Dolores turned up the heat and refilled the bowl. Matthew then left with the tray.
Since the afternoon, Carol and Jessica had been busy preparing for the reunion meal at night. The
whole table was full of delicacies but no one was eating them now. Everyone seemed to lose their
appetite.
This time, when Matthew sent in a new serving of dumplings, Jayden only managed to eat two. He
said, “Ask… Kevin to come in.”
Matthew went out to summon Kevin.
Kevin’s eyes were reddened and there were moisture in them too. He sat on the edge of the bed and
said, “Whatever you want to tell me, I am all ears.”
Jayden began, “I have something to tell you… If I were gone, you must look after them more.”
Kevin knew who he was referring to. He assured Jayden, “Don’t worry. Your child is Victoria’s child, no?
His wife and children are naturally my relatives too. As long as I’m around, I will help you to look after
them.”
Jayden slowly nodded as if he was satisfied with what he heard.
“I think… I am almost on my way to see her.”
His voice was especially hollow and weak.
Kevin held his hand and for some reason he couldn’t stop shaking. He still had something to say, but all
he could manage was to let his tears flow.
Jayden curled his lips slightly and teased, “Why are you crying now?”
Kevin wiped his face and knew that his control over his emotion was deteriorating with his advancing
age too. He said, “I don’t want to cry, but I can’t stop myself.”
Jayden was at death’s door, and his mind had transcended everything, “Aren’t humans bound to face
this at some point or other?”
It was the natural law of life and death. It was something nobody could alter.
He heaved a few heavy breaths, and his eyes were muddy. However, his mind was strangely crystal
clear. He murmured, “Matthew…”
Kevin got his intention immediately and he went to summon Matthew.
Matthew approached Jayden’s bed and Jayden seemed to be in some limbo for a moment. He then
asked, “Am I looking very tired?”
He said this out of the blue.
Matthew said nothing as he silently gazed at Jayden’s bloodshot eyes.
From the time Kevin was in the family, Matthew never had a good relationship with Jayden. Eventually
he left home and was rarely back here. This father and son duo had missed a lot of time together.
In his growing days, there was a lot of resentment.
This was what hurt him deeply.
He had missed too many things, too much…
“I know, you have been lonely…” Suddenly, Jayden raised his hand as if to grasp something in the air.
Matthew bent down to grab the half-extended hand made sure his palm was against Jayden’s
Matthew’s voice was trembling, “You didn’t have much happy memories when you were growing up,
and it’s all my fault… I shouldn’t have concealed the truth from you and allowed you to miss so many
things, especially the warmth of a complete family.”
If he were to reveal that secretly honestly long ago, the three of them would have been a great family
with great relationship.
It was him who planted those regrets in Victoria’s and Matthew’s heart.
His regret was deeply-rooted.
He slowly let out a faint sigh, but that sigh alone contained all the sorrow in the world.
Matthew felt his airway getting constricted.
Jayden blinked and his hand wavered, “Ask Lola to see me. I need to talk to her.”
Matthew went to summon Dolores.
Upon seeing Dolores, a smile sprang to his face. He was really fond of his daughter-in-law, and he
wouldn’t worry much about her, “Lola, oh Lola, you need to watch over Matthew for me now.”
Dolores stood beside Matthew and nodded, “I will.”
“You are the obedient one, so I won’t worry… I feel sorry for him. He never knew what a family’s
warmth was before marrying you…”
A bead of tear immediately flowed from her eyes upon hearing that. She hastily raised her hand to wipe
it away as she eyed Matthew, “He’s my husband, and the father to my children. We are a family, and I
will always take care of him, and give him the family he needs.”
“Good, good…” Jayden sounded breathless as his breathing became intense. Dolores was gripped by
fear when she saw his condition, “Dad…”
She thought that she was composed enough, but every time she spoke, her voice would never fail to
crack.
Matthew wasn’t as emotional as Dolores, but his body was visibly trembling from time to time.
After two minutes, Jayden finally eased himself by letting out a breath, “I am fine…”
“Where is Amanda and Andrew? Why didn’t they come to see me?” If one were to ask about his
regrets, it would be his precious grandchildren.
They were lively, innocent and always surrounding him. Matthew as a child never did that to him, so he
was able to get some consolation from these grandchildren and see some shadow of his son from the
past.
He saw that Andrew looked practically identical to Matthew as a kid, and he would always had the
illusion that the young Matthew had finally come to his side now. It was to fill in the void of that lost
relationship.
Dolores called the children over and she lowered herself beside them. She reminded them, “Grandpa
wants to see you two, and whatever grandpa says later, you must listen and agree to it. Got it?”
Andrew naturally understood, and Amanda on the other hand was suddenly more mature, which was
out of character despite the heavy atmosphere looming over the house. She nodded like a good child.
Dolores stood up and led the two of them into the room. They walked to the bed and she made them
stand by the head of the bed.
Upon seeing the two kids, Jayden grinned ear to ear.
“Amanda.”
He reached out to touch Amanda’s face and said, “You look like your father.”
Andrew was leaning on the bed as he chipped in, “I resemble you too.”
Jayden smiled heartily.
Amanda also leaned on the bed and held her grandpa’s hand and pulled it to her face, “Grandpa, I look
like you too.”
Jayden said, “You are my granddaughter… of course you look like me.”
She responded by touching her grandpa’s face too. His face was lacking in flesh, and he had withered
into a fragile figure in the days he was sick.
“Focus on your studies, and listen to your dad and mum…”
“We will.” The two children answered simultaneously.
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