Suspicious Shade

Chapter 13: Surprising Reunion

As Yve continued to wrestle with her thoughts, the car came to a gentle stop in the hospital parking lot. Without a word, Felix exited the vehicle and came around to open the door for Yve.

The pair made their way into the hospital, the bright lights of the lobby and the familiar sounds of nurses and visitors adding an odd backdrop to the tense atmosphere between them. The food and snacks sat safely in the bags in Felix's arms, remnants of their earlier carefree conversation now feeling out of place.

As they walked toward the hospital room, Felix noticed the troubled look on Yve's face.

"Hey, I know you're worried," he whispered, his voice softer than usual. "But we're here now, and your grandfather is going to be happy to see both of us."

He reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Yve felt the weight of his hand on hers, and despite the mixed feelings swirling inside her, she found comfort in the gesture.

"I know you're right," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's just... it's been a long day."

They approached the reception desk, and Felix led the way, speaking to the nurse on duty. Despite the exhaustion Yve felt, she couldn't help but notice how naturally charming Felix was with everyone he met.

"Hi, we're here to see Mr. Bautista," Felix explained, flashing a charming smile.

The nurse behind the desk smiled as she laid eyes on Yve.

"Oh, hello there, Yve. Long time no see. It's always a joy to have you visit your grandfather," the nurse greeted Yve warmly.

The nurse's smile faded slightly, and she looked down at her schedule.

"Unfortunately," she said, "someone else is currently visiting Mr. Bautista right now. I'm not sure how much longer they'll be."

Yve furrowed her brow, surprised by this news.

"Is that so?" she said, her voice tinted with confusion. "I didn't realize someone else would be visiting. Do you have any idea who it could be?"

The nurse offered a brief description, trying to recall the stranger.

"Yes, he's a rather tall gentleman," she began. "He has jet-black hair and, if I remember correctly, brown eyes. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, so I couldn't see much else."

Felix, visibly annoyed and alarmed, leaned in close to Yve.

"It's not Claude, is it?" he asked, his voice a low hiss in her ear. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, the veins on his arm beginning to bulge.

The thought of another man, especially one as persistent and obnoxious as Claude, made Felix's blood boil.

As Yve and Felix entered the hospital room, her eyes fell on the figure sitting by her grandfather's bedside. Initially, her heart fluttered with anxiety, but her relief soon replaced any earlier worry.

It wasn't Claude after all. It was someone much better.

The man by the bedside turned to face them as they entered. He was, without a doubt, Yve's uncle Mark. With his salt-and-pepper hair and a warm, familiar smile, he was a sight for sore eyes.

"Well, look who it is," he said in a gentle voice, standing up to greet Yve. "It's good to see you again, dear niece."

Felix's jaw clenched, and a flicker of recognition flashed in his eyes. He stepped forward, his voice raising with a hint of anger and indignation.

"Wait a minute," he exclaimed. "I recognize you. You're the idiot who helped Yve's parents escape that night, aren't you?"

Mark held up his hands as a sign of peace, looking at Felix with a mix of surprise and understanding.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on there," he said, his voice firm yet calm.

Yve, trying to intervene and diffuse the tense situation, reached out to take hold of Felix's hand. "Felix, please, let him explain."

Mark's demeanor changed, revealing a solemn and earnest expression as he addressed Felix.

"Felix," he began, looking him straight in the eye. "That night, I wasn't helping Yve's parents in their escape. I was trying to warn them."

Felix, his grip on Yve's hand loosening slightly, but his skepticism still evident. He eyed Mark, his gaze both cautious and intense.

"Why should I believe that?" he challenged, his voice laced with skepticism.

Mark sighed, his frustration evident, but he spoke calmly.

"Let me explain," he said, his voice steady but firm. "I had no idea they were planning an escape that night, otherwise I would have done something to prevent it. All I wanted was to give them some advice so they could fix their situation."

Mark ran a hand through his hair, the frustration on his face evident.

"Felix, you have to believe me. I had no idea what they were planning. If I knew they were stealing something, I would have never stepped foot in their house that night."

Despite Mark's conviction, Felix's doubt still hung heavy in the air. His expression remained skeptical, his grip on Yve's hand tight.

Felix looked at Yve, as if seeking confirmation that Mark was telling the truth.

Yve spoke up, her voice soft yet resolute.

"Felix, you have to consider that everyone has their own perspective on what happened. You were told what your parents said, and of course you believe them. But Mark has his own story too."

Just as the tension between Mark and Felix was escalating, Yve's grandfather, ever the peacekeeper, broke through with a question that lightened the mood.

"You know, I'm not sure what all this arguing is about," he chuckled. "But I certainly smell pizza, and I have an empty stomach that needs filling. Who has pizza they can share with me?"

The tension in the room eased as they sat around Yve's grandfather's bed, their bellies filled with pizza.

Yve, her uncle Mark, and Felix shared the food, each one of them trying the different flavors they had bought at the pizza drive-thru.

Mark, seeing the opportunity for some alone time with Yve, turned to Felix.

"Hey, Felix," he said casually. "Would you mind if I stole Yve for a bit? I'd like to catch up with her and have a little chat outside."

Yve's grandfather, sensing the situation, added his own request.

"Oh, before you go," he said with a hint of mischief in his eyes. "I need to have a private word with Felix too."

With Yve and her uncle heading outside, Felix found himself alone with Yve's grandfather. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the conversation to come.

Yve's grandfather leaned back against his pillow, a knowing look in his eyes as he stared at Felix.

"There's something I've been curious about, Felix," he said, his voice serious but not unkind. "Do you really know the history of your own family?"

Felix's forehead creased, and he was suddenly on edge.

Yve's grandfather continued, the tension in the room mounting.

"I've heard a lot about your family's past, Felix. Some say there are things in your family line that are... less than wholesome."

Felix's heart skipped a beat as he listened intently, his mind racing with all the possibilities. What could Yve's grandfather be hinting at?

(So sorry if it took 3 months or so, I'm just busy with real life stuff:(( )