OCEAN VILLAGE

47. scared✨

-Kairi-
-i pray that your soul survives it through another day-
-jeremy zucker-

Mr. Brown, or Rob, as he insisted me call him, lead me to in front of the cafe, sitting on the chairs outside with me.

I knew it was something serious whenever he took me out of the cafe, the look on both his and his wifes face said a lot.

"I have cancer." He spits out, tapping his fingers off the table.

Oh my god.

I feel my heart break a little, and not for me, but for Athena.

"Chemo isn't working, stage three lung cancer, i don't have long." He looks away.

I look down too, "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Athena knows i'm sick but she doesn't know it's cancer, i had a flare a couple days ago and was lucky to survive."

"I'm sorry." I look down.

I know why i'm here.

They know Athena won't be able to handle this news.

"I don't have kids, nor do i have siblings that are alive." He clears his throat, "Athena is the closest thing i have to family. Bernie's getting old too, she and i both agreed to sign the will and cafe under Athena's name."

I take a breath, "Athena won't accept that."

"She won't get the choice too. I'll be gone and Bernie might go soon, realistically."

"Mr. Brown i cannot keep this a secret for you. She deserves to know." It will break her.

"She does deserve to know, but we agreed to not tell her the truth. One day she'll wake up, and I'll be gone, it will be easier for her to get over like that. She'll just believe it was old age, we need you to be there for her."

"I can't lie to her." I won't.

"I won't make it till summer, we only ask you keep it from her, just until then. It's Bernie's wishes, she doesn't want Athena to dwell too long over it. Bernie wants you to make her live a full life, to not be caught up on this, especially when Bernie starts getting sick too." He says, his eyes full of hope, "Athena will be devastated, we know that, but we decided it was better this way. We only ask that you be there for her, she loves you, whether she likes to admit it or not, and she relies on you for comfort, you will need to be there for her."

"Of course i'll be there for her." I put my face in my hands, rubbing the tiredness and stress away. "But i don't think i can lie to her."

"Two months is all we ask." He clears his throat. "For Athena's sake, we don't wish to bring her out of university or distract her because of this. Summer time will give her the time she needs to grieve."

He's got a point there, Athena needs to focus on her work but i hate the thought of knowing the truth and not telling her.

"Is there anything i can do to help?" I look back up.

"Just be there for Athena."

"For you guys."

"No, we've accepted the fate and i am ready. We've been together for over forty years so dying by Bernie's side is the only thing i wish. We've lived a full life." He smiles a little, "I also was told to give you this."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a  jewellery box. Not a ring box, it was much larger.

He opens it on the table, this beautiful necklace, set of earrings and ring all pushed into the velvet.