home

search

Chapter 14: First Impressions

  Lily was anxious for her mum, for her dad, but mostly for James. Her fingers were locked tightly with his as they stepped through the hospital’s main entrance, the scent of disinfectant and sterile air washing over them like a warning.

  This wasn’t how she’d imagined introducing him to her family. Not like this. Not in a place where every beep and murmur carried the weight of uncertainty. But time was running out, and Lily needed her mum to meet him—needed her to see the boy who made her smile, the boy who helped her breathe a little easier when the world felt like it was closing in.

  After speaking with the doctor that morning, Lily had tried calling her dad first. No answer. Again. She wasn’t surprised, but it still stung.

  So she’d rung Kai.

  Her younger brother had picked up on the second ring—and exploded. She hadn’t even gotten three words out before he tore into their dad, fury dripping from every syllable. She’d barely recognized his voice, so sharp and bitter compared to the usually laid-back tone he carried like a badge.

  Lily hadn’t argued. There was no point. But once the call ended, she sat in silence for a long moment, phone still in her hand, letting his anger settle over her like a scratchy blanket.

  She realized then that she wasn’t as mad as Kai. Not really. Maybe she should’ve been—but her mind was elsewhere. The weight in her chest wasn’t rage.

  It was fear.

  Would Mum even be awake? Would she be strong enough to speak? Would she smile? Would she like James?

  James squeezed her hand gently as they paused at the front desk.

  “You okay?” he asked softly, searching her eyes.

  She nodded, though her throat was tight. “Just… be yourself.”

  He smiled. “That I can do.”

  Lily wanted so badly for this to go right. Even in the middle of all the chaos and grief, she needed this one moment of connection. Her mum had always been so warm, so open-hearted. She deserved to meet James. Deserved to see the part of Lily’s life that had brought her joy.

  “Room 213,” the nurse said with a small, understanding smile after checking the visitor log. “She’s resting, but she should be awake.”

  Lily gave a quiet thank you, then took a breath and started down the hallway with James at her side. Each step felt heavier than the last. The closer they got, the more her thoughts spiraled.

  She wasn’t ready for goodbye. She wasn’t ready for this to be the last memory.

  But she was ready for her mum to meet the boy who mattered.

  The door to Room 213 was slightly ajar, the soft beeping of monitors seeping out into the hallway like a metronome counting down something Lily didn’t want to name.

  She hesitated just outside, pressing her palm flat to the doorframe. James waited quietly beside her, his presence a steady anchor in the rising tide of her nerves.

  Inside, the room was dim, lit only by the pale afternoon sunlight filtering through partially drawn blinds. Her mother lay propped up against a stack of pillows, her skin pale and drawn, the once-vibrant lines of her face now softened by exhaustion. An oxygen tube curved gently beneath her nose, and the quiet hiss of it filled the spaces between the monitor beeps.

  But her eyes opened as the door creaked.

  They found Lily first. And for a second, all the tiredness seemed to slip away, replaced by warmth. A smile tugged weakly at the corners of her lips.

  “Hey, love,” Bell said, her voice hoarse but full of affection.

  Lily blinked rapidly, swallowing hard as she crossed the room. “Hey, Mum.”

  Bell reached out, her hand trembling slightly, and Lily took it with both of hers. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. They just held on.

  Then Bell’s gaze drifted past her daughter, to the tall, quiet figure standing just behind.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “And who’s this?” she asked, her voice lifting just a little. Playful, even now.

  Lily sniffed, wiped her eyes quickly, and turned. “Mum… this is James. My boyfriend.”

  James stepped forward, offering a respectful smile. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Rider.”

  Bell gave a tired chuckle. “None of that ‘Mrs. Rider’ nonsense. Bell is fine.”

  He smiled again. “Okay. Bell.”

  There was a brief silence, soft and charged.

  Bell looked between them, eyes sparkling despite the dark circles beneath them. “He’s handsome. I approve.”

  “Mum,” Lily groaned, a blush creeping up her neck.

  James chuckled. “Thank you. I… I’ve heard so much about you. It’s an honour to meet you.”

  Bell nodded, eyes drifting briefly to the IV bag, then back to him. “It’s good to meet you too, James. Thank you for being here. For being with her.”

  James looked down, a little overwhelmed. “It’s the least I could do.”

  Bell gave Lily’s hand a small squeeze. “He seems like a good one, love. You picked well.”

  Lily leaned in and kissed her mum’s forehead, trying to keep her voice from breaking. “I know.”

  Bell’s eyelids fluttered for a second, and Lily felt the fatigue roll back in like a tide. Her mother was struggling to stay awake.

  “I just… I wanted you to meet him,” Lily whispered.

