Last Thursday, Katherine received an envelope that stood out among her usual mail. Inside, she found a flash drive labeled “Tom”—her high school sweetheart and ex-husband. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at his name, flooded with memories.

Tom and Katherine met at 16, fell in love, and got married right after college. Their life felt like a fairy tale until Katherine felt trapped in their small town. She yearned for more, leading to frequent arguments and eventually, a painful divorce.

Katherine’s longing for new experiences and Tom’s contentment with their life led to irreconcilable differences. She felt stifled and needed to break free. The decision to divorce was heart-wrenching but seemed necessary at the time.

They parted with heavy hearts, each trying to mend their lives separately. Katherine never heard from Tom again, until now.

With trembling hands, Katherine plugged the flash drive into her computer. A single video file appeared. Hesitant but driven by curiosity, she pressed play.

Tom appeared on the screen, looking frail and tired. His voice cracked as he began speaking, “Katherine, if you’re watching this, it means I’m probably gone. I got sick, really sick, and there’s no coming back from it.”

Tears streamed down Katherine’s face as Tom continued, expressing his love and regret. He wanted her to remember him as he was, not as the sick man on the screen. His final message was a mix of love, sorrow, and farewell.

Katherine was stunned. The silence of the room was deafening as she processed his words. The realization of Tom’s illness and his feelings left her heart pounding with a mix of regret and sorrow.

Desperate to talk to him, Katherine frantically searched for a way to contact Tom. She remembered John, Tom’s close friend, and reached out to him for help.

Katherine sent a frantic message to John, hoping for a chance to speak to Tom. Minutes later, John’s reply came: “Katherine, I’m so sorry. Tom passed away last week. There was a small service with just a few friends. He left you a box. It’s on its way to you.”

The news hit her like a cold wave. Tom was gone. The regret of not reaching out sooner and the pain of his absence overwhelmed her.

A few days later, Katherine received the box John mentioned. Inside, she found trinkets and mementos from their time together, each item filled with memories and emotions.

Among the items were a movie ticket stub from their first date, a seashell from a spontaneous trip, and a photo from their last encounter. Each piece was a chapter of their shared history.

Gathering her courage, Katherine visited Tom’s grave. She brought daisies, his favorite, and a letter she had written in response to his video. The cemetery was quiet, the fall leaves adding a burst of color to the somber scene.

In her letter, Katherine poured out her feelings, expressing her sorrow, regret, and gratitude. She thanked Tom for his love and the memories they shared, asking for his forgiveness and offering her own.

Leaving the letter and flowers at his grave, Katherine felt a gentle breeze, a sign of peace. She knew it was time to move forward, carrying Tom’s memory in her heart.

Katherine’s life was forever changed by the flash drive and the final message from Tom. The revelation of his illness and his enduring love filled her with regret but also with a profound sense of closure. As she moves forward, she carries the lessons and memories of their time together, honoring his legacy and finding a way to heal.