OCEAN VILLAGE

73. before you go 🌺

—Athena—
-our every moment, i start to replace, cause now that they're gone all i hear are the words that i wanted to say-
-lewis capaldi-

Nothing is going to plan.

I was supposed to be at the airport so i could fly to Scotland today, instead i'm in New York.

Mr. Brown is sick, he's really really sick, and i love Kairi but i might love Mrs. Brown more and the last thing i need is her alone over Christmas.

I catch the subway to the neighbourhood i grew up in, although i've only been in Chicago for three months, it's nice being back home and seeing everything i'm way too familiar with.

The walk to Mrs. Browns house wasn't too bad, i knocked on her door and she's quick to answer, "Oh my darling Athena." She wraps her arms around me, "You are beautiful, come in come in, have you ate?"

"Just before i got on the subway i did, is Mr. Brown okay?" I ask.

"I thought i told you to call me Rob?" I hear his voice as we enter the living room. I had to look away whenever my eyes landed on him.

Atlas told me he was sick, what Atlas failed to mention was that he was sick from cancer.

"Don't dwell darling, come here." He coughs and i drop my bags, keeping hold of Mrs. Browns hand as i walk over to him.

I sit in the chair as he laid across the sofa, "How long?" I grab his hand, his wrinkles cold.

"Couple months." He looks at me. "I'm glad you could make it, where's that boyfriend of yours? Is he not joining you?"

"No... No he's in Scotland." I wipe my cheeks, trying to fix the tears rolling down them. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Didn't want to worry you." He smiles weakly, "I won't be here tomorrow, darling."

"Don't say that." I sniffle.

"It's the truth, i'm old and my lungs and heart are failing." He runs his thumb across my knuckles, "Bernie and I have both accepted it. I need to tell you something though."

I look at him to carry on, "You're like my child, you know that right?"

I nod my head.

"And i'm glad you're here because i can give it to you now, Bernie get my stuff." He looks to his wife, smiling despite the situation.

Mrs. Brown gets up and walks away, only to return with a small box. Mr. Brown looks at the box and takes his hand off mine so he can open the lid, "This is for you."

He holds out a recipe book.

Mrs. Browns recipe book.

"My mother was the one to give Bernie all the recipes, she owned a cafe in Manhattan called Caster's, her maiden name. And now, i want you to have all the recipes, Bernie will forget to give it you if i don't."

I smile sitting on the floor so that i could hug him and i told him that i was studying medicine and he was so happy, being a doctor himself, he said if he ever wanted children then he would want them to be a doctor.

Later on that night, Mrs. Brown and I came out from the kitchen to check up on him to see he was laying still with his eyes closed.

We knew it happened then.

He died peacefully in his sleep and i knew it didn't hurt him, that he went out without pain, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt me.

Mrs. Brown knew it was happening and she prepared for it the second he was diagnosed with cancer, i sat and cried with my head on her lap all night.