Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1595

For the most part, Elliot spent his time in Gerald's and Howard’s rooms, and at night, he would sleep with Evan and Bernard. But the good times didn’t last. One afternoon, about two weeks later, the scarred old man came bursting back into the compound, carrying Bernard in his arms. He stormed into the old lady’s cabin, his lips trembling violently. “Save him! Save him! Please, I’m begging you, save him!” The others heard the commotion and rushed over. One look at Bernard’s condition, and everyone’s expression changed in an instant. It was obvious. Bernard’s time had come. Evan, still unaware of what was happening, was trembling from head to toe, crying hysterically. “Elliot! Elliot! Great-grandpa was coughing up blood!” Elliot’s brow furrowed tightly. He held his brother, his own eyes welling with tears as he looked at the frail Bernard. “…” The old lady’s face was grim. “Get him on the bed, now!” The scarred man carefully placed Bernard on the bed, then stood to the side, panting nervously. Tracey checked Bernard’s pulse and quickly began the treatment. A few minutes later, Bernard coughed up several more mouthfuls of dark blood and slowly opened his eyes. The old lady quickly gave him two pills to swallow. Seeing Bernard close his eyes again, Evan rushed to the bedside, crying. “Great-grandma, what’s wrong with great-grandpa? We were in the mountains, and he just started spitting up this blood! So much of it… and then he passed out… I kept calling his name, but he wouldn’t wake up…” “I… I… I even threatened him! I told him if he didn’t wake up, I wouldn’t love him anymore, but he just ignored me…” The old lady looked at Evan’s pitiful state, her lips moving for a long time without a sound. How could she tell this little boy that the Bernard he loved so much was at death’s door? How could she say such cruel words? Though Evan wasn’t as sharp as Elliot, he sensed something was terribly wrong, but he refused to accept it. He was tugging on Tracey’s sleeve, his body racking with violent sobs as tears blurred his vision. “Great-grandma, please save Bernard, I’m begging you, I… I… I… I’m scared… Waaaaah…” The old lady’s heart broke. She pulled Evan into a hug, large tears rolling down her own cheeks. “My dear boy, your Bernard… he’s… he’s…” “Evan… don’t be scared… it’s okay…” Bernard’s eyes fluttered open again. He reached out and weakly tugged on Evan’s shirt, his voice barely a whisper. His time was clearly running out. Evan scrambled to the bedside and grabbed Bernard’s hand. “Great-grandpa! Great-grandpa…” Tears blurred his vision. The little boy tried to wipe them away, but they just kept coming, an unstoppable flood. Bernard raised a trembling hand and tried to wipe Evan’s tears, forcing a faint smile. “Evan, don’t cry… don’t cry…” Evan sobbed, his small body shaking as he made his own threat through hiccuping breaths. “If… if you get better, Bernard, I’ll stop crying. If you don’t… I’ll… I’ll cry forever and ever… waaaah…” “Evan… be good… listen to me.” “No, *you* be good, Bernard! You listen to me! Get… get better first…” Bernard’s lips trembled, a tear tracing a path from the corner of his eye down his temple. *Silly boy,* he thought. *I can’t get better…* The pain was so intense he couldn’t form another word. He just used his remaining strength to pull Evan into a hug. Evan collapsed onto his chest, a broken mess of tears. “Don’t scare me, Bernard, I’m begging you, please get better, okay? I can’t lose you… waaaah… I really can’t lose you… You love me the most, so don’t scare me like this, I’m so scared, waaaah…” The old lady, perhaps unable to watch this scene any longer, turned and left the room, her eyes red. As soon as she was gone, a final wave of despair washed over the others. If there was any chance of saving him, she wouldn’t have left. Even though they knew this day was coming, when the moment of farewell finally arrived, it was still unbearable. Their hearts ached so much they could barely breathe, and their tears flowed freely. The grief was a river that had burst its banks, drowning them all.