In the dim light of her bedroom, Rebecca lay on her back, staring at the clock. At 6:30, the alarm sounded, and she silenced it quickly. She rose from bed, smoothed the sheets, and headed to the bathroom, where everything was in its place. At 7:00, she laced up her shoes and set out for her jog, a routine that had become her escape.
But lately, Charlie, her cheerful neighbor, had started interrupting her solitude with daily greetings and jokes. Despite her initial annoyance, she found herself warming up to him, even slowing her pace to talk.
One morning, Charlie didn’t appear. Rebecca, concerned, visited his house, only to learn from Mrs. Lewis that he had been taken to the hospital. Guilt and worry flooded her as she rushed to find him. At the hospital, she discovered Charlie had a heart condition and had been risking his health just to join her runs. Touched by his words, Rebecca invited him to dinner, offering a different way to spend time together.