Chapter 70
David mumbled, "I didn't tell him 'cause I was scared Mr. Bailey would be crushed. He's not as tough as you, and I was worried he couldn't handle it."
Gavin's eyes went wide. "Don't sell Lucas short! He's in the nursing home partly for his health and partly for Alice's future. If he's gone, someone needs to look out for her."
Gavin had once thought about making Alice his granddaughter after Lucas passed, so she could be fully accepted in the family without getting pushed around. But Lucas shot that down, saying it would just cause gossip. He thought it was better for her to become a granddaughter-in-law, all legit and proper.
Gavin glanced at Calliope, then turned to Isla, giving David a pat on the shoulder. "You should head to the hospital and be with Alice. I'll handle this."
David got to the hospital room and found Alice sitting by the bed, head down, hands clasped, taking Lucas's scolding. He'd never seen Lucas lose it with Alice before.
In David's mind, Lucas always treated Alice like gold, spoiling her rotten, never even raising his voice. But now, Lucas's face was red, his voice loud, clearly pissed.
Lucas yelled, "Do you want to end up in a wheelchair? Want to see what it's like to be unable to walk? Are you trying to give me a heart attack 'cause you think I'm old? If I didn't find out, were you planning to keep it a secret until I died?"
Alice pouted, trying to grab Lucas's sleeve, but he gently pushed her away. "Now you know you messed up? What were you thinking? I waited for you to come home so we could finally have a meal together, and you went off to fight!" Lucas's tone got harsher, making Alice feel even worse, her eyes tearing up, lips pressed tight, not daring to talk back.
Seeing Alice so upset, David knocked and walked in. Lucas, recognizing David, calmed down a bit and asked, "What's going on at the police station? What happened? Tell me the truth. I need to know what she did while I was hospitalized!"
Alice sniffled, sneaking a glance at David, not expecting him to defend her. Her mess had nearly driven him nuts, and now that he had a chance to report her, how could he pass it up? Fine, let him report, as long as Lucas could calm down.
"It wasn't Alice's fault," David started slowly, "She got hurt trying to save Esme. It all started when my cousin Clara brought people to corner Alice. The surveillance footage is still being checked, but from what we know, Alice was just being brave."
Lucas looked half-convinced, squinting as he studied David. "Really?"
David gave a wry smile. "Mr. Bailey, what would I gain from lying to you? If you don't believe me, you can ask Gavin when he gets here. How could I have planned this with him in advance?"
Lucas replied, "Fine, I'll ask Gavin when he gets here."
No one had eaten yet, so David went out and grabbed dinner. When he returned, Alice just quietly chewed her food.
Lucas snorted, "Enjoying that oatmeal? You'll be eating it for a month. Let's see if you still want to cause trouble!"
Alice stared at her bowl, thinking about a month of oatmeal, and her stomach started to grumble.
Esme was quietly eating in the corner. Since Lucas started scolding Alice, she hadn't been able to get a word in. Every time she tried, Lucas's glare shut her up, making her shrink back. With his military background, Lucas could intimidate with just a look. Her legs had gone weak then, and she was still scared now.
David saw Alice pitifully staring at the oatmeal. If Lucas wasn't there, she probably would've already started whining for something else. He glanced at the meat in his own meal box, deciding to eat it first before Alice got tempted and he caved in.
Alice felt all sorts of emotions while eating, as Lucas kept throwing out comments like "The oatmeal is delicious, isn't it?" and "A month of oatmeal, let's see if you dare again," making her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles, her heart aching.
When Gavin arrived, everyone had finished eating, and the room smelled like food. Gavin squinted, looking serious, and snorted with a playful grin, "I've been busy at the police station, and you all went ahead and had dinner without me. Didn't even save me a bite?"
The four of them exchanged silent glances, each lost in their own thoughts. Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Gavin cracked a few jokes to lighten the mood and took the chance to update Lucas on the situation, so he wouldn't worry when he went back to the nursing home.
Lucas said, "I want to stay here tonight."
Gavin immediately shot that down, "No way! We agreed you'd go home. Staying in the hospital, seriously? Haven't you spent enough time in the nursing home? Are you actually enjoying it?"
Lucas was momentarily speechless.
Gavin continued, "And this room is so small. Are you planning to share a bed with Alice or sleep on the couch and wake up with a sore neck?"
Lucas's face darkened.
Gavin added, "Don't even think about getting another room. Do you think this is a hotel? Just check in whenever you want? Even if I had the authority, I wouldn't do it. Hospital rooms are for patients. Why would a healthy old man compete with patients for a room? David alone is enough to keep watch tonight."
"Fine!" Lucas shouted, "I won't stay! Why do you have so much to say!"
Gavin felt wronged. "I'm just worried you'd be stubborn and insist on staying. I can't argue with you, so I'm trying to persuade you earnestly. You don't appreciate my good intentions! Fine, fine, it's late. Let's go home, have some chicken soup, and come back to see Alice before sending you back to the nursing home tomorrow. Does that sound good??"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