  “I’m glad I did,” Bell murmured, her eyes still on James. “Look after her, won’t you?”

  James nodded solemnly. “Always.”

  There was something final in the way Bell’s eyes closed after that. Not in a terrifying way—just… peace. Rest.

  Lily sat in the chair by her bedside, not letting go of her hand.

  James stood quietly beside them, his fingers resting gently on Lily’s shoulder.

  The room fell silent but for the beeping monitors and the soft rhythm of her breathing. A moment suspended in the quiet, somewhere between heartache and grace.

  Zane looked up just in time to see his daughter stepping into Bell’s hospital room, a boy close behind her. His eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the unfamiliar face—young, tall, trying not to look nervous but failing. With a small frown creasing his brow, Zane instinctively took a step forward, his protective instincts kicking in before he could even think about it.

  But before he could move another step, a firm hand landed on his shoulder. Tarni.

  Zane turned his head, ready to shake him off or demand to be let go, but before he could speak, Tarni beat him to it. His voice was calm, steady, the kind of voice Zane was used to hearing when things were about to go sideways and Tarni was trying to keep everyone grounded.

  “Let her have some time with her mum,” Tarni said quietly. “Trust me—it’s important to both of them.”

  Zane glanced back toward the room. Lily had stopped at Bell’s bedside, brushing a strand of her mum’s hair back behind her ear. The boy stood awkwardly just inside the doorway, holding back, his hands fidgeting at his sides.

  Tarni tilted his head toward the hallway and spotted Kai, who had just started making his way back toward their mother’s room after stepping out for air.

  “You too, Kai,” Tarni called gently. “Give them a minute. Let them talk.”

  Kai hesitated, his jaw working as if he wanted to argue, but he caught the look in Tarni’s eyes. With a sigh, he nodded.

  “Yeah, okay, Uncle Tarn,” he mumbled, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets and leaning back against the wall.

  Zane let out a breath and stepped back beside Tarni, folding his arms tightly. He hated feeling sidelined, but something in Tarni’s voice—something steady and certain—kept him grounded.

  In the room, Lily had taken her mum’s hand in hers and was talking quietly, the boy standing just behind her with a tense sort of reverence. Bell turned her head to look at him, her expression curious but kind. Even through the haze of exhaustion and pain, a soft smile touched her lips.

  Zane watched from the hallway, he could hear it all “And who’s this?” Bell asked, her voice lifting just a little. Playful, even now. Something tight pulling at his chest. Tarni still hadn’t taken his hand off his shoulder, and Zane was glad for it. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to keep himself together otherwise.

  Bell gave Lily’s hand a small squeeze. “He seems like a good one, love. You picked well.”

  Lily leaned in and kissed her mum’s forehead, trying to keep her voice from breaking. “I know.”

  After leaving her mum’s hospital room, Lily took a steadying breath. She spotted her dad, Kai, and Uncle Tarni waiting just down the hall. Her heart beat a little faster.

  She reached out and took James’s hand.

  “C’mon,” she murmured, giving it a gentle squeeze.

  As they started walking toward the group, she noticed something that made her blink in surprise—Kai, her “little” brother by just a year, now stood taller than James. Broader too. At some point during all the chaos, Kai had grown into someone solid, strong. And next to him, James looked… well, not small, but less.

  Zane watched them approach with a tight expression. His eyes did a full, unmistakable once-over of the young man walking beside his daughter.

  Curly brown hair, neatly trimmed. Light blue eyes. Just a little taller than Lily, but still shorter than Kai. He was wearing a light blue suit that leaned toward grey. Not flashy, but not casual either.

  Who wears suits these days? Zane thought, barely resisting the urge to scowl. What is this, a job interview?

  As the pair reached them, Lily straightened her shoulders. She could feel James tense slightly beside her, but she didn’t let go of his hand.

  “Dad, Kai, Uncle Tarn,” she said with as much confidence as she could muster, “this is my boyfriend, James.”

  There was a short pause before the greetings started.

  “Nice to meet you,” James said quickly, extending his hand.

  Zane shook it—firm grip, unreadable face. Kai gave him a nod and a handshake too, though his expression was more curious than cold. Tarni smiled, his grip easy but steady.

  “Good to meet ya, James,” Tarni said, always the friendly one. “You held up alright in there.”

  “Thank you, sir,” James replied politely.

  “Sir?” Tarni chuckled. “I feel old already.”

  Lily let out a small, nervous laugh, and for a moment, things settled into something that almost resembled normal. At least on the surface.

  But Zane’s eyes lingered just a second longer on James, watching him closely, measuring something unspoken.

  He didn’t say anything—yet.

Recommended Popular Novels