Carl comes home from the doctor's office, his face looking unusually somber... His wife, Laura, is sitting at the kitchen table, sipping tea, when he walks in. "Laura," he says, "the doctor gave me some terrible news... " "I only have 24 hours left to live."
Her eyes widen, her cup clinks as she sets it down, and the room fills with a heavy silence... After a few moments, Carl hesitantly continues... "Given the circumstance, do you think we could, you know, spend some special time together?"
He raises his eyebrows, giving her a look that’s half pleading, half hopeful... Laura, understanding, nods and says, "Of course, Carl." They head upstairs, and soon enough, they make love... Carl is, at first, relieved to have some closeness with his wife in what feels like the final moments of his life. But a few hours pass, and his mind starts racing again...
He's glancing at the clock when it hits him - he's down to 18 hours. Panicked, he turns to Laura, who’s peacefully reading a book beside him... "Laura," he says, "I know this is going to sound crazy, but I’ve only got 18 hours left... " "Can we, um, do it again?"
She puts down her book, smiles softly, and agrees. Hours pass, and Carl’s anxiety won’t leave him alone... He looks at the clock - just 8 hours left. He can't stop thinking about how little time he has left... So, he gently nudges Laura, waking her from a light nap, "Honey," he says sheepishly, "I only have 8 hours now... " "Please, just one more time?"
She sighs but, as ever, agrees... Afterward, Laura drifts off to sleep, but Carl lies awake, staring at the ceiling. He tosses and turns, counting down the minutes... At last, the clock reads 4 hours left. He taps Laura’s shoulder again, his voice a little shaky this time... "Laura, I only have 4 hours left. What do you say? One last time?"
Laura sits up, rubs her eyes, and looks at him, her patience clearly wearing thin. "Carl," she says, "I have to get up in the morning... " "You don’t!"
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