Kill it.
Smoke fills my lungs, again softening everything…
"Now I have to push forward," I sum it up, turning my gaze away.
"What is that?" Father suddenly asks, his eyes locked on the vape. His arm is around Dad, who is pale as a sheet, his lips chalk white, his eyes unfocused.
"A calming agent. Not addictive."
"So they got their revenge… those bastards… those leeches, after all these years…" Dad mumbles, his voice drifting, his gaze empty, insane.
Father pulls him closer, kissing his temple.
"Lake, love, they’re gone… please calm down. Your heart, I can feel it… please… you’re straining it…"
But Dad slides over his arms, losing consciousness, his head hanging to the side.
Tears stream down Father’s face.
"Forgive us, Bay… as parents we failed you… we horribly failed you…" he breathes out, as he lifts Dad in his arms, hugging him tightly.
"Son, forgive me this too, but I have to… I have to save him. His heart might not survive this, he’s fading!"
He wants to leave the room, but I know exactly what he has to do.
It’s grotesque to me, and unpleasant, and gross… but I understand he has to enter the Joining.
They’re True Mates. They save each other through the physical merging.
With a frown, I get up.
"I’m leaving. Stay here. Save Dad. That’s the most important thing. Enough… pain. He doesn’t deserve it. I kept it secret because of him, to spare him pain. Save him. He’s… our sun…" I say, clenching my jaw. My heart trembles; the vape doesn’t soften this.
I look away.
"I’ll make sure no one disturbs you."
And I walk out, closing the door behind me.
The moment I’m in the hallway, I slide down to the floor, leaning my back against the door. My bandaged forearms leak with blood, and I stare at the red shade on the gauze surface.
The part of me numbed by the vape accepts the situation. But the other part, underneath…
It cries.
Dad doesn’t have to suffer.
Ennio was right, dammit, like always.
What hurts me hurts them too.
Like I’m holding a gun to their heads.
My poor dad…
Even though I’m hitting the vape like crazy, I still feel tears running down my cheeks.
I protected that secret for so many years so my parents wouldn’t have to go through this horror show.
