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He looks at me, confused. "For what?" he asks.
"For everything," I want to say more, about not being there for my dad, about being too wrapped up in my own life. Instead, I murmur, "For dragging you into all of this."
Aidan frowns, his gaze intensifying. "You didn't drag me into anything. I'm here because I love you," he says softly, pulling me closer and rubbing soothing circles on my back. "It's okay. We'll figure it out together."
Tears continue to fall as I manage to say, "You're a good man, Aidan. I don’t know what I did to deserve you."
Aidan laughs, a comforting sound. "You didn't do anything. I'm the lucky one," he says, kissing the top of my head.
I want to argue that I'm the lucky one.
That I'm not enough for him or his family, much less my own.
But I stay silent, letting his embrace offer the comfort I need.
Until we land in Seattle, facing reality with all its problems and struggles, ready to greet us.
Landing in Seattle feels like stepping onto a stage where the lights are too bright and the audience too real. Jessie, with the efficiency of a five-star general, whisks Grace off to the safety of Aidan's fortress-like home, complete with a marathon of Disney movies and the finest chicken nuggets around.
Meanwhile, Aidan and I, armed with nothing but a flicker of hope, head to Seattle General Hospital. Navigating its maze-like corridors is an epic quest in itself, one that involves cracking the code of cryptic hospital signs rather than battling mythical beasts.
Upon reaching the hallway outside my dad's room, we're greeted by familiar faces. My heart leaps. Talia and Ayo are there, looking like they've just walked off an Urban Outfitters shoot.
Talia, never without her warm smile, and Ayo, wearing a neon pink bucket hat that complements her mahogany skin and a fake nose ring as her version of 'subtle.'
Seeing them sparks a genuine, hearty laugh from me – the kind that's been scarce today. "Did you two just bail on a fashion week runway or something?" I joke, embracing them one by one.
"You know us," Talia grins. "Always looking fabulous, even in the most unexpected places."
Ayo theatrically flips a nonexistent strand of hair. "Fashion never takes a sick day."
The laughter that follows eases some of the weight on my shoulders. Their presence is a lifeline, a slice of normalcy in the chaos.
Talia steps closer. "We couldn't let you go through this alone. Plus, we figured your dad could use a break from hospital food."
"He'll welcome anything that's not hospital food," I say, grinning as the smell of homemade lasagna sneaks out from under her coat.
"We've also brought snacks," adds Ayo, eyebrows raised.
"By 'snacks,' she means an entire picnic," Talia clarifies, and I can't help but shake my head.
"I don't need anything but you two," I say, emotions thick in my throat. "Thanks for being here."
"Thanks for letting us know," Ayo responds, her gaze warm with understanding.
"So, how is he?" I ask, taking a deep breath.
"He's hanging in there,” Talia says gently. “Apparently as stubborn as his daughter, refusing to stay in bed for more than five minutes at a time."
I laugh, comforted by the news. "Sounds just like him."
"Your mom's in there with him now," Ayo adds. "She's a force to be reckoned with, that one."
I nod, fully agreeing.
My mom is the strongest person I know—fiercely protective of her family yet sometimes overbearing. I can only imagine how she's driving my dad nuts with her constant check-ins and demands for updates.
Behind me, Aidan's hand rests on my lower back, a silent pillar of support. Talia and Ayo's eyes widen as they notice, a sly grin spreading across Talia's face when I turn and touch Aidan's broad chest.
