Becoming Strangers Again by Lily

LILY Finally, the weekend had arrived, and I was incredibly relieved and eager to head to New York to join Ryan. The thought of him grieving all alone had been weighing on me. I hated that he had to endure such a difficult tby himself.

Noah suddenly looked up from his sketchbook, which had absorbed his complete attention since the jet took off. His little brow was furrowed in concentration as he asked, "Are we going to see Grandma and Grandpa?" I sighed softly, prepared for the inevitable follow-up question. "You'll be seeing Grandma, but not Grandpa," I replied, trying to keep my voice calm.

His gaze shifted back to his drawing, brows knitted in thought as he continued to focus on fixing what seemed to be a mistake in his sketch. "What about Grandpa?" he asked, his tone casual but curious.

I paused, glancing over at Liam and Ethan. They had suddenly becattentive. Liam's face showed visible worry, and his eyes darted around nervously, clearly sensing that something had happened. "Grandpa..." I started, taking a deep breath as I sought the right words to convey the difficult truth. "Grandpa was called up to heaven. He received a call, and he went to answer it." Yes, I know it sounds ridiculous.

"Like Fryer?" Ethan asked, his voice small and uncertain.

Fryer was a dog we had gotten for Ethan on his last birthday, but tragically, he had died before reaching six months. We suspected he had been bitten by something during a hike, and we hadn't realized how serious it was until it was too late. I nodded. "Yes, like Fryer." Ethan's face fell, and his eyes began to water as he looked up at me. "So we won't be seeing Grandpa again?" he asked, his voice quivering.

I reached out and pulled him into my arms, holding him close to my chest. "You're going to see him one last time," I said softly, trying to offer scomfort, "but he won't be able to talk to you." Noah, who had been silently absorbing the news, dropped his drawing book and cinto my embrace as well. I could feel their grief, and I let them cry against my chest, hoping my presence would offer them scomfort.

Meanwhile, Liam had retreated to the window seat, his eyes fixed on the view outside. He plugged in his headset and covered his ears with music, perhaps trying to block out his emotions.

More often than not, Liam remindsof the adult version of Ryan. Sometimes I think I should have named him after Ryan; it seems fitting given how much he resembles him in behavior and demeanor.

************ We finally arrived at the William's manor. Sarah was home, but Ryan had left to take care of saffairs related to Richard.

Sarah greeted us warmly, her face lighting up with joy at the sight of the boys. Without delay, she whisked them away to her room, probably wanting to find comfort in their company while she dealt with her own grief. I decided to let them be; it seemed like a good way for Sarah to cope, and besides, I needed srest.

My fever hasn't fully subsided yet, and I still feel exhausted and restless. I know I should eat something to take with my medication, but I'm not particularly hungry right now. What I really need at this moment is a warm bath and a quick nap to recharge.

************** When I finally awoke, I was disoriented by the enveloping darkness outside. The once-open window had been drawn tight, and while the curtains blocked most of the view, there was a small gap through which I could see that the world outside had turned pitch black. I fumbled around on the mattress, reaching out in the darkness for my phone, which I had left besidebefore falling asleep. My hand found nothing but empty space.

At that very moment, the balcony door creaked open, and Ryan stepped into the room, holding my phone in his hand. I shifted my gaze from him to the phone,m. "What are you doing with my phone?" I asked, my voice still groggy from sleep.

Ryan looked atwith a hint of concern and a touch of apology in his eyes. "Your phone kept ringing incessantly," he said, his tone gentle. "I didn't want to disturb your rest, so I answered the call for you." I attempted to sit up, but a sharp throbbing in my head made the movement painful. The headache, which I had hoped would be alleviated by the rest, was still very much present. "Who kept calling?" I asked as I rubbed my temples in an effort to ease the pounding pain. "Dr. Amell," Ryan responded as he walked over to the bed. "Why did I have to hear from him that you're sick?" Stunned by his question, I shot him a glare. "Maybe if you had bothered to answer my calls or return them, you would have known," I retorted.

