18

Alex and Elizabeth had been through a lot in the past few months. The news of Elizabeth's kidney failure had come as a shock, and since then, they had been tirelessly working towards finding a solution. Alex had stepped in to help out with the medical expenses, and Elizabeth had fought through the pain and discomfort of her condition with unwavering strength and courage.

As Alex woke up to the new day, he planted a soft morning kiss on Elizabeth's lips. She opened her eyes with a glowing smile on her face, feeling grateful for the warmth and love that filled their little nest.

"Good morning, my love," Alex whispered, stroking her hair gently. "I have some news."

Elizabeth propped herself up with curiosity, wondering what Alex had on his mind.

"I need to take a business trip to Paris next week," Alex said. "But I don't want to leave you alone here. Promise me that you'll go visit the hospital every day until your transplant surgery."

Elizabeth nodded, her eyes brimming with emotion as she looked into Alex's eyes. "Of course, I'll go. And I'll think of you every step of the way."

Alex smiled, relieved that Elizabeth had agreed. "I have something for you, to keep you company while I'm away."

He pulled out a small jewelry box and opened it to reveal a beautiful necklace, adorned with a delicate pendant that looked like a miniature clock.

"It's a timepiece necklace," Alex explained. "It's set to my time zone, so that you can feel my presence no matter where I am. Wear it, and I'll always be with you."

Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears as she took the necklace from Alex's hand. She put it on, feeling its weight on her chest and its soft tick-tock she heard in her ears. It was a comforting sound, knowing that Alex was out there, on the other side of the world, but still by her side.

"Thank you, Alex," she said, cupping his face in her hands. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Alex kissed her forehead, feeling grateful to have Elizabeth in his life. "You're the strongest person I know, Elizabeth. You'll get through this, and we'll get through it together."

With that, they wrapped their arms around each other, holding onto the love and hope that kept them going. As Elizabeth prepared to go to the hospital, she knew she would miss Alex while he was away. But with the ticking of the timepiece necklace, she felt closer to him than ever before.