Chapter 117 What Teddy Left Out
Mateo, who was Byron’s half-brother, gave Emily the impression that this was a warm and loving family. As she made her way through the entrance hall and into the living room, she got a good vibe about the house. Well-worn gloves and hats hung in the hall, ready for farm work, while the living room was decorated with stone carvings and books on gleaming wooden shelves.
“Mateo, did you get the door?” a woman’s voice called from one of the back rooms. “Who is it?”
The kid hesitated a moment then said, “I think you better meet this visitor.”
The woman who came out to greet her had long, wavy hair, just like Mateo, and a beautiful though tired face with some puffiness around the eyes like she hadn’t slept well.
“Hello, my name is Aitana. Welcome to our farm!” Her middle-aged face was marked by a few lines, but they were mostly laugh lines that told of a kind and joyful personality.
“Thank you,” Emily said. “It’s beautiful, both the farm and the house. I’m here to see Teddy.”
Aitana lowered her gaze for a moment. Emily couldn’t tell if it was sadness or embarrassment. “I’m sorry, but my husband is not taking a lot of visitors at the moment. May I ask whether it’s very urgent?”
Emily could not believe this. Now that Teddy got the loan from Byron and made his own business investment, was he getting too high and mighty to see anyone?
“Mom, she came all the way from Canada,” Mateo chimed in.
“Of course it’s urgent,” Emily said. “I just arrived from Vancouver because Byron has had some kind of misunderstanding with his father. Surely Teddy can spare a moment?”
Aitana’s face suddenly beamed with friendliness. “Oh, you’ve come on behalf of Byron? Why didn’t you call?”
“I did call,” Emily said impatiently. “But Teddy never responded. Please, this is really important.”
“I’m glad our families can finally meet.” Aitana came forward and pulled Emily into a hug that felt so sweet and gentle. “Please have a seat in the living room. I’ll let him know you’re here. He might not be awake yet, but you can see him soon.”
“I’ll get you a snack,” Mateo said, and he was on his way to the kitchen before Emily had a chance to ask any questions.
She was confused by the goings on, but she sat down and waited. Maybe Teddy would explain everything. Meanwhile, Mateo brought her water, fruit juice, and some biscuits that smelled of cheddar cheese and herbs.
“I made them myself,” he boasted. “I’m a bit of a Golden Chef fan. I try to copy all the recipes from the show.”
“And you’ve succeeded,” Emily said, “These are delicious!”
“Thanks. And by the way, it was nice of Byron to loan dad that money. I’m hoping to learn at an academy in a couple of years, and with my sister wanting to study architecture, dad was hoping to fund our education in case he… doesn’t make it.” The boy looked upset for a moment, but he tried to put on an amiable smile. “You know he’s sick, right? I guess that’s why you came.”
At this moment, Aitana came back and motioned for Emily to follow. “Teddy is eager to see you,” she said.
It was all starting to make sense now, why Teddy wouldn’t see anyone, why he was so hard to reach by phone. This was the missing piece of information she had been looking for. He was seriously ill, but just how bad was it?
Even before Emily entered the room, she sensed a strong chemical odor that became almost overpowering. She stepped inside to find Teddy propped up in bed on a stack of pillows. The pallor of his skin stood out right away, a sickly grey color, but maybe it looked worse because the sunlight streaming in from the window on the other side of the room didn’t quite reach him.
There was still a twinkle in his eyes, and he smiled when Emily came in.
“How are you, my dear?” he asked. “Hope those panic attacks are a thing of the past.”
“It’s good of you to ask about me,” said Emily, “They’re mostly under control, but how are you doing?”
“Not so hot,” he said, spreading his arms out with a sort of stoic acceptance.
Whatever it was, Teddy seemed too young to succumb to a disease.
“What’s ailing you, soldier?” she asked, pulling up a chair by the bed.
“I hoped Byron might have come to visit,” Teddy said. “It would be nice to have all my kids together.”
“Um… yeah, he’ll probably come later.” Emily hated lying, but she couldn’t just tell a sick man what a state Byron was in because of him. “He’s a bit busy with work… You’ll probably be up and around again by the time he comes to see you.”
“I wouldn’t count on it.” Teddy’s expression was serious this time. “I don’t know if my wife told you… I have cancer, and my chances don’t look good.”
