At that moment, Eric’s phone vibrated with an incoming work call. “I need to take this. I’ll be right back.”
This left Linda and Hadley by themselves in the lounge. Linda offered a warm smile. “What about you, Hadley?”
After a brief pause, Hadley slowly shook her head. “No, thanks. You two go on without me.”
She then picked up her bag and headed for the exit.
Linda watched her leave with a slight smirk. “Not hungry, huh? That’s alright. I wasn’t particularly eager to share a meal with you either.” She gestured for her assistant to come closer. “Let’s get something to eat. You remember what Eric prefers, right?”
“Yes, I’ve got it covered,” the assistant replied confidently before walking off to order their food.
By the time Eric returned, the food had been delivered.
“Eric!” Linda greeted him cheerfully, gesturing for him to join her. “Here, sit down. We ordered all your favorites.”
“Sounds good.”
Eric stowed his phone away and settled into a chair.
As he reached for his fork, he looked around. “Where’s Hadley?”
“Hadley?” Linda responded nonchalantly. “Oh, she left a bit ago. Said she wasn’t hungry.”
“Not hungry?”
Eric let out a derisive laugh. Lately, “no” seemed to be Hadley’s new favorite word, as if she were trying to make it her trademark. Always declining offers.
He pushed his plate aside and stood up.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Linda reached out, grasping his arm.
“To look for her. She might skip lunch if we don’t.”
“Oh, drop it!” Linda laughed, releasing his arm. “She was quite clear. Plus, you know her background in dance. Dancers tend to be strict with their diets.”
“Strict with her diet?”
Eric was skeptical. Despite her recent return, he’d observed her eating habits. Hadley had a strong appetite.
“You don’t understand. She really can eat.”
With that, he pushed back from the table and exited.
Linda watched him go, her smile fading into a more troubled expression.
Linda was upset by Eric’s words. What did he mean by saying she didn’t understand Hadley? Or did he mean to say that he did? To the extent that he’d sacrificed his meal to find her?
However, once outside, Eric found no trace of Hadley. Where could she have gone? With Nyla’s surgery still underway, it seemed unlikely she’d just leave.
Eric retrieved his phone and called Hadley’s number. She didn’t answer, but he could already hear the ringtone. Suddenly, he realized the sound was close by. Drawn to the ringtone, Eric headed toward the fire escape stairwell and spotted Hadley.
“Hello?” Hadley spoke into her phone just as the call disconnected.
“Huh? What’s happening?”
“What are you doing here?” Eric’s voice emerged unexpectedly from behind her.
Caught off guard, Hadley turned sharply, her eyes wide with surprise.
“Eric, what brings you here?”
“It’s you I should be questioning,” Eric retorted, his expression tinged with irritation. “Why are you secluding yourself out here? Come and join me for lunch. Must I really persuade you like a child?”
“There’s no need for that!”
“Not this again!” Eric was growing tired of the repetition. “Hadley, is that all you can say to me? We have no idea when Grandma will be out of surgery. What if she needs you, and you’ve passed out from not eating? I don’t want to deal with that mess.”
“I don’t really need to…”
“Tell me the truth…”
Eric’s dark eyes intensified as they focused on Hadley’s face, interrupting her.
“Are you just avoiding Linda?”
What?
Hadley was taken aback. Was that his assumption? Her silence led him to believe he was correct.
Eric’s voice, laced with a hint of sarcasm, carried through the air. “Thinking back, was it worth it? You know, you get what you give.”
Hadley fixed her gaze on Eric, unblinking, and then abruptly questioned, “Did Linda say that?”
Hadley pondered internally if Linda had actually told Eric that she was afraid to face her.
“What?” Eric seemed puzzled by her question initially.
“Never mind.”
Hadley decided not to pursue the matter further. It felt pointless to even mention it. Four years ago, Eric had unconditionally sided with Linda. Was there any chance he’d support Hadley now? Moreover, Hadley was beyond trying to vindicate herself at this point. She simply shook her head. “It’s nothing, really.”
Hadley reaffirmed firmly. “I don’t need anything. You all go ahead and have lunch. I have my own food…”
“What have you got there?”
