Great-Grandfather was well over seventy now. As he often said with a wry smile, every year he lived was one year less, and his life was already in its final countdown. Gwh couldn''t shake the fear that this visit might be theirst goodbye.
She didn''t want to face the pain of parting. She simply couldn''t bear it.
Gwh stopped struggling and let herself rest against Hawthorne, breathing in the faint,forting scent of his cologne. Somehow, it calmed her.
Three hourster, the helicopter touched down on the rooftop of Starfall Medical Center. Gwh felt a gentle pat on her cheek-Hawthorne''s hand.
She jolted awake, realizing only then that they''dnded.
"We''re here?"
She''d slept the entire three-hour journey, not a single dream disturbing her rest. That alone felt miraculous.
But she had no time to dwell on miracles. Her only thought was to see her great- grandfather, to make sure she wasn''t toote.
She broke into a run, only to stop short when she realized she was on the hospital''s rooftop. Confused, she turned to Hawthorne.
"Where are we?"
She''d thought he would take her straight to her great-grandfather''s old house.
"This is the rooftop of Starfall Medical Center. Wasn''t your great-grandfather brought here?"
Gwh looked at Hawthorne, a rush of gratitude welling up inside her. He''d brought her directly to the hospital so she could see her great-grandfather as soon as possible.
"Thank you."
She started to dash off again, but Hawthorne caught her by the arm, steering her in the opposite direction.
"The elevator''s this way."
Gwh blushed, realizing how flustered she was. Ducking her head, she hurried back toward him.
"Oh-right."
Hawthorne shook his head in mild exasperation. Where had her usual poise andposure gone?
"I''ll take you," he said, taking her hand-afraid she might get lost in her panic.
As they walked, Gwh pulled out her phone and called her great-aunt.
"I just got to the hospital," she said.
"You made it to Starfall?" Emily replied. She''d already visited the old man earlier in the day and was now home with Celia and Chris. Only Victoria was still at the hospital.
"I did. How''s Great-Grandfather?"
"He''s in a private room with a nurse. Your mother''s with him. After you see him, make sure youe home."
Gwh''s heart was with her great-grandfather, so she didn''t linger on the call. She hurried straight to the private suite.
Inside, the room was quiet and still. Great-Grandfathery peacefully on the bed, eyes closed, frail and shrunken in a way that made her heartache. In her memories, he''d always been gentle yet full of vitality; now, for the first time, he looked so weak.
Gwh''s nose stung and her eyes filled with tears.
"Great-Grandpa, I''m here. I came to see you," she whispered, her voice trembling
with emotion.
As if sensing her presence, Thorpe slowly opened his eyes.
When he saw Gwh, the lines of his face softened into a rare smile.
"Is that Gwyn? Ah, Great-Grandpa really doesn''t have much time left. I knew you weren''t in Starfall, buttely I''ve been dreaming of you
every night. Maybe it was you
His words came out in a low murmur, and Gwh''s tears spilled over.
"Great-Grandpa, you''re not dreaming. I''m really here. Touch my face and see it''s really me."
She gently brought his hand to her cheek. Thorpe''s eyes widened as he studied the face he''d missed so dearly.
He managed a weak smile, but then a fit of coughing wracked his body.
"Are you alright?" Gwh asked, rmed.
But seeing her, feeling her real and warm beside him, brought a spark of life back
to Thorpe''s gaze.
"It''s really you, Gwyn. You came back." His smile grew, joy shining through the exhaustion. "Good girl. I thought I''d never see you again."
No one could mistake his happiness. Gwh was his first
great-grandchild, and her arrival had brought him more joy than even the birth of his own son, McNeil, all those years ago.