voice.”
From that moment on, Eric and Nella faced the battle together. Months of doctor’s appointments, treatments, and precious moments with their children filled their days. Despite Eric’s strength and determination, the relentless disease took him away one quiet winter morning. The house felt empty without him. Nella and the children were devastated. Days after the funeral, Nella found Eric’s recordings, including “Our Story.”
With trembling hands, she played. His warm voice filled the room. “Once upon a time,” he began, “there was a princess with the kindest heart and the greatest courage. She met an ordinary man, and together, they built a life full of love, laughter, and adventures.”
Nella’s eyes filled with tears as she listened to Eric’s recordings. They were like a treasure trove of their love story, forever preserved. Whenever she felt overwhelmed by grief, she would listen to them, and Eric’s voice would bring back all the magic of their extraordinary life. With each recording, she found a little bit of her strength back, and she was determined to carry on their fairytale, filled with the love and courage that Eric had always admired.
