"Are you serious right now?" I ask, my voice rising. "He’s in there and you’re telling I can’t see him?"
"Ma’am..:.:"
"Move," I repeat.
Nothing. He doesn’t even flinch and just like that.....my panic turns into anger.
I’m about to push past him myself when a hand reaches out from behind .
Zane.
He doesn’t say anything at first, doesn’t argue, doesn’t waste ti. He just steps forward....And grabs the man by the throat So fast it almost doesn’t register.
The guard stiffens instantly, his back hitting the wall with a quiet thud as Zane holds him there. His not really choking him but to make it very clear he is not soone to be thrifiled with.
The second guard doesn’t move, doesn’t intervene he doesn’t even try.
Zane leans in slightly, his grip firm, his voice low...too low for to hear clearly.
But I catch pieces.
"...don’t make repeat myself..."
"...you’re in the wrong place to test ..."
"...open the door."
The guard nods quickly.
"I.....yes.....yes, sir," he stamrs.
Zane releases him just as suddenly as he grabbed him and The man stumbles slightly, coughing under his breath, imdiately stepping aside.
The other guard moves too, clearing the way just like that.
I blink, still a little thrown off but I don’t waste ti.
I turn to Zane.
"Thank you," I whisper quickly.
He doesn’t respond, he just steps back, giving space, letting go. And I do.
I reach for the door, my hand hesitating for just a second on the handle. Then I push it open and step inside to find the room is dim and Quiet. I just stand there for a second because the man lying on that bed.....It doesn’t feel like him. It doesn’t feel like my grandfather. Machines hum softly around him, steady, rhythmic. There’s an oxygen mask over his face, tubes running from it, rising and falling gently with each breath he takes. It’s nothing like the strong, commanding voice I’m used to hearing.
My chest tightens as I take a step forward then another, each one heavier than the last.
By the ti I get to his bedside, I feel it fully. That deep ache because he looks....Old, frail and so small. I’ve never seen him like that before, not once. Not even when he was sick years ago back then, he still looked like himself. But this.....This is different.
This looks like ti finally caught up to him.
My throat tightens painfully as I reach out slowly, my fingers hovering for a second before I let them rest gently on his hand.
It’s warm but weaker than I rember.
"Grandpa..." I whisper. My voice sounding small in the room.
He doesn’t move, doesn’t react. He’s asleep.
Or maybe... sothing deeper than that.
I swallow hard, blinking back the sudden sting in my eyes. This is not how I imagined seeing him, not like this, not when I wasn’t ready.
I pull a chair closer and sit down beside him, my hand still wrapped around his. Just... holding on like if I let go, sothing might slip away. And for a little while, I don’t say anything. I just sit there, liistening to the machines and watching his chest rise and fall.
And my mind drifts again back to when things were easier and when he was different, I was much younger. I rember running around the house, barefoot, laughing too loud, not caring about anything. And he’d call after , pretending to be annoyed.
"Slow down, you’ll break sothing!"
But there’d always be that smile hiding behind it.Always.
I rember climbing into his lap without asking, curling up like I belonged there . Because I did. He’d complain about my weight, say I was getting too big for that but he never once pushed away. Not once.
And those sweets...
God.
I let out a soft, shaky breath.
"You used to spoil so much," I murmur, my thumb brushing lightly over his hand.
"No wonder I turned out like this."
My voice cracks slightly at the end.
I pause and take a breath.
"You scared grand pops" I whisper.
That’s the truth more than anything else.
"I’m not ready for you to go," I admit quietly. "Not yet... not like this."
My fingers tighten around his slightly.
"I know things haven’t been... the sa," I continue. "I know we haven’t been close in a long ti. But that doesn’t an I don’t..."
I stop as the words catch in my throat because saying them out loud makes it real.
"I still love you," I finish softly.
But sohow, saying it out loud makes my chest feel a little less tight.
Ti passes,I don’t know how much. Minutes?Maybe hours. I lose track as h jus sit there. Talking to him sotis, Staying quiet other tis. Just... being there and for a while, it feels like enough.
Until....There’s a soft knock on the door.
I turn slightly to see a nurse steps in, her expression gentle but apologetic.
"I’m sorry," she says softly. "Visiting hours are over."
My heart sinks a little. Already? I glance back at him. At the stillness and the rise and fall of his chest.
"...can I stay a little longer?" I ask quietly.
She hesitates then shakes her head gently.
"I’m sorry."
I nod slowly. Of course.
I stand up, my legs feeling a little heavier now, like I’m leaving sothing behind. I look down at him for a mont juust taking him in and trying to hold onto it, even if I don’t want to.
I lean down slowly, careful not to disturb anything, and press a soft kiss to his forehead. His skin is warm and faamiliar. Even now.
"I’ll co back," I whisper against his skin. "I promise."
My voice is steadier this ti bcause. I an it.
I straighten, my hand lingering on his for just a second longer before I finally let go.
I turn and walk out, closing the door quietly behind .
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