Chapter<b>381</b>
“Iunderstand…Ireallydo.HowcouldIpossiblymeyou?”
Ipouredassofwarmwater,carefullyslidastrawintoit,andofferedittoCheryl,“Here,havesomewater.”
AsdusksettledandCheryldriftedintosleep,BryantandIfinallymadeourwayout.Wennedtoheadhomeforaquickshowerbeforingbacktokeepvigil.Thedoctorhadwarnedus…Cherylcouldpassawayatanymoment.
Ontheway,IcheckedCheryl’smedicalbillsatthehospital.Bryanthadtransferredaheftysum,runningintomillions.Itwasallspentontryingvariousnewdrugsandtreatmentoptionsdevelopedabroad,includingtwosurgeriesperformedbytopinternationalspecialists.Notjustexpensive,butitrequiredconnectionstoo.Withoutthese,Cherylprobablywouldn’thavemadeittoChristmas.Yet,Bryantnever mentionedanyofthistome.
Sittinginthebackseat,Iturnedtolookathim,“Bryant,thankyou foreverythingyou’vedoneforCheryl.Aboutthemoney…I’lltransferittoyounow.”
Theproceeds fromthesaleofthehousehad beendeposited,enough tocovertheexpenses.
Hiseyesfixed<i>on</i>me,“Wedon’tneedtosettleountsbetweenuslikethis.”
“Butweshould.”
Afterall,weweredivorced.Ihadnorighttokeepspendinghis money.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.
Bryantsighed,“Areyoujusttryingtoputmoredistancebetweenusnow?”“Yes.”
Iwasabouttoopenmybankingappwhenmyphonerang.ItwasGregory’scall.
BryantncedatthecallerID,atouchofangerinhiseyes,“He’scallingalready,justafteranafternoonapart?”
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“Bryant,I’mgratefulforwhatyou’vedoneforCheryl,butthatdoesn’tgive<i>you</i>therighttointerfereinmypersonallife!”
Ispokefirmly,“Don’tmakemeremindyouagain,we’redivorced.”
Hesnatchedthephoneaway,endedthecall,andleanedover,pinningmeagainsttheleatherseat,hisvoicecold,“If you insistonbringingupthedivorce,thenIwon’thesitatetotellyou…”
Another urgentring interruptedhim.Thistime,itwasthehospital.Hedidn’tstopmethistime.MyheartsankasIanswered,onlytohear,“Mrs.Ferguson,Ms.Webster…haspassedaway.”
Mymindwentnk.Despitebeingmentallyprepared,itfelt toosudden.Likebeinghitsquarelybyapunch.Iwasstunned,strugglingtoprocessthenews.Evenafterunraveling thetruthaboutourrtionship,discoveringCherndIhadnobloodrtion,andlearningwhomyrealfamilywas,Icouldn’teasilyshiftmyfeelings.Inmyheart,Cherylremainedmyonlyfamily.
Bryanttookthephonefrommyhand,respondedtothenurse,andtheninstructedthedriver,“Turnbacktothe hospital.”
WithBryantand Christine’shelp,wemanagedtotakecareofallthearrangementsforCheryl.ThsttimeIwasatthefuneralhomewasforGrandpa.Thistime,itwasforCheryl.Injustsixmonths,itfeltlikeIwasconstantly losing.Losingoverandoveragain.
Thankfully,there wasenoughtokeepmebusy.Janedreamhadjustrestartedaftertheholidays,andweweremmedwithwork.WorriedaboutdistractingGregory,Ihadn’ttoldhimaboutCheryl’spassing,focusinginsteadonwrappingthingsupsoIcouldreturn toVistaTown.
Aspringcollectiounchedrightbeforetheholidayssoldoutimmediatelyafterapoprinfluencerworeitonarealityshow,boostingsalesacrossthe
board.Janedreamwasonaroll.
ThenightbeforemyreturntoVistaTown,Iwaspackingwhensomeoneknockedonthedoor.Openingittoseeamaninaloosehoodieandcasualpants,IinstinctivelythoughtitwasGregory,“Howdidyou…”
ButthenIlookedup,meetingBryant’ssharplydefinedfeatures.Iclutchedthe
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doorknobtighter,amixofemotionsswirlingwithin,“Bryant,youdidn’t have todothis.”