Eric was about to respond, but his attention suddenly shifted to something by the stairs. He noticed it. Beside Hadley’s seat was her black backpack with an open lunchbox perched on top. The contents of the lunchbox were visible. Inside, there were noodles accompanied by some greens.
Eric tried to spot anything else, but that was it. He looked puzzled and a bit concerned. “Hadley, is that what you’re eating?”
“Is that what you’re eating for lunch?”
“Yes,” Hadley responded, her face showing resolve.
Eric was puzzled. Why would Hadley eat so little? Calling it plain was an understatement. What made her choose something like that? Wasn’t this kind of diet harmful to her health?
The Flynn family provided Hadley with a monthly stipend. She had more than enough to live well, even by Srixby’s high standards. Money clearly wasn’t the issue here. There had to be another explanation. It confirmed what Linda had suggested. Hadley was likely trying to lose weight.
“Trying to maintain your figure by eating that little?” Eric’s frustration was evident as he looked Hadley over. “Look at yourself! You’re so thin, a gust of wind might blow you away!”
Hadley remained silent, her expression unreadable.
“Alright then,” Eric snapped, frustrated. “If you insist on starving yourself, fine. But remember, it’s your health that will suffer, not mine!”
With a dismissive gesture, Eric spun around and left abruptly.
At last, he was gone. Hadley took a slow, steadying breath, managed a weak smile, sat down again, and resumed eating her now cold lunch, each bite a struggle.
The food seemed to stick in her throat, prompting her to grab her water bottle and take a few gulps.
Back in the lounge, Eric reappeared, his mood clearly unchanged. Linda handed him a plate of food. “What happened to Hadley? Weren’t you able to find her?”
“Forget about her!” Eric retorted sharply. The mere thought of Hadley seemed to sour his mood further. “She’s too caught up in her dietary fads. Just leave her to it!”
Linda gave a knowing smile as she shook her head. “I warned you, but you wouldn’t listen. Now, come on, have some more.”
The surgery concluded successfully at two in the afternoon, and Nyla was transferred to a regular ward. The doctor briefed Eric thoroughly on the post-operative care.
“The next 24 hours are critical. Ideally, a family member should be present. We do have caregivers, but patients often respond better to family.”
“I’ll stay!”
“I’ll stay!”
Both Eric and Hadley said at the same time.
Eric looked over at Hadley, who then hesitated. “I mean, it’s really Mr. Flynn’s decision. If he stays, that’s enough.”
The doctor suggested, “Perhaps both of you should consider staying. For one, Mr. Flynn, you might not have the specific attentiveness that a female could offer in caring for an elder. Additionally, should any decisions need to be made, it’s prudent for Mr. Flynn to be present.” He paused, observing both Eric and Hadley for their reaction.
Silence fell between them.
The doctor added, “This is merely a recommendation. Ultimately, the decision is yours to make.”
“Eric…” Linda said, her expression concerned.
“Here’s what we’ll do.”
Eric resolved, addressing Hadley. “We should both stay. Would that work for you?”
“Of course,” Hadley nodded.
Her commitment to stay was personal. Nyla had looked after her for five years, and she felt indebted to her. She had even arranged a day off with Lennon to ensure she could be there.
“Looks like you do have some sense of duty,” Eric replied, and then turned to Linda. “Linda, you were saying?”
“It’s nothing,” Linda replied with a soft smile. “I’m just eager for Nyla to wake up. I have to return to work this afternoon and then attend an event later.”
“No worries,” Eric offered warmly.
“Grandma has always appreciated you. She understands your work commitments, and I’m sure she doesn’t mind.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“Since you have work later,” Eric said, glancing at his watch, “Linda, let me walk you out.”
“Sure.”
Back in the ward, Nyla remained unconscious, an oxygen mask fitted to her face as the machines around her emitted a soft beeping. A nurse periodically checked on her.
Hadley was tasked with keeping Nyla’s lips moist and alerting the nurse if the IV bag emptied or if any alarms went off.
Remaining vigilant, Hadley positioned a chair next to the bed and stayed close.
As the nurse replaced the IV bag, she warned, “Fever is common after surgery. Keep monitoring her temperature.”
“I’ll keep a close watch, thank you.”
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