“But Sedric’s name is Sedric.” He looked so confused.
“Yeah, but he’s younger than you. I was a little more okay then and happy to hear it.”
“Grandpop’s name made you sad? I’m sorry, Nana.” He reached over and pet my face gently, and it was so cute of him. He was so gentle.
“It’s okay, dear. I’m okay now. Every once in a while, I see him in my dreams, and I get really happy.”
“He should come to your dreams more.” He grinned. “That way you can always wake up happy, Nana.”
That would actually hurt more. But I didn’t want to mess with his innocent four-year-old mind. I wanted him to truly believe that seeing the people you love could never be a bad thing, even if it was just in a dream.
“Wouldn’t that be nice? Is there anything you dream of that makes you happy?”
He thought about it, his face bunching up, and then his eyes lit up. “I dream of going to Candyland, where Mom never tells me to eat vegetables because there are no vegetables.”
He said it so earnestly, I couldn’t help but laugh. Pulling him to me, I hugged him tightly. “I’ll take you to get candy later…but don’t tell your mom, deal?”
“Deal!” He gave me the thumbs-up signal and then looked at me seriously. “Can you help me, Nana?”
I frowned, not sure what else he could possibly need. He wiggled away from me and off my bed, picking something up to show me. When it came into focus more, I read the title out loud. “The Countless Adventures of the Invincible Little Bear?”
He nodded. “Dona can read it. I wanna to read it, too.”
“You don’t want to ask your mom? I’m sure she would love to teach it to you.” I asked him, and he shook his head no as he climbed onto the bed.
“No, I wanna read to Mommy. I wanna surprise her.” He lifted the book to give it to me.
Sitting up, I made room for him, and he curled up beside me. He even helped me flip to the first page and then pointed to the first word, waiting for me to speak.
“This. Is. The. Story. About. The. Invincible. Little. Bear,” I said the first line slowly, then pointed to the first line. “Your turn.”
“This. Is. The. Story. About. The. Invincible. Little. Bear.”
I looked down at him, somewhat shocked, and grinned. “That was amazing, Wyatt. You’re a natural.”
He blushed and moved his finger to the next line, looking back up at me eagerly. Remind me why I couldn’t go to sleep forever. I couldn’t stop living or else I’d miss out on moments like this…his smile gave me a little bit of life.
“I love you, Wyatt,” I said to him.
And he smiled. “Love you, too, Nana. What’s next?”
Yeah… I loved him and his siblings and cousins too much to ever just leave.
EVELYN – NOW
“Evelyn!”
Before I realized it, I felt the oxygen over my mouth. Inhaling a bit, I wiped away my tears, but I couldn’t wipe away the aching in my heart.
“Go call a doctor,” Mina hollered at the nurse beside us. I waved them off. “Evelyn—”
Taking the mask from my face, I took another short breath. “I’m fine. Don’t make a fuss, please. Not over me, too.”
She stared at me for a long time before finally nodding.
“I’m going to find Ethan and Sedric. Neal went to pick up Darcy and Declan from the airport,” she whispered to me before looking at the nurse. “You leave her alone or I’ll hang you.”
When she was gone, I held the mask back to my face, outstretching my hand for support, and began to rise.
“Take me to my grandson’s room,” I said, already walking. Everything in me hurt, but I wasn’t going to sleep yet. I refused. They still needed me. When the glass doors slid open and I saw him just lying there, my body began to shake. I couldn’t control it.
“Evelyn!”
Freezing, my eyes widened so much, the tears dropped from them as I turned to look at her. There green eyes that were as sharp as razors, filled with tears she would not let fall.
“Melody,” I said through gritted teeth, grabbing on to her arms tightly. “Where the hell were you? WHERE WERE YOU?! You said you did this for them! So you could watch out for them. Where were you? Where is Liam? Where is—”
The needle was cold and quick, like a small bug bite, and before I knew it my legs couldn’t hold me anymore. But I didn’t fall; instead, his arms were around me. He squeezed my shoulders before setting be back down on the wheelchair. Coming around me, he lifted my legs onto the steps, and my heart pounded against my chest. I wanted to see him. I hated the blonde wig on his head. I wanted to see my son.
“Liam,” I called out softly.
And he paused for a moment and looked up to me. Instead of his green eyes, I saw brown. But I knew it was him.
“Sweetheart—”
“We were late, Mom. I’m sorry.” The pain in his eyes was real. It only added to my own, but he held it back. He kissed my hands and then my forehead before moving over to the bed. My eyelids felt heavy, and everything started to blur.
I could see them. He tried to pull her away from the bed, but she broke out of his hold and just sobbed over Wyatt. I don’t think I could remember the last time I saw them cry. Liam hung his head, trying to breathe, running has hands through is hair, before finally grabbing her arm and yelling something into her face. She froze, still not letting go. But whatever he did must have worked. She wiped her face, lifted the surgical mask over her mouth, and turned. She didn’t want to move. And just when I thought she was going to
