After a long and exhausting week, Dylan was finally given the green light to leave the hospital. The news should have been a cause for celebration, yet a mix of emotions clouded the young boy’s face. His usual bright smile was absent, replaced by a small, reluctant pout.
"Hey, buddy, isn’t this great? You’re finally going ho," Greg said, crouching beside Dylan, trying to lift his spirits.
Dylan fidgeted with the hem of his hospital gown, his expression torn. "I am happy... but it also ans I have to leave Daddy here," he admitted softly with sadness.
Cammy knelt beside him, gently brushing his hair. "Sweetheart, your dad is a grown man. He’s strong, he can already walk, and he can take care of himself."
"I know," Dylan murmured, his eyes lowering. "But grown-ups get sad too, right? I saw on TV that sotis they cry when they’re alone... because they’re lonely."
Greg exchanged a glance with Cammy before giving Dylan a reassuring smile. "Hey, that’s what video calls are for. You can see your dad anyti you want. But if you really want to visit him soon, then you need to focus on getting stronger so you can walk again, okay?"
Dylan took a deep breath before finally nodding. "Okay," he whispered, determination flickering in his eyes.
"Yes, that’s absolutely right," Dylan’s doctor chid in, his voice gentle but firm. "Right now, your main focus should be on getting better, not worrying about the grown-ups. That ans eating healthy, drinking your milk every day, and following all the exercises we discussed. The stronger you get, the faster your bones will heal."
Dylan’s eyes sparkled with determination, his earlier sadness seemingly forgotten. "Yes, doctor! I’ll make sure to get better fast so I can take care of Daddy!" he declared, his small fists clenched in excitent.
The doctor chuckled and ruffled Dylan’s hair. "That’s the spirit! Keep that attitude up, and you’ll be running around in no ti. I’ll see you again in a week for your check-up. Be a good boy at ho, alright?"
Dylan nodded eagerly and waved at the doctor as he left the room. But as soon as the door shut, he turned to Cammy with a curious expression. "Mommy, which ho are we going to?"
Cammy hesitated for a second, exchanging a glance with Greg before crouching to Dylan’s level. "Well, sweetheart, your Uncle Greg and I talked, and we decided that, for now, it would be best for you to stay at his house while I’m at work. That way, you won’t get bored, and you’ll have plenty of fresh air in his beautiful garden. Plus, there will be people around to take care of you and make sure you’re safe."
Dylan’s face lit up instantly, all traces of uncertainty vanishing. "And I’ll have playmates too!" he squealed, practically bouncing in his wheelchair.
Greg grinned, crossing his arms. "Yes, kiddo, and that too. So you better get ready for so fun."
Dylan cheered, his excitent filling the room, making even Cammy and Greg exchange amused smiles. For the first ti in a long while, things felt a little lighter.
"Alright, I’ll just go and settle the bill and process Dylan’s release papers so we can finally head ho," Cammy announced, already turning toward the door.
But before she could take a step, Greg swiftly reached out, catching her wrist. "Cammy, wait," he said, hesitating for a mont as he scratched the back of his head. "I, uh... I’ve actually already taken care of everything. The bill’s paid, and the nurse will be here soon with the final release papers once they’re processed."
Cammy blinked, montarily stunned. "Greg, why would you do that? I have enough money to cover it. Besides, the school’s insurance will take care of the doctor’s fees—I just need to submit the docunts."
Greg exhaled, shaking his head with a small smile. "I know, but we booked a VIP room for Dylan, and a lot of the extra charges won’t be covered by insurance. It would take forever to figure out what’s included and what’s not. So, instead of dealing with that headache, I just covered it all." He chuckled awkwardly as if anticipating her resistance.
"But—"
Greg didn’t give her the chance to argue. He raised a hand, effectively silencing her. "Rember our deal? Any financial matters are my responsibility, not yours. So don’t waste your breath trying to fight on this. Just focus on getting Dylan ready, and I’ll go check on the release paperwork."
Cammy sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing. "Fine. I’ll let the caregiver handle the packing. In the anti, I’ll take Dylan to see his father before we leave. He should say goodbye."
Greg’s expression remained neutral, but his eyes darkened slightly at the ntion of Duncan. He leaned in just enough to whisper, his voice covered with dry amusent. "I have no objections to that. I’m fairly confident you can enter and exit Duncan’s room safely while he’s still nursing his so-called ’accident.’" He pulled back with a smirk.
Then, after making sure Dylan was montarily distracted—he placed a soft, fleeting kiss on Cammy’s forehead.
Before she could react, he stepped back with an easy grin and started toward the door. "I’ll be back soon," he called over his shoulder, leaving Cammy montarily stunned in place, her heart hamring in her chest.
Cammy knelt beside Dylan, brushing a gentle hand over his shoulder. "Shall we go say goodbye to your dad?" she asked softly.
Dylan’s face lit up with excitent. "Yes! I have a surprise for him!" he announced proudly. "I made an AI-generated picture of him... and the twins are his angels. They protected him from the car accident." His voice carried a mixture of innocence and deep understanding beyond his years.
Cammy’s heart clenched at his words. "Oh, sweetheart, that sounds beautiful. Can I see it?"
Dylan eagerly handed her the tablet. As her eyes scanned the image, a tender smile ford on her lips. It was breathtaking. The picture Dylan had created radiated love, capturing the unwavering devotion of children to their parents—even those who had long since departed. It was almost poetic, a child’s pure belief that love could transcend even death.
She returned the tablet to Dylan with a warm nod. "This is absolutely beautiful, sweetheart. I know your dad is going to love it. Let’s go surprise him."
But little did she know, it wasn’t Duncan who would be surprised.
It was her.
The mont they stepped into Duncan’s hospital room, Dylan rushed forward the wheels of his wheelchair. "Daddy! Look what I—" He suddenly paused, his eyes landing on the unexpected guest. "Oh... you have a visitor."
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