The Miracle of You

‘My family, huh?’ Michael thought to himself wryly.

He stared at his desk, which was filled with documents and folders related to the company’s latest joint project. There had been a lot of work lately, and it helped keep him occupied.

He then looked at his computer, which was currently on and had several tabs of websites open. There were also several folder applications open, displaying various documents neatly organized with their appropriate labels.

This was his life.

And it was depressing.

It felt like he no longer had a goal, like he was just going through the motions like an empty shell.

Back then, his goal had been to find Hailey. To make sure that she was okay, and also to get in touch with her.

But now that he found her, it seemed that her situation was more complex than he had thought.

Also, as he had told Grady, he didn’t want to investigate further on what had really happened to her, because he thought that it would be an invasion of privacy. He didn’t want to do that to her, of all people.

He wanted her to tell him herself, on her own terms.

He wanted to wait for her, but what if he waited too long?

What if she didn’t want to tell him anything at all, not even in the future?

He didn’t know what to feel. It was like his world was slowly crumbling, and he was just wandering aimlessly, going about his normal routine.

He had been arrogant, it seemed. Maybe he expected her to be the same as before. That she would welcome him and embrace him with open arms after their reunion and that everything would be like before. As if nothing had ever changed.

He barely considered the possibility that she was engaged or married to someone. He just assumed…

Well, he had assumed too much, apparently.

He didn’t know what to think now.

Indeed, maybe he had focused too much on Hailey that he no longer thought of anything else.

“Grady,” he suddenly said. “Can I ask you something?”

“What is it, Mr. McGregor?” Grady asked politely.

Michael spoke slowly, but with resignation in his tone. “Do you think… that I’ve been obsessed with Hailey all these years?”

Grady looked at him in mild confusion. “What do you mean, ‘obsessed’?”

Michael sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I mean… ever since she left, I had been driven by this need to find her. Every decision that I’ve made, every step I’ve taken… has been with the hope that I would see her again. I worked hard to get to where I am now, thinking that it would give me the power and resources to locate her. And now… she’s engaged to another man.”

Grady looked at him, and there was nothing in the older man’s eyes that displayed pity or mockery. Instead, Grady shook his head, his expression akin to that of understanding.

“If you ask me, Mr. McGregor… It’s only natural to hold on to hope considering the situation years ago,” he said gently.

“But I was naive, wasn’t I?” He sighed. “I expected too much. I thought that if I found her, everything would go back to the way it was. But… people change. I should’ve known. I changed, and so did she. I should’ve realized it much sooner, but I guess I was always unconsciously in denial.”

Grady nodded slowly. “I agree. People do change, Mr. McGregor. But that doesn’t mean your feelings are any less valid.”

Michael stared out the window, the cityscape blurring as he seemed to focus on something nonexistent.

“It might sound silly, being a grown man, but… I feel like I’ve lost my purpose. For so long, finding Hailey was my goal, my reason for everything. Now, knowing that she’s with Christian Callahan… I feel lost. I had focused so much on the past, and look where that got me now.”

Grady was quiet for a moment, considering Michael’s words carefully.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Then, when he spoke, his voice was firm, but also soft.

“Mr. McGregor, you’re one of the most driven people that I know. You’ve achieved a lot of things, but it’s okay to feel lost sometimes. You’re human, just like all of us. My only piece of advice is that perhaps it is time to think about what you want for your future, and not just keep living in the past.”

Michael’s eyes narrowed slightly. “But how?” he asked quietly. “How do I move forward when the one thing that I wanted is now beyond my reach?”

A flash of sympathy appeared in Grady’s eyes. “Start by finding out what makes you happy outside of your career and your years-long search for Hailey. Reconnect with yourself. It’s not easy, but you don’t have to do it alone.”

Michael looked down at his hands, feeling as if he had been sent back in time, to his teenage self. “I’ve spent so many years chasing a dream, and now I don’t even know who I am without it,” he muttered.

“Then it’s time to find out,” Grady said without missing a beat. “You have people around you who care about you, and that includes Miss Parker. But you also have your family, right?”

***

Michael sat at his desk four hours later, remembering Grady’s words. The man had gone home for the day while Michael was still in his office, working overtime. He couldn’t afford to slack off during this busy month.

He also recalled that Grady had previously suggested that he lean more on his family.

The idea was both comforting and frightening. He didn’t have the best relationship with his family, and that was an understatement in itself.

He looked at his phone on the desk and thought for a moment.

Then, deciding to take a chance, he picked it up and dialed a number.

The person picked up on the third ring.

“What is it?” Joanna’s voice drifted into his ears.