At night, when I am alone, I call for you, and whenever my ache seems to be the greatest, you still seem to find a way to return to me.

His voice, even now, follows me everywhere on this longest of rides, this thing called life.

Eventually I came across another passage. This is what it said: I am not commanding you, but I want to treat the sincerity of your love by comparing it to the earnestness of others. The words made me choke up again, and just as I was about to cry, the meaning of it suddenly became clear. God had finally answered me, and I suddenly knew what I had to do.

Experience had taught me that even the most precious memories fade with the passage of time.

And while he was doing those things, he thought about Allie and the love that was missing from both their lives.

I saw the way she was looking at you, and I knew that she still loved you. More than that, I know she always will. It breaks my heart, but you know what? I'm still in love with her, and to me that means that I want nothing more than for her to be happy in life. I want that more than anything. It's all I've ever wanted for her.

The stars were out in full, the crickets a little quieter. He had enjoyed talking to Allie and wondered what she'd thought about his life, hoping it would somehow make a difference, if it could.