chapter2091

Brycen straightened, vitality radiating from him. "Your mother and I feel better by the hour. After we go home for the holidays, I doubt we'll need to set foot in this ward again."

Denise watched the way Brycen and Calliope tried to smile, their skin stretched thin and colorless beneath the fluorescent glow. She could see through the brave fronts, knew every upbeat word was a lie they told for her sake.

Even so, in this fragile pocket of warmth, she refused to call them out. Some illusions, she decided, were worth protecting.

"Mm," Denise murmured, letting the single note linger like a promise. "That's wonderful."

Brycen opened his mouth, meaning to ask the young man who exactly he was and how he had appeared in his daughter's life, but the question remained suspended in the antiseptic air.

"Let's head back to the place I rented first. The ward is far too small, and there isn't a proper corner to rest. Once we're settled, I'll make dinner, and you can take your time talking with Magnus."

"All right, all right. Of course," Brycen said, relief loosening his shoulders.

Both parents nodded again and again, like children granted unexpected freedom. The rightful source is find?novel.net

In truth, they were desperate to escape these corridors. Every beeping monitor reminded them of frailty.

Yet, their conditions were grave. Staying away from medical supervision for too long could cost them their lives, a fact Denise carried inside her like a stone.

Whenever time allowed, she would wheel them through nearby streets, letting sunlight and shopfront chatter soothe them for a precious hour before returning to the machines.

Outside, Magnus had already anticipated their needs and flagged down a roomy van, its doors sliding open with a hush.

"Magnus, what's with the upgrade?" Denise whispered as her parents climbed inside. "I called for a simple taxi."

"The cab would've been a squeeze," Magnus answered. "Four of us shoulder-to- shoulder isn't comfortable, so I swapped it for something larger."

"Thank you, really," Denise said, the words hushed yet sincere.

"I told you, we're friends. No need for ceremony," Magnus replied, a quick grin softening the reprimand.

Denise gave a firm nod, gratitude swelling until it pricked her chest.

The ride ended at a quaint guesthouse tucked among whispering pines. Its stone path, flowering shrubs, and warm lights immediately eased the tension in Brycen and Calliope's eyes.

"This place is lovely," Calliope breathed, turning slowly as if afraid the view might vanish.

Denise had chosen it for precisely that reason, to show them she was safe, comfortable, thriving.

"Dad, Mom, when your health is back on track, we'll all live here together," she promised.

"Oh, sweetheart," Brycen said,

waving both hands. "This is your and Magnus' nest. Once we're well, your mother and I will head home, raise a couple of pigs and some chickens, and plant vegetables. By the time. you come back for the New Year, everything will be ready for your table."

Moisture blurred Denise's vision. She blinked hard. Her parents had spent their entire lives working uncomplainingly, their dreams no bigger than fresh food and quiet soil.

Their illnesses had not been so severe in the first place. However, because of their frugality, they refused to seek medical treatment earlier, resulting in the delay that worsened their condition.

Now, specialized drugs and relentless chemotherapy were the ropes keeping them tied to this world.

Denise lamented inwardly. If only I had the ability to earn more money, Mom and Dad wouldn't have ended up in this state just for the sake of saving money.

“All right,” she managed, her voice thick, turning away so they wouldn't see the sorrow tugging at her mouth.

Sensing the heaviness settle over the room, Magnus clapped his hands softly, shattering the stillness before it hardened.

"Mr. and Mrs Laney, Denise and I enjoy a bit of bustle. When you've recovered, if you crave the

countryside, we'll happily join younet

there. If you'd rather return to this spot well unpack our bags and make it home for a season. Whatever you choose, we'll be at your side."

Calliope's eyes widened, astonishment mingling with a hopeful glimmer she had not worn in months.

In a world that worshiped independence and solitude, sharing an address with one's parents, let alone the in-laws, had become a rarity, almost an antique custom people whispered about but seldom practiced.

"Magnus, you're such a considerate boy," Calliope said, eyes bright with approval "When Denise marries you, remember she's meant to follow you and that means living with you and your parents, too."

Calliope still carried the old-world conviction that a daughter, once wed, belonged

to her husband's household and rhythms.

He hurried to reassure her. “Mrs. Laney, my parents passed away some years ago. If you and Mr. Laney are willing to accept me, then from today on you'll be my true mother and father."

Magnus had an uncanny gift for speaking to elders. Every word seemed calibrated to ease their hearts.