The tour ended.
The ecstatic couple took refuge in the front porch as soon as a downpour came along.
"Hello"
The wheels turned and the pair watched Ruby stride up to them with a small smile.
"Ah, hello" Lily recollected before turning to Harry, "She helped me when I came in, told a maid -I think, to lead me to your room"
"This is my big sister"
"Oh hello" Lily stood to her feet, "I'm Lily Martins, I introduced myself earlier" she paused, "Why didn't you tell me you're his older sister"
Ruby smiled, "If he wanted us to meet, we would have met a long time ago".
Lily turned to Harry, disappointed. He sighed "Lets meet everyone then, shall we?"
Ruby sent for the twins and soon, everyone was gathered in the living room.
Harry watched Lilly flush red with embarrassment, the warmth of the welcoming stares and curious smiles overwhelmed her and he could tell.
"Afternoon everyone" Harry began, "Excuse my interruption" he paused and turned to Lily, "I quickly would love you all to meet my fiancée, Lily Martins" they clapped tremendously.
The room echoed with a warm applause, few smiles and wide grins. While a few acquittanced themselves with her, some questioned Harry.
Among the many questions, concerns arose regarding her albinism. Harry predicted this.
"Hello" William greeted, a glass half full in his right hand.
Lily smiled, the redness on her skin had calmed, "Hi".
"How long have you known my brother?"
"Mm" she thought, "8 years, I guess" before smiling softly, "You're older right", "Who's the first between you and Ruby?"
William watched her, surprised. He never knew Harry to favor the chatty ones.
"She is"
Lily nodded. He sipped from his wine glass, his eyes steady on her.
"What does Harry do for a living, have any idea?"
"Ah" she nodded, "Vice President of Marketing but he prefers calling it Marketing manager" she giggled, "He says its simple, when he's not trying to impress"
William nodded, "So you believe we deal in legitimacy?"
Lily grew confused. 'What was that, legitimacy?'
"Lily"
Harry's voice stormed through the room. She turned in shock and noticed his jaw clench before his eyes softened.
"You haven't met my grandfather" he threw on a smile.
She smiled too, shaking off the uneasiness she felt while walking up to him.
"He's upstairs, wouldn't be fair to leave him out now, would it?"
"Is he alright?"
He nodded and took her hand in his, "Just a little over a hundred years old"
Lily gasped, an excited shock on her face, "Wow, I would love to see him"
He smiled brightly as she grinned fully, expectant, anxious and flushed. With a short glance, he reprimanded William before turning back to nudge Lily, opening up his arms and allowing her climb unto his thighs and slowly, the wheelchair headed to the stairs.
William watched them go.
"That act should never repeat itself again" Ruby warned.
He scoffed, "When have I ever listened to either of you?" he gulped down on his wine glass, slipping it unto a nearby table top aiming to leave the room.
"It's because you didn't listen, that's why you had faced grave consequences for you and Logan's actions back in the past".
Her words pierced him, especially knowing how specifically she saw him suffer. His past, his words, his decisions, she, if not the rest knew his suffering first.
He walked out of the room.
Jeremy watched the hall grow cold and empty, each pricking at their nerves to salve their sores.
It seemed likely that the claustrophobia of house arrest had presumably caught up.
Logan came along with his team as per the usually check-ups on Harry and Ludwig.
It seemed, according to his report that Harry would soon be able to take on proper meals rather than tea and soups.
Amidst the checkup, Lily was introduced to him and he welcomed her warmly before tending to Ludwig and discussing reports with Reece Lutman.
"Ruby" Logan called, walking up to her, "I need to speak to Ryan, have you seen him?"
"Maybe the library or the study, either way he must be working, is it urgent -you can tell me"
Logan sighed, "It's alright, I'll search him out, thank you for your time".
Just as she had suggested, he headed for the library. Something about books just sat well with Ryan and most knew.
The large door to the library flung open, Ryan stood amidst the shelves, his nose buried in an open book before his gaze arose to meet with Logan's.
"Oh, hello" he greeted, "Here for the checkups, yes?"
Logan nodded, "But I'm also here for you"
Ryan shut the book and walked over to him, "Try to make it quick, I still have a few things to settle"
…
"Father is dead"
Logan watched Ryan's expression shift sharply. His brows furrowed in shock, confusion before melting into a quiet gaze.
