All Love Was His, I Was Locked Sick

Chapter 4

Her face changed instantly.

"He... he's in his room doing homework," she said, avoiding grandmother's gaze, lowering her head to arrange the red cloth in the basket.

Grandmother said nothing, just looked at her.

"Doing homework?"

"I'll go check on him."

"Mother!" Mother stood up hurriedly. "Jake is... he's throwing a tantrum. I put him in the storage room to reflect."

Grandmother's movements stopped.

"What did you say?" She asked, word by word. "You locked Jake in the storage room?"

"Knowing that tomorrow is Jeff's..." Mother's voice grew softer and softer, until it was almost inaudible.

Grandmother's face darkened little by little.

She stood up, her body swaying because she moved too fast.

Mother tried to help her, but she pushed her away.

"Lucy Green!" Grandmother's voice trembled. "Jake is your son too!"

Mother opened her mouth to speak, but grandmother cut her off.

"Yes, I know Jeff's fate is hard. He was born with that damned countdown. I know you feel sorry for him, want to give him the best of everything, want him to leave happy."

Grandmother's voice rose higher and higher, tears welling up in her eyes.

"But what about Jake? Isn't Jake suffering too? From the time he was little, what has he ever gotten? His brother's old clothes, his brother's leftovers. Even your love—he has to split most of it with his brother."

"Mother, I didn't..." she tried to defend herself, but her voice was weak, without conviction.

"Both children are good kids. Both are good kids... But what about you? As parents, don't you owe Jake something? Isn't he worthy of a little love too?"

Mother slumped into a chair, covering her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking violently.

"And now," grandmother's voice was raspy, "you won't even let the brothers see each other one last time?"

"Jeff is going to... to leave tomorrow. Jake is his only brother, the little brother he has protected since childhood. How can you let Jeff leave? Let him leave with regret?"

"I... I didn't..." Mother's voice leaked through her fingers, broken and torn. "I just wanted Jeff's last day to be happy. I didn't want Jake to upset him..."

Night deepened.

Jeff's door remained closed.

"Go to sleep," grandmother finally said, her voice hoarse. "Tomorrow... we have to get up early."

Mother shifted, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just shook her head.

"I can't sleep."

Father didn't move either.

Grandmother sighed and didn't try to persuade them further.

She stood up, walked to the storage room door, crouched down, and said softly through the c***k, "Jake, grandmother is here with you. Don't be afraid."

My tears fell again.

Time passed minute by minute. The candle burned out, and the living room fell into darkness.

Outside the window, the sky slowly turned white—from deep blue to gray-blue, then to the pale gray of dawn.

The first ray of morning light passed through the glass window and fell on the old floor, illuminating the dust floating in the air.

Grandmother stood up, walked to Jeff's door, raised her hand to knock, but her hand stopped in mid-air.

She hesitated for a long time, then finally said softly, "Jeff, time to get up."

Soft sounds came from inside the room.

The door opened.

"Grandmother, mother, father," Jeff said softly, giving a faint smile.

Mother stood up abruptly, rushed over, and hugged him. She held him so tightly, as if trying to press him into her very bones.

Father walked over too, his hand trembling as he gently touched Jeff's head.

"Jeff..." Mother's voice was shattered.

"I'm okay, mother," Jeff said softly, gently patting mother's back. "I'm really okay."

Grandmother stood to the side, watching quietly.

She watched for a long time, then suddenly remembered something. She turned sharply to look at the storage room.

"Jake!" Her voice was especially clear in the quiet morning. "Quick, let Jake out!"

Only then did mother and father remember me, locked in the storage room. Their tears turned to laughter, and they said over and over, "Yes, yes, let Jake out. Jake is still in the storage room!"

"His brother is fine. This is great news!"

Mother held Jeff's hand. Father walked in front. The three of them ran toward the storage room, their faces full of joy.

But when they reached the storage room door, just as father pushed it open, his face suddenly changed dramatically. He yanked his hand back and muttered, "No… this isn't right."