Twilight of Shadows | LingOrm (GxG)

THIRTY TWO

Lada stood at the door of the guest room, her chest tight with nerves. She hated this tension between them, hated how every interaction seemed like a battle. But she couldn't ignore Earn's care, no matter how much resistance she faced.

"Earn," Lada called out, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "It's time for your dressing change."

Earn, lying on the bed, didn't even look her way. Her body was tense, fists clenched. "What are you doing here? Get out."

The words hit like a slap. But Lada didn't move. She stepped into the room, shutting the door softly behind her. "I need to change your dressing," she repeated, quieter this time but no less firm.

"I thought I had an appointment at the hospital," Earn snapped, finally turning her glare toward Lada. "I don't need you."

"I canceled it." Lada's voice tightened, her patience wearing thin. "It's not safe for you to go out in this condition. I'll do it here."

Earn sat up abruptly, eyes blazing with anger. "You had no right to cancel that without asking me! You don't get to make decisions for me!"

Lada took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice calm. "I know but I did it because I care about you," she said, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

Earn's eyes widened slightly, her anger faltering. "What did you just say?" Her voice was sharp, but there was something else there too, something more vulnerable.

"Nothing," Lada snapped, regretting the slip immediately. She wasn't ready for that conversation. "This isn't about that. It's about your health. Dr. Vann warned you about infection. I'm not letting that happen."

Earn's face flushed with anger. She grabbed the pillow beside her and threw it across the room, then kicked the blanket to the floor in frustration. "I said I don't need you!"

Lada's voice was firm as steel now. "Not the lamp, Earn!"

Earn paused mid-motion, hand hovering near the bedside lamp, her chest heaving with frustration.

"Why are you making this harder than it needs to be?" Lada's voice softened, pleading. "I'm just trying to help you. If we don't do this now, it'll get worse. You want an infection on top of everything?"

Earn's jaw clenched, her defiance battling with the reality of her situation. Finally, she relented with a sharp, bitter sigh. "Fine. But look away."

Lada's heart squeezed at the vulnerability in Earn's voice, but she did as asked, turning her gaze to the floor as Earn began undressing. The sound of fabric shifting filled the silence, thick with tension. When Lada finally sat beside her, the distance between them felt like a canyon.

"I'm going to be gentle, okay," Lada said softly, the words almost lost in the tension between them.

Earn stayed silent, her body rigid as Lada prepared the supplies. The room felt unbearably small, every quiet breath loaded with unspoken emotion.

As Lada carefully peeled back the old dressing, her hands steady but her heart racing, she risked a glance at Earn. Her face was turned away, eyes fixed stubbornly on the wall.

"Does it hurt?" Lada asked, her voice low, trying to break through the cold wall Earn had built.

Earn shook her head, jaw tight. "Just hurry up."

Lada worked in silence for a moment, her heart aching as she saw the pain hiding beneath Earn's anger. "Atid told me a lot... about why you left, about Bella." Her voice trembled but she pressed on. "Can we just talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about," Earn snapped, her voice ice-cold.

Lada's chest tightened. "You're really going to keep this wall up? After everything? So cold-hearted."

Earn's hand gripped the sheets. "You think I'm just going to forgive your family for what they did to mine?" Her voice cracked, the raw pain spilling out. "And now you have the nerve to call me cold-hearted?"

Lada felt the sting of those words deep in her chest. "Earn, you've only heard Bella's side. There's more to the story—"

"So now you're saying my mother's a liar?" Earn shot back, her eyes blazing with hurt.

"No," Lada said, her voice soft, almost pleading. "I'm saying you never gave me the chance to explain. It's killing me that you hate me this much... that you're pushing me away when all I want is to fix things between us."

Earn's breath hitched, but she kept her eyes averted. "You think words can fix this?" Her voice wavered, caught between anger and something deeper, something closer to grief.

"I miss you, baby," Lada's voice cracked, tears filling her eyes. "I miss you so much. I feel like I'm losing you, and I can't stand it. You don't know how much I—"

"Stop it!" Earn suddenly jerked away from Lada's touch, her voice trembling with fury. "Stop calling me 'baby' and pretending you care! It makes me sick, hearing you talk like that."

Lada flinched as if she'd been slapped. The rejection stung more than she expected. "I'm not pretending, Earn. I'm trying to reach to you," she whispered, her voice breaking under the weight of her emotions.

Earn's chest rose and fell with sharp, angry breaths, but when she looked at Lada, she saw the tears threatening to fall. For a moment, guilt pierced through her anger, softening her defenses. Am I being to harsh with my words?

Lada finished the dressing change in silence, her hands moving gently, though her heart was heavy. When she finally covered the wound with a fresh bandage, she stood up, her voice soft, barely audible. "All done."

Earn didn't move. She stayed still, staring at the floor, her breathing unsteady. After a beat, she whispered, "Okay."

Lada looked at her, wanting so badly to close the distance between them. "If you need anything... just let me know."

Earn didn't respond, but Lada thought she saw a flicker of something—maybe regret, maybe pain, maybe both.

With a quiet sigh, Lada walked to the door, her heart heavy with the weight of everything left unsaid. As she stepped out, she cast one last glance at Earn, hoping that somehow, they'd find their way back to each other.

The door clicked shut behind her, leaving the room in silence.