Someday, Someway

The truth about Francis

The cool, sterile scent of the hospital lingered in the air as Lorraine  stepped out of her father's recovery room. David was slowly recuperating from his heart attack, his condition improving steadily after days of uncertainty. Relief had settled into Lorraine's bones, but her mind was still spinning. The last few days had not only shaken her father's health but also the fragile dynamic between her and her mother, Krystal.

But something else weighed on her now. Francis, her half-brother, was at the forefront of her thoughts. The son of her father's infidelity, Francis had always been a sensitive topic for the family. Though Lorraine had grown closer to him over the years, Krystal had never fully accepted his presence in their lives. Now, with David's condition improving, Lorraine felt an overwhelming need to bring Francis closer, to offer him a sense of family he had always been denied.

As she made her way down the corridor, her phone buzzed in her pocket. A quick glance at the screen showed a message from her brother:

Francis: Hey, how's Dad doing?

Lorraine quickly typed a reply, promising to call him once she left the hospital. She sighed, knowing this next step was going to be difficult. Francis was a good person—kind-hearted, intelligent—but his very existence had been a source of pain and conflict for their family. And Lorraine knew that Krystal wouldn't like what she was about to do.

Later that day, in the quiet of her father's hospital room, Lorraine stood beside his bed. David's eyes were closed, but his breathing was steady—a vast improvement from the critical state he had been in just days before. Krystal sat in the chair opposite, her gaze fixed on the view outside the window, her expression tight with tension.

"Mom," Lorraine began, her voice careful but firm. "I've been thinking... I want Francis to come stay with me for a while."

Krystal's head snapped toward her, eyes narrowing. "What?"

"I think it's important," Lorraine continued, refusing to back down. "Dad's health has shaken a lot of things, and Francis—he needs us. He's always been on the outside, and I want him to feel like he's part of this family."

Krystal's face hardened, her lips pressing into a thin line. "That boy is not part of this family, Lorraine. He's the result of your father's betrayal, and you know it. Bringing him here will only cause more trouble."

Lorraine clenched her fists, trying to keep her frustration in check. "He's my brother, Mom. I'm not going to push him away just because of what Dad did."

Krystal stood, crossing the room in sharp, angry strides. "You have no idea what you're talking about. That boy's presence is a reminder of everything David did to tear this family apart. And now, while your father is recovering, you want to bring him into the picture? It's absurd."

Lorraine straightened, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "I'm not going to treat Francis like an outsider just because he was born into a situation he didn't choose. He's family, whether you like it or not."

Krystal's face twisted in anger. "Family? Lorraine, do you have any idea how much it hurt to watch your father walk away from me and you, only to have a child with another woman? That boy is a constant reminder of that betrayal."

"Maybe for you," Lorraine shot back, her temper flaring. "But he's not a reminder for me. He's just my brother."

Krystal's voice grew cold, her eyes flashing with a sharpness that Lorraine hadn't seen in a long time. "You're being naive, Lorraine. You think you can fix everything, but you can't. And you don't understand the implications of what you're doing."