A Son's Secret

The visit starts beautifully, Sylvara insists everyone stay longer.

She complains that hospitals are boring as 

Auren immediately agrees.

"See? I've been saying this for weeks."

"You've also been eating my snacks for weeks," 

Sylvara replies.

"That's different."

"How?"

"Because I'm your favorite child."

Kaizen snorts, 

"Keep dreaming."

The atmosphere becomes surprisingly warm, For a moment, illness seems smaller.

For a moment, they're just a family.

Then Sylvara notices Nyra growing quiet.

"What is it, sweetheart?"

Nyra hesitates, The word sweetheart almost breaks something inside her….

Nobody had called her that in years, Sylvara pats the space beside her.

"Come here."

Nyra sits Carefully, almost shyly.

Sylvara smiles.

"Your eyes are sad."

Nyra laughs awkwardly.

"They're always like that."

"No."

Sylvara squeezes her hand.

"Sad eyes recognize sad eyes."

That nearly makes Nyra cry, trying to distract herself, she remembers something.

Something she used to do whenever her mother was sick, whenever the hospital felt too cold….whenever fear became too much.

She would sing.

Not professionally, not perfectly. Just enough to make her mother smile.

"Can I sing for you?"

The room goes quiet.

Auren's eyes light up, Sylvara beams.

"I'd love that."

Kaizen looks surprised.

Nyra doesn't give herself time to overthink, She begins softly.

A gentle song.

The kind her mother hum while braiding her hair.

The kind children remember forever….

The room slowly falls silent, even the machines seem quieter.

Auren lowers his head.

Sylvara closes her eyes.

And Kaizen...Kaizen doesn't take his eyes off Nyra.

Not once.

When the song ends, nobody speaks immediately.

Sylvara's eyes glisten….

"Your mother must've loved hearing you sing."

The words hit harder than expected.

Nyra smiles, A small broken smile…

"She did."

Sylvara reaches out and touches her cheek.

"She's proud of you."

That nearly destroys her, a few minutes later Nyra excuses herself.

The hospital smell has started making her nauseous.

Medicine, bleach, Antiseptic…It reminds her too much of the final weeks of her mother's life.

She needs air, Needs space, Needs a moment…

The restroom is located at the far end of the corridor.

After splashing cold water on her face, she feels slightly better.

Not much, Just enough..

She begins walking back, that's when she hears voices.

Familiar voices, Kaizen and Auren.

The two brothers standing near a vending machine at the end of a quieter hallway.

Neither notices her.

The tension between them is immediate and palpable.

"You need to stop."

Auren said in a shaky voice…

Kaizen remains silent.

"Did you hear me?"

Nothing….

"Mom would hate this."

Kaizen's jaw tightens ."Don't."

"How do you think she'll feel if she finds out?"

"Auren please."

"She'll be devastated."

The younger boy's eyes filled with tears.

"Please stop doing this."

Nyra slows down still hearing every single word Hidden partially behind the corner.

Not intentionally spying, but unable to leave. 

"Let's talk to Dad."

The words explode like a bomb.

Kaizen immediately loses his patience.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so."

"He's still our father."

"Barely. He doesn't want us anymore”

The answer comes sharp and cold.

Years of resentment packed into one word, Auren wipes his eyes.

"He has money.”

"I know."

"He can help."

"I know."

"Then why"

"Because I don't want his help!"

The outburst echoes through the hallway as Auren flinches, So does Nyra.

Kaizen runs a hand through his hair.

Trying to calm himself.

Failing.

"The day Mom got sick..."

His voice lowers.

"He checked out."

Silence….

"He stopped being a husband."

Another silence enveloped.  

"Then he stopped being a father."

Auren lowers his head.

"He sends tuition and allowance."

Kaizen laughs bitterly.

"Because the court ordered him to."

"He still cares."

"No."

The answer is immediate!!

Final!!

"People who care don't abandon their family in hard times."

Nyra's chest tightens, because she hears the pain beneath the anger.

"I will do whatever it takes."

Kaizen's voice becomes quieter.

More dangerous!!

More determined!!

"Whatever it takes to keep Mom alive."

Auren begins crying openly now…

"You're scaring the living hell outta me."

Kaizen's expression softens immediately the anger disappears, only concern remains.

"Hey."

He pulls Auren into a hug, a real and protective hug…. Steady.

The kind older brothers give when they're carrying the weight of the world.

"Nothing's going to happen."

"You don't know that."

"I do."

"You're lying."

"Maybe."

Honesty hurts more, Auren laughs through his tears.

Then hugs him tighter…

"I love you, Kai"

Kaizen smiles…A genuine one.

"Love you too."

Then Auren whispers, "Just be careful."

Kaizen freezes, only briefly.

But Nyra notices.

"I've spoken to the doctors.” Auren continues.

"They said Mom's condition is stable for now."

 Small Hope flickers…fragile. 

"The medication is helping."

"Good."

"They're monitoring her heart closely." Auren swallows hard.

"They think she can hold on long enough."

Kaizen doesn't breathe, 

"Long enough for India."

India? The surgery?

This is severe…

"If we can get her there..." Auren's voice cracks.

"She has a chance."

For the first time, Nyra truly understands, this isn't about money anymore, this is about time tickling.

Every day costs money, every medication costs money, every specialist costs money, every extra week alive costs money…..

And somehow...Kaizen is paying for it all.

Later, before leaving, Nyra watches from a distance as Kaizen approaches the nurses' station.

He withdraws an envelope, hands it over, the nurse recognizes him immediately, twirling her hair behind her ear…. 

Hmmm she likes Kaizen…Clearly this isn't the first time.

"This should cover the next phase of treatment."

The nurse looks concerned, "Mr. Arclair, that's too much."

"Use whatever she needs."

"The medication?"

"Everything."

"Even the cardiac monitoring package?"

"Everything."

The nurse nods.

Kaizen brings out separate cash and gives her for tips. 

“ Thanks Mr Arclair”.

Kaizen just walked away, heavy thought in his mind. 

Nyra feels something she never expected, Not attraction, Not pity, Not sympathy….Something more dangerous, Understanding.

She begins to see the boy behind the arrogance, The boy carrying impossible burdens, the he boy returning home exhausted every night after working so hard, still returns with bruises….The boy willing to d

estroy himself if it meant buying his mother one more day.

And as they leave the hospital that evening, only one question remains in her mind…

What exactly is Kaizen doing to earn that kind of money?

Because whatever it is...It's clearly dangerous.

And judging from the fear in Auren's voice...

It might eventually destroy him.