---- replied. Slowly, they stood up from the ground. I didn't say anything else. I turned and walked away from the cemetery without looking back. Winter came again. When my coworkers learned my birthday was coming up, they threw me a celebration. They picked the exact same restaurant I used to love eight years ago. When I arrived by cab, I was surprised to see Nicholas and Brandon crouched near the entrance. They were even more surprised to see me. The two men supported each other to stand, eyes red with tears as they stared. "We were just hoping-we never expected you'd still be willing to come here." Then, they carefully pulled out a gift they had clearly spent time preparing and reached toward me. "We made this for you. It took us a while." I didn't take it, but my eyes dropped to the strawberry shortcake in Nicholas' hands. It was the same kind I ---- had been robbed of eight years ago. However, I wasn't that girl anymore, and I didn't even like sweets now. "T don't like that anymore," I said. The smile on Nicholas' face faltered for a second, but he still forced a facade. "That's on me. Tell me what you like now, I'll go buy it." I shook my head firmly. "Don't bother. I don't want anything to do with either of you anymore." At that moment, my coworkers came out looking for me. They paused when they saw us, and one of them asked, "Are we interrupting something?" I shook my head. "Not at all. I don't really know them. " Then, in front of both Nicholas and Brandon, I walked into the restaurant. The two of them instinctively tried to follow, but the security guard stepped in their way. "No entry allowed," he said flatly. So they stood there, watching as I disappeared ---- through the door. Later, Erica told me that Brandon and Nicholas had lived miserably all these years. After they discovered they couldn't find me at all, they took out all their anger on Madison and kicked her out. Madison was used to being dependent on men. She drifted from man to man, eventually got involved with a married man, and was beaten half to death by his wife. After that, she vanished. Nicholas and Brandon weren't any better off. They got framed, their company collapsed overnight, and the bank repossessed their home. They were left with nothing and could only afford to rent. Nicholas was later diagnosed with cancer. Even though it was diagnosed, they didn't have money for treatment. I let out a quiet sigh and said, "Life is unpredictable." Erica noticed I didn't want to hear more, so she ---- changed the subject and asked about the research. Seasons passed. Eventually, I became a professor. Since I was getting lonely, I adopted a little girl. The three-year-old girl looked at me and called out sweetly, "Mommy!" "Yes, sweetheart."