Ryan took a seat next toon the bed, his expression softening as he reached for my hand. He sighed deeply, clearly feeling guilty. "I sincerely apologize for not reaching out," he said earnestly. He lifted my hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on it. "Things have been really chaotic over here. I've been trying to familiarize myself with all of Dad's investments and accounts, and it's been a bit overwhelming." I could see the stress in his eyes, but it didn't entirely soothe my irritation. I reached up and cupped his cheek with my free hand. "I understand, that things are hectic," I said softly. "All Lasked was that you at least callback or drop a text. It wouldn't have taken much effort to letknow you were okay." He nodded, a look of resignation on his face. "I should have at least sent a text," he admitted, his shoulders slumping with defeat. "Whenever finished work, it was always really late. The few times I tried calling at that hour, you didn't answer, so I figured it was too late to call." I decided not to dwell on the past. "It's fine," I said gently. Leaning in, I pressed a kiss to his lips. "How are you holding up?" Ryan exhaled heavily and pulledinto a tight hug, burying his nose in the crook of my neck. "It feels so surreal to know he won't be here anymore," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

I rubbed my hand soothingly down his back, wishing I could somehow alleviate his pain. "I wish there was something more I could do to help," I murmured.

He sniffed, his voice muffled as he spoke. "Your presence is more than enough," he said, pressing a tender kiss to my neck pulse before pulling back slightly. "I'm just not sure how to break the news to the boys." "I already took care of that," I said, gently rubbing my finger across his brows. "Noah mentioned him on our way here, so I told the boys that he's no longer with us." Ryan smiled sadly. "Thank you," he said softly.

Just then, my phone chimed, drawing our attention. The text was from Dr. Amell, and Ryan's expression darkened as he noticed the sender's name.

"Last I heard, you weren't on good terms with Dr. Amell," he grumbled. "Why is he suddenly being so affectionate?" I reached for my phone and clicked on the message. The text read:

"DO NOT FORGET TO TAKE THE DRUGS, AND PLEASE, DR. WILLIAMS, DO NOT READ ANY NY MEANING INTO THIS, I AM ONLY SHOWING ΕΠ CONCERN BECAUSE YOU ARE MY PATIENT. DON'T EXPECTTO WAVE AT YOU ACROSS THE STREET IF I SHOULD RUN INTO YOU." I scoffed and looked up at Ryan. "He's just remindingto take my medication," I explained, brushing aside his question. I tossed the phone aside, feeling a bit of annoyance at the unnecessary concern.

"Okay..." Ryan stressed, a hint of confusion in his voice. "I thought that kind of behavior is usually something only friends do?" "Dr. Amell is anything but a friend," I clarified. "He's just like this because he feels responsible for me. He claims I'm his patient. He was the one who foundunconscious in my office." Ryan's eyes widened in shock. "You were unconscious?" I nodded, chuckling softly to downplay the seriousness of the situation. "I guess so." He licked his lips. "I guess I need to meet him and thank him for saving my wife." I noticed the possessiveness in his use of the word "wife," but I chose to let it go. In fact, I found his jealousy both amusing and attractive.

Just then, someone knocked on the door, interrupting the moment. Our gazes shifted to the door, and Ryan called out, inviting the person in.

The door opened, and one of the domestic staff walked in with a polite smile. "Dinner is served," she announced.

"We'll be out in a jiffy," Ryan replied, m giving her a nod. The young lady acknowledged him with a nod of her own before leaving the room. Ryan turned back to me, concern evident in his eyes. "Where is your medication?"

I gestured toward my handbag on the table. Ryan got up from the mattress and walked over to where my purse lay. He opened it, retrieved the E medication, and then extended his hand toward me. "Con, let's get you fed so I can take proper care of my wife, who I've been neglecting." Chuckling, I got up from the bed, placed my hand in his, and allowed him to guideout of the room.