Chapter 23:
“Lionel!” Freya’s voice, tinged with shock, broke through the tense air. “You even had the audacity to ask!”
Lionel’s voice thundered with fury. “After being married for two entire years, have you even once genuinely cared for Freya? As her husband, you remain oblivious to her past!”
With each word, Lionel’s anger surged, his disdain for Kristian palpable.
He seriously contemplated throwing Kristian out right then and there.
“Freya,” Melinda cut in, her voice a calming force amidst the chaos. She perceived Kristian’s disregard as the root of Freya’s misery in their marriage and advised,
“Give it another year with Kristian. If you still feel the same about a divorce after that, I’ll stand by your decision.”
Freya opened her mouth to object, “No, I—”
“Actually, I don’t have much time left,” Melinda broke in, her voice dropping to a somber whisper. Her eyes dulled with the weight of her unspoken truths. “I didn’t bring it up earlier because I didn’t want to burden you.”
The room fell silent. Isaac found himself at a loss for words, grappling with the gravity of the situation.
Freya’s expression was a mixture of confusion and concern.
Kristian was equally baffled.
If Melinda was indeed facing her final days, why did Isaac seem so utterly unprepared for the revelation?
Melinda’s voice trembled as she shared the grim diagnosis. “The doctor said I have stomach cancer and only a year and a half to live.” Her spirit seemed to dim with each word, her posture slumping under the weight of her own despair. “Freya, could you stay with Kristian for just one more year? Just one, okay?”
Freya took her stethoscope out of her bag and gently checked on Melinda, her gaze piercing into Melinda’s pupils.
R𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝑒𝓷𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓮 𝑔𝓪𝗅𝗇ovέ𝗅𝓈.𝒸o𝓂
Melinda blinked, taken aback by Freya’s unexpected response. “You might have stumbled upon a rather inept doctor,” Freya suggested, a hint of playfulness in her tone as if to cushion the bluntness of her words. “Your condition is steady and strong. Plus, there’s no dark ring around your iris—an indicator of a healthy stomach.”
Caught in her act, Melinda’s facade cracked, her grip loosening as she fought back a mix of embarrassment and resignation. “Freya…”
“Kristian and I reached the decision to divorce after a lot of consideration. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t push me on it,” Freya explained, her voice soft yet firm, offering Melinda a comforting touch. “Thank you for your love and support over the years.”
Tears welled up in Melinda’s eyes, a testament to her genuine reluctance.
She had always yearned for a daughter, having been blessed with two sons instead. In Freya, she had found the daughter she never had, making this farewell even more poignant.
“Are you really sure?” Lionel interjected, his voice low and strained, his gaunt face etched with a clear reluctance.
Freya nodded decisively. “Yeah, I’m sure of it.”
A heavy silence fell over the room as everyone absorbed the finality in her voice.
.
.
.