EVERYTHING that ca after felt like a blur to Luo Yan. Ti moved strange, like it was going too slow and too fast all at once. One mont he was alone in his grandfather's room. The next, Luo Ren was there beside him. His brother said sothing, probably asked what happened, but Luo Yan couldn't say for sure. He couldn't rember what he said back, if he said anything at all. All he knew was the feeling in his chest. Heavy and tight, like his heart was being squeezed. And his stomach, twisted up in knots he couldn't loosen.
Then the others started appearing. Uncle Chen ca through the door first. He walked to the bed and looked down at his father with a pale face. A sound ca from him then, low and broken, like sothing had been torn loose inside. It was the kind of howl that ca from deep down, the kind that couldn't be held back no matter how hard you tried.
Aunt Xiulan followed close behind. She pressed both hands to her mouth, but it didn't stop the tears from streaming down her face. Her shoulders shook with silent cries, her whole body trembling.
Luo Wei Tian followed her inside. He stopped near the door, his gaze fixed on the bed, jaw tight. He didn't move closer. Luo Jin appeared in the doorway, remaining beside his father. He stared at the bed, his hands hanging at his sides, fists clenching and unclenching. He looked lost, appearing very much his age.
Bai Ze walked past them and went to his father. He stood beside Uncle Chen, his eyes red and wet, tears tracking down his face. He didn't wipe them away. Just stood there, crying without making a sound.
Luo Yan watched them enter, watched each one react, watched them fall apart in their own way. All the while, that heavy, tight feeling twisted in his chest, refusing to let go.
After that, things blurred. He knew an ambulance arrived and rembered uniford n moving through the room. He saw his grandfather being taken away on a stretcher, with Uncle Chen, Aunt Xiulan, and his father following. Then the ambulance was gone, its sirens fading into the distance.
The next thing he knew, he was in the living room. Luo Ren stood beside him, hand on his shoulder. Luo Jin sat on the couch, head down, staring at nothing. Bai Ze leaned against the wall near the window, his face blank. None of them spoke. The room was quiet. Too quiet.
A small voice from the stairs broke the silence.
"Brother?"
Bai Ye stood at the bottom of the staircase, still in his pajamas, rubbing one eye with his fist. He looked around the living room slowly, taking in the slumped shoulders, the red eyes, the way no one would look at each other.
"What's wrong?" he asked. His voice was hesitant now, smaller than before. Like he already knew sothing was off, even if he didn't understand what.
He walked toward Bai Ze, little feet padding across the floor. When he reached his brother, he tugged on his sleeve.
Bai Ze looked down at him. His eyes were still red and puffy from crying. He opened his mouth, then closed it, but no words ca. He just stood there, staring at his little brother, unsure what to say.
As the oldest one there, Luo Ren knew he should be the one to tell Bai Ye what happened. He took a breath and crouched down in front of him.
"Xiao Ye," he called gently. "Co here."
Bai Ye looked at him for a mont. Then he walked over. Luo Ren reached out and gently placed his hands on the boy's small shoulders, holding him in place.
"Grandpa loved you very much," Luo Ren said softly. "You know that, right?"
Bai Ye nodded. "I know."
"And he ant it, Xiao Ye," Luo Ren continued. He spoke calmly, keeping his voice warm. "Every ti."
He paused. Bai Ye waited, standing still under his hands. The boy was quiet in a way kids sotis got when they knew sothing serious was about to be said.
"Grandpa went sowhere today," Luo Ren said quietly. "Sowhere we can't follow. But he's with Grandma now. And with my Mom, your Aunt ihua. They're all together now."
Bai Ye went still. For a long mont, he didn't move at all. Then he lifted his head just enough to look up at Luo Ren's face. His brow was furrowed. His eyes moved over Luo Ren's expression, searching for sothing.
"So he's not coming back?" he asked carefully.
Luo Ren shook his head slowly. "No, Xiao Ye. He's not coming back."
Bai Ye was quiet for a mont. Then his lower lip trembled. "But he'll still watch us, right? Like how Grandma watches us?"
Luo Ren's throat tightened. He nodded and pulled the boy close for a hug. "Yeah. He'll watch us. All of them will."
Luo Yan had been silent through all of it, just watching and listening. Then Bai Ye cried, soft little sounds that cut through the quiet of the room, and sothing in Luo Yan broke. Tears spilled from his eyes before he could stop them and ran down his face.
Then, arms wrapped around him from the side. Luo Jin had moved so silently that Luo Yan hadn't noticed. His younger brother held him tightly, arms locked around his shoulders, and pressed his face against Luo Yan's neck. Luo Yan felt the wet warmth of tears soaking into his skin. Luo Jin's whole body trembled. He was trying to stifle it, but the trembling gave him away.
And Luo Yan understood. He knew his brother must have co to him at first to comfort him, but he was falling apart too. He needed soone just as much. So Luo Yan lifted his own arms and wrapped them around Luo Jin, holding him just as tightly. They stayed like that, holding each other up, both crying and neither one letting go.
User Comments
0 comments from readers