Love Comes from Unexpected Places

Chapter Sixty: Lorelei's Secret

Lorelei sighed sipping on her cup of tea and looked across the table at Sophia, she had just been settling into her new home in Port Angeles when she had gotten the call from Sophia demanding to know what was going on.

Lorelei hadn't wanted to tell her granddaughter that there was something wrong, that she was ill; she wanted to enjoy her remaining time with Sophia and Mia before it was too late.

"You moved," Sophia stated watching her grandmother, her stomach was churning and she still didn't have the answers that she wanted.

Lorelei nodded her head preparing to share the news that she had wished to keep quiet, she still couldn't believe that her doctor had slipped up like that.

"It was the best choice," Lorelei replied fiddling with her cup, she closed her eyes as her mind replayed the moment that she had realised that there was something wrong with her.

In the lead up to discovering what was wrong with her, Lorelei had seen a decline in her memory; she would forget recent conversations or events and she would repeat herself regularly.

Sophia frowned as she continued to watch her grandmother, she didn't know what was going on but she felt scared; Lorelei was the only biological family that she and Mia really had now.

"About six years ago I was diagnosed with Alzheimer's," Lorelei said carefully looking at Sophia, there was no point in lying about what was happening; things were getting worse and it was the reason that Lorelei had moved to Port Angeles.

Sophia stared at her grandmother as she opened and closed her mouth, she recalled that her Grandma Helen had the same illness and it made her worry what it meant for the future.

"My condition is worsening Sophia," Lorelei said forcing herself to focus on what she was saying, she was slowly growing increasingly confused and disorientated, she would spend hours repeating actions that she had done before and Lorelei knew that she didn't have much longer left.

"I spent so long wishing to meet you, and now I barely get any time with you at all," Lorelei whimpered looking down at her hand, it shook a little making her close her eyes as she tried to ignore the grief that she felt.

Lorelei had moved to Port Angeles to be closer to Sophia and Mia, she wanted to spend however much time she had left with them before her disease took her away from them.

Lorelei opened her brown eyes as Sophia took her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze; she smiled at her knowing that this wasn't going to be easy.

"It'll be okay," Sophia whispered moving to give Lorelei a hug, she had a feeling that it was going to be a tough few months and she hoped Lorelei was going to be okay.

***

"I want you to get tested Sophia," Lorelei stated looking at her granddaughter, she knew that she was being stupid and it wasn't something that everyone wanted to know but Sophia was at risk right now.

Sophia stopped chewing on her sandwich and stared at her grandmother, she blinked as Lorelei watched her as if knowing what she was thinking right now.

"You have a greater risk than most of developing Alzheimer's, it's not only from one side of your family but both," Lorelei explained staring at her granddaughter, she wanted to ensure that her granddaughter would be okay.

Jonathon was never the most loving man and was still refusing to speak to his own daughter, while Caroline was slowly coming round after what had happened.

Lorelei wanted to make sure that no matter what happened after she passed that Sophia and Mia would never want for anything; they deserved the best and that was what they would get.

"I know this is all a shock... but I need to know you'll be okay," Lorelei pleaded looking at Sophia, she knew it was a lot to ask especially from the seventeen year old but it would be better if they knew so that they could manage the symptoms when they appeared in so many years' time.

"I don't want to be tested... I don't want my future decided for me now," Sophia replied shaking her head, she knew that she would rather not know if she did have Alzheimer's right now.

Lorelei sighed nodding her head, she wouldn't push the issue and she had to admire that Sophia wanted to leave that part of her future in the dark at least for now.

***

"How was it?" Paul asked as Sophia climbed back into his truck, he had waited outside for her as she spoke with her grandmother privately; he hadn't wanted to leave her completely alone with Victoria still on the loose.

Sophia closed her suddenly hugging her boyfriend, it had been a difficult twenty-four hours and she still couldn't believe what Lorelei had told her even if she had tried to be positive.

"She's ill," Sophia whispered clinging to her boyfriend, she smiled softly as Paul hugged her close; he had prayed that it wasn't true after the message that had been left on their answering machine.

Lorelei was someone that Sophia loved, she was the only grandparent that Sophia had left and one of her very few family members that weren't barking mad or stuck in their own world.

"I'm sorry Phia," Paul whispered resting his head against hers and murmured comforting words to her, this wasn't going to be easy and he had a feeling that whatever Lorelei had wasn't going to go away.

Sophia sniffled a little as she pulled back from Paul, she offered him a small smile as she tried to control her emotions; there was no point in crying over something that couldn't be changed.

Lorelei wasn't only going to get worse until she passed away and Sophia couldn't shake the feeling that it wouldn't be too long before that happened.

"Can we go home?" Sophia whispered as Paul took her hand, she knew that he was worried and she didn't blame him; she had so much on her mind right now and she didn't want to worry him more.

Paul's brown eyes searched Sophia's face as he looked to see if she was okay, he didn't like that she was trying to hide how upset that she was but he knew that they could talk about it more later.

"Okay..." Paul agreed nodding at his imprint, he gave her a small kiss before he allowed her to move away and put her seatbelt on; he watched her for a moment as he wondered what had happened inside for a moment.

Turning the key in the ignition, Paul sighed as his truck came to life; they had a drive back to Forks and Paul knew they still had to pick Mia up from her father's since she had spent the night there.

"There's pack meeting tomorrow night," Paul said as he peeked at his imprint, Sam was growing annoyed that Victoria still hadn't been caught and she was slowly growing more daring.

Sophia nodded her head looking out of the window, she knew just how many late nights Paul had been pulling and how he was struggling.

School was slowly becoming a problem and Sophia had seen a lot of the pack having problems with Sam's schedule; Leah and Sam were the only members to have graduated and it looked like they were going to be the only two to do so.