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young kids playing catch with their fathers, to mothers pushing their toddlers on a nearby swing set, to several couples laughing and smiling as they walked hand-in-hand down the gravel pathway outlining the riverbanks. As he watched life happen around him, he realized this was what life was supposed to be all about. It was about being with people you love and doing everything you can to make them happy. But he had been away. Far away from the people that he had loved. He wanted Larkin to experience all these things that were happening around him. But how could she do that all alone? He had felt guilty about leaving her there without saying a word. He had done the exact opposite of what he told her he was going to do. He had told her he would never leave her alone, and that’s exactly what he did.
    Ryan walked back to the hotel to see Larkin again. He was going to make one last effort to help her, but if she still refused, he would do whatever it was she wanted him to do. He had knocked on her door several times, but she never came to open it. He had made several attempts before he realized she was not coming. He deserved it, he thought. He had left her alone. She had every reason to not come to that door. He felt his heart drop into his stomach, and he had never felt more alone than right at that moment. Walking away from that hotel room door was one of the hardest things he had ever done.
    He had gotten himself a room to stay in before he headed back to South Africa the next morning. He was exhausted from all the traveling the past two days, but his mind and heart were so full of anguish, he couldn’t help but toss and turn. He couldn’t sleep, and the only person who could help him was Larkin. He had needed her, more than she could ever know. Maybe if she knew, maybe if she understood how much he needed her then she would reconsider. She was always there for him, so why would this time be any different? He looked at the time. It was 12:15 a.m. He didn’t care that it was late. He quickly got dressed and walked to her room. He banged on the door so loudly, he could hear people yelling at him to knock it off from inside their rooms across the hall. But he didn’t care.
    “ Larkin! ” he shouted. “Open the door.” He kept banging the door. “Larkin, I am not leaving until you open the door!” He kept banging until he saw the light turn on underneath the doorway, giving him an immediate sense of relief.
    The door opened.
    “Ryan, what are you doing here? It’s late.” Her eyes had a blackness to them.
    He pushed the door open and stormed inside. “I don’t care how late it is, Larkin.” He paced back and forth trying to figure out exactly what he was going to say.
    “Now, I have one last thing to say to you, and you’re going to listen. No more interrupting me by telling me ‘no, Ryan.’ Just listen to what I have to say, okay?” He could tell she was tired and bothered, but she still gave him a nod, letting him know she was okay with it.
    “I couldn’t sleep tonight. This was the first night in a while that I couldn’t sleep, and the only thing I could think of was you and how much I needed you. I wanted and needed you to read to me. And then I realized, what am I going to do if you’re not here, Larkin? Who am I going to call when I land the role of a lifetime? Who’s going to walk the red carpet with me at my premieres? Who am I going to go to when I need to get away from it all? Who’s going to laugh at my jokes even when you know how stupid they are? Who’s going to read to me when I can’t sleep? But most importantly, Larkin, who’s going to be my best friend? Don’t you see? I need you, Larkin. I need you to live,” he paused, catching his breath and fighting back tears. “I need you to at least try to live. Please, blue eyes, please let me help you.” He waited for her to respond. She was also fighting back tears, but she didn’t say anything. She just looked at him.
    “Please, if