"We tried Ryan" he paused, "We tried, but dad wanted to let go, he wanted it that way"
Ryan sunk to the floor, leaning back against the shelves with folded legs, he stared at the ceiling.
Logan had assessed and predicted, his reaction was just as familiar as when the talk of their mother, Theressa came up.
Back in the past when Logan blamed his presence for his mother's absence, Ryan would occasionally assure him that he was never the cause.
It was no news of how the birth of Logan weakened their mother's health drastically.
All along Kane, their father had believed he had searched and found a cure considering she was in great health months before, then suddenly, her health deteriorated and just like that, they found her pregnant with Logan.
As Logan watched his brother sit in silence, he took a seat beside him.
He wasn't the type to know what to say in such situations. Even as a doctor, interactions with guardians and partners of his patients were passed on naturally to his nurses, leaving him to say a few words and so, he let the silence heal them both, they needed it.
They had now become orphans. Though Kane had waxed in age, they both also knew that the death of their mother left a large hole in his heart and soul. They both saw and felt it.
The boys, now men, matured at young ages. In the emptiness of their hearts, they drowned in their education and work, day by day, night on night. While many partied, they took on the path of responsibilities and hard work.
It was in the midst of Logan's wander in emptiness in the past that he took to notice of William Lutman.
Dusk came.
Logan had gone home, leaving Ryan in a pool of his own thoughts, heaviness and anxiety.
"Papa"
The voice of his son, Henry called out, allowing him recollection. He turned to see his son peeking through the ajar of the door.
He smiled away his thoughts "Who do we have here?"
"Mom said to call you, it's almost time for dinner"
He nodded with a sigh, "Not really feeling up to it" he turned to see Henry walk in and shut the door behind him, "You can have my plate, but…" he raised his index, "Share with your brother alright?"
Henry took a seat beside him.
The room sat quiet, leaving Ryan in a fix. He needed space, nevertheless, his son felt a sense of need to comfort him, leaving him questioning himself.
'Was he a good parent?', 'Wasn't this situation supposed to be the other way round?', 'Did he seem undependable?'
Ryan exhaled, calming himself and suddenly, Ruby walked in, a little startled at the sight of the two.
"Henry" she called niggly, "Call your father not join your father".
He stood and walked onwards to the door before pausing, "I love you a lot dad" he walked away.
Ruby turned to Henry and watched him leave before turning to Ryan, "You alright love?"
Ryan sighed with a small smile, "I knew I made him worry".
Ruby walked in, assessing the situation. Ryan seemed down. From work stress, frustrating situations, she couldn't tell since he had a habit of keeping to himself in hard times.
They both knew, they both suffered similar habits but they were willing to learn to lean.
She sat at his side and watched him for a while.
"You don't have to eat dinner, I'll get our food on the side but if you don't tell me, I'm not leaving this place and you won't leave either"
Ryan shook his head, "Please don't do this Ruby, please"
She sat quiet.
"Please Ruby, I can't do this with you, It's hard for me, it's too hard, please"
"I know" she said softly, "I'm not forcing it out of you but I won't leave, not this time"
Ryan shut his eyes and swallowed down, leaning his head back, "Dad is dead"
Ruby turned to him in great concern.
"I knew this day would come", he paused, counting his words, "I knew…I knew he would give up on living -I" he paused again, swallowing down then sitting up straight, "I need to leave this place"
…
Ruby disagreed.
'How could he leave when he's needed so much here, Does the family situation not matter? Do their children not matter? Does their marriage not matter?'
"Ryan" she called softly, "We need you" she began, "We need you here"
His silence held tight on her nerves. As much she wanted him to learn to express, she couldn't have foreseen a moment in his absence.
'She needed him'
…
"Ryan" she called once more, reaching unto his fingers.
He pulled back, stood to his feet, "This is my father and you say 'we', need me here".
In that second, Ruby sensed a wall being built. He declared, like a warning to think of her actions. Like a scolding.
Slowly, he walked to a desk in the room, took up a bunch of files, few pieces of papers and a bundle of envelopes tied together before walking out of the library room.
…
Ruby gnashed her jaw as she watched him leave.
She knew that something about their relationship changed from the moment the family discussed set rules over the ledger issue.
This distance, this emptiness… she was all to familiar with it. All those years apart, all those years in the past.
She wasn't willing to let it happen again.