Chapter 322: Bad news [3]
"Iris," Reece called to his sister after Errol and the others had departed. "Perhaps you didn’t hear the same conversation I did about our father dying. You should have joined me in pushing harder to see him today."
"I heard every word you did, and I didn’t make a fool of myself doing it. You very nearly cost us the chance to see him at all. Rushing in is what you want to do, but I need a moment to process this. It isn’t easy," Iris said, her tears already threatening to spill. "He is my father too, Reece."
Reece realised his mistake the instant he saw her tears welling. "Forgive me," he said, pulling her towards him for a hug, his arms tightening around her. "I’m sorry," he apologised, the fight draining out of him all at once.
"He is my father too," Iris repeated softly, resting her head against his chest. "I knew this was coming. I just didn’t think it would be so soon."
Reece fought to keep his own emotions in check, aware he needed to be strong for her. He had to be the shoulder she could lean on.
"I had hoped he might last his sentence and come home to us, even for a little while," Reece confessed.
Iris had hoped for the very same thing, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud. "That would be greedy of us, wouldn’t it? Eloise never got more time with her father, so how could we ask for more than she was given?"
"I know Damien must have had some hand in this, and yet I can’t seem to summon any anger towards him for it," said Iris.
For the moment, all Iris could manage was to keep her distance from Damien and Eloise.
She wiped her eyes. "I’m angry with them both, though I’ve no real right to be. I don’t want to take it out on Eloise since none of this is her doing. Our father put himself in this position.
"I know," Reece said, forcing himself to accept the truth.
As angry as they were entitled to feel, it was ultimately the consequences of Clive’s own choices finally catching up with him.
"I’ll stay by your side. Do you want to leave the estate with me for the day?" Reece asked, certain she would want distance from Eloise and Damien.
"No," Iris shook her head slowly. "I have long accepted he wouldn’t live much longer. I only want a moment alone right now. I can face Eloise again in time."
Iris kept wiping at her tears, wanting them to stop, though they refused to obey her.
"Iris, it’s going to be uncomfortable being near Eloise and Damien, even if some part of you believes our father deserves whatever’s come to him. I honestly don’t know how well I can look either of them in the eye. It isn’t that I’m angry with them, but there’s this feeling I can’t quite put words to," said Reece.
"He is our father. Despite how he was to others, he was good to us," Iris said.
She stepped back, trying to gather herself. "It truly won’t be long now before we’re the last ones left."
Reece reached out and wiped away the last of her tears with his thumb. "We are not the last ones, Iris. I’m married, with a child on the way. A man is courting you. We still have Eloise in our lives too. Little by little, we’re building something of our own."
"In time, we’ll have a wonderful family on both sides. There’ll be sadness for a while yet, but we’ll get through it together," Reece promised.
Iris nodded as her gaze dropped to the palm of her hand. "Do you think he’ll even be well enough to speak with us? I wanted to tell him how angry I am for spoiling our family the way he did, but now I don’t know if the timing is good."
"Iris, whatever you feel when you see him, you’re entitled to feel it fully. Say what you need to say, because this may well be the last chance you get. Don’t hold back only to live with the regret afterwards. Think of it as a way to finally move forward," Reece suggested.
"I don’t know if I’ll be able to," Iris admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Iris!" Eloise called out as she approached.
Iris glanced over her shoulder and quickly wiped away the last traces of her tears. She didn’t turn to face Eloise fully.
"They are gone," Reece said, stepping forward to speak with Eloise.
Reece noticed Damien standing a short distance behind, his expression suggesting he already knew exactly what the men had come to share. "Iris needs a moment alone. Our father is gravely ill, and we may only have tomorrow left to speak with him."
"Oh," Eloise said softly, her gaze drifting to Iris. "That’s terribly sad for her. Is she angry with me?"
"No. You have to understand how uncomfortable this is for all of us. We’re not upset with you, nor with your husband. We’re both going to grieve, and I doubt you’ll much care for that-"
"I don’t mind the two of you grieving for your father. He is still your father, regardless of everything else. I wouldn’t dream of rejoicing over my own father’s killer falling ill before either of you. I know when sympathy is called for," Eloise said, stopping Reece before he could finish.
"I know. I know," Reece replied, and some of the tension eased from his shoulders.
"I’ll give the two of you all the time and space you need. Damien won’t say a word of it either, I promise you that. This is a difficult position for everyone, but I hope nothing has to change between us because of it," said Eloise.
Her eyes kept drifting back to Iris, longing to go to her, but she held herself back, determined to respect her cousin’s need for space.
"Thank you. I only have one request for our peace of mind, so nothing feels sullied by this news. If your husband had any involvement in this, I ask that it never be mentioned to us. I don’t want to know, and I’m certain Iris feels the same," said Reece.
"I understand completely. Go back to her now. I’ll speak with my husband," Eloise said, not wanting to keep Iris waiting alone any longer than necessary.
Eloise waited until Reece had returned to his sister’s side before making her way back towards Damien and Zayne.
"It’s about their father. He isn’t doing well, and this may be the last time either of them speaks with him," Eloise shared.
"Damien," Zayne said, his eyes focused on Iris in the distance. "The man you asked for my help injuring. That was her father, wasn’t it?"