𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘇 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀

CHAPTER 7

𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬
-𝗟𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗿𝗶𝗸 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘇

Our gazes met, our attention only broken when we heard the sound of Erik clearing his throat, drawing our eyes back towards him. He stood there, an air of awkwardness surrounding him. I quickly regained my composure and offered him a warm smile. "Hey, Erik," I greeted softly. "who's this?"

Erik glanced over to his brother, who stood quietly beside him. "This is my brother, Lyle," he said, finally introducing him to me.

I looked between Erik and Lyle, taking in Lyle's appearance. Yes, this was Lyle, the one Erik had often spoken about. He did indeed possess a charming aura about him. With a gentle smile, I extended my hand, my hesitation momentarily overcome. "Hello, Lyle," I said, offering a sincere greeting. "It's nice to finally meet you. Erik has talked a lot about you."

Lyle gave me a small grin. "And I could say the same thing about you." He chuckled and took my hand in his, giving it a firm, but gentle shake. His grip was confident, but not overpowering, and his dark eyes held a hint of curiosity as he studied me for a moment.

I shot a quick glance at Erik, my thoughts racing at the realization that he had been mentioning me to Lyle. Before I could dwell on the thought, Erik's voice sliced through the air, his light-hearted tone bringing a welcome distraction. "So, what are you doing here all alone and looking like you're about to crash?" He joked playfully, his smile adding a touch of warmth to the moment. One of the times I've actually heard him joke.

I gestured for Erik and Lyle to join me on the opposite side of the booth. Clearing my throat slightly, I adjusted my seating position, sitting up straighter. "Um, well, my mother is in the hospital," I began, my voice tinged with a mixture of concern and annoyance. "Neither of us can stomach the hospital food, so I decided to come here to get us something to eat. I'm just waiting for our food to arrive."

Erik nodded as I responded. "Is she alright?" He asked, his concern evident in his tone and on his face. I took a deep breath, summoning the courage to speak truthfully. "She's... she's experiencing some complications in her pregnancy," I answered quietly, the reality of the situation heavy on my mind.

Erik's expression shifted as he absorbed my words. "She's pregnant?" He asked, his surprise evident in his tone. Lyle remained silent beside him, his dark eyes watching our exchange attentively.

I gave a slight nod in response to Erik's question, acknowledging his surprise. "Uh, yeah," I said, a hint of a tired smile on my lips. "I forgot to mention that part. She's only two months pregnant at the moment."

Erik's eyebrows raised slightly as I revealed the details. "Only two months pregnant?" He echoed. "T-T-That's rather early for complications, isn't it? he said softly stuttering just a bit which I noticed.

I nodded in agreement. "She has preeclampsia," I began, my voice growing softer as I explained. "It's a condition marked by high blood pressure during pregnancy, which can lead to complications or even premature labor. She's also experienced difficulties with pregnancies before, so," I trailed off, tapping my fingers on the table the weight of her history hanging in the air.

Erik's expression softened with empathy, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and compassion. "That sounds incredibly tough," he murmured. "How's your mom handling all of this?". Lyle remained silent beside him, his gaze darting between me and his brother.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts before responding. "She's handling it fairly well, but I can sense her pain beneath the surface," I admitted quietly. After a brief pause, I shook my head slightly, refocusing my attention. "But anyway, why are you two here?" I inquired, a faint smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "For food, I assume?"