"Hello, my princess." Gregory's voice trembled with joy as he waved at his daughter through the screen, his eyes shimring with unshed tears.
"Hi, Daddy!" Alia's face lit up like a sunrise, her cheeks flushed a soft, rosy pink. "Oh, I've missed you so much!"
"Not as much as I've missed you, my angel," he replied, his smile tender. "You look radiant."
"So do you. I wish I could just teleport over and wrap you in one of my super squishy hugs."
Gregory chuckled, blinking back tears as he drank in her vibrant smile — a smile that filled the room like sunshine.
Blaze stood silently by, letting the mont breathe as father and daughter exchanged their affections. But when Alia asked after her grandmother, Blaze stepped forward, gently taking the phone for Gregory.
"About that, sweetheart..." Blaze said softly, his tone shifting as he inhaled deeply. "...there's sothing I need to tell you."
Alia's smile wavered, her brow creasing. "Is sothing wrong?"
Blaze nodded slowly. "Yes… but I don't want you to panic. If it were up to , I wouldn't have told you yet, but... you deserve to know."
Alia's eyes narrowed, her voice low. "This is about my grandmother, isn't it?"
Blaze hesitated slightly before nodding.
"She's… she's not dead, is she?" The panic in Alia's voice was unmistakable.
"No, baby. She's alive." Blaze rushed to reassure her. "But… please take a deep breath for ."
Clutching her chest, Alia inhaled slowly. "Okay... done."
"Good. How do you feel?"
"A little better. Now please talk to ."
"Is my mum around?" Blaze asked gently, noting the background — the familiar white curtains of their bedroom.
"No. She went to the neighboring island for blueberries. But I'm not alone. Dr. Vanessa and the staff are here. So, you can talk to ."
"Alright then..." He nodded. "But promise you'll stay calm."
"I promise."
Blaze took one last breath, watching her carefully before opening nup to her.
"Your grandmother is very ill. The doctors believe she only has a few days or even hours left."
Alia's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God…" Her eyes shimred, on the verge of tears.
"Rember your promise, my love," Blaze said softly. Catch the formatted version at M|V|LEM_PYR.
Alia nodded, blinking rapidly. Her voice cracked. "Can I speak to my father?"
Blaze turned the cara. Gregory's face filled the screen again.
"Dad… please… can I talk to Nana?" Alia's voice was shaky but firm.
A warm, sorrowful smile crossed Gregory's face. "It's as though your heart heard hers. She's been asking to see you too."
"Really?" Alia wiped a tear away quickly, not wanting to seem fragile.
"Yes." Gregory chuckled, though grief sat heavily in his chest. "Give a minute while I get to her." He handed the phone back to Blaze and stepped away.
Monts later, the scene changed. Nana Shawls, fragile and sunken, sat upright in her hospital bed. Her body had withered, but the spark in her eyes still flickered faintly. Blaze held the phone at her side. Gregory was beside her, gently stroking her hand.
Alia's face glowed on the screen, her expression caught between joy and heartbreak.
"Alia…?" Nana Shawls squinted, trying to bring the image into focus. "Is that really you?"
"Yes, Nana. It's ." Alia smiled through her tears, blowing kisses. "I'm here."
"Here, Mom. This will help." Gregory gently slipped her glasses on.
Nana blinked. "Ah, there you are… So beautiful and radiant just like Fiona when she carried you."
The ntion of her mother's na nearly undid Alia. She bit down on her lower lip to stifle a sob as sweet mory of her mother flashed across her mind.
"Thank you, Nana. I... I wish I'd known you were this ill. I would've found a way to reach out sooner."
"Hush, my child. You're here now. That's all that matters." Her voice was weak but full of love. "All I prayed for was one last look at your face."
"Don't say that, Nana," Alia pleaded, her voice breaking. "You're not going anywhere. You still have decades left in you."
Nana let out a fragile laugh. "Decades? Sweetheart, these bones barely have days."
"You're strong," Alia whispered fiercely. "You've always been strong. You can fight this."
Nana's lips quivered, her eyes glistening. "How did I get so blessed with a soul like you? And yet… I failed you. I failed your mother."
"Please, Nana, don't—"
"Let finish," Nana said, raising a trembling hand. "Before I no longer can."
Alia fell silent, tears slipping freely now.
"I was cruel, cold and prideful. I drove your mother away when I should have embraced her. I spoke words that can never be unsaid. And I let hate win when love was what I owed you both."
Gregory wept beside his mother, his head bowed.
Blaze blinked away his own tears, moved by the rawness of her regret.
"Every night I lie here and I see it all — the things I did, the things I didn't. I would trade anything to undo them. I would give my breath to bring Fiona back to you."
She paused, gasping lightly.
"I know you've forgiven once… but I needed to say it. I'm sorry, Alia. From the deepest part of . You are my greatest blessing. I am so proud of you. And I pray your child never causes you the sorrow I caused my own."
"Nana… please…" Alia's voice cracked. "Don't say goodbye."
Nana smiled, her tears gliding down her cheeks like rain on stone.
"It's not goodbye, my child. It's just goodnight. And when morning cos… if you don't see , look to the sun. I'll be there, warming you always."
Alia sobbed softly. "I forgive you, Nana. I love you, so, so much."
"Thank you, my angel…" Nana whispered, her soul finally exhaling its burden. She gave Gregory a gentle nod and he helped her lie back down, his hand never leaving hers.
Blaze left the room to be with his wife, whose heart was breaking across miles.
When he returned minutes later, Nana Shawls had passed — a soft smile etched on her face, as though she had finally found peace.
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