Nathan – POV

Seeing the dust settle behind the car, I stood there for a moment, a little stunned at how fast they’d gone. The silence that followed felt strange. I was alone now, truly alone. This place wasn’t mine, and yet I’d been told I could go wherever I liked. But… I didn’t really know what to do.

Wandering back inside and closing the massive front door behind me, I looked around. The space still overwhelmed me—so many couches, so much room. Everything was quiet and still.

Thinking of my parents, I quickly pulled out my phone and flopped down onto one of the plush couches. I tried calling Dad first, but he didn’t pick up. Then I rang Mum.

She answered on the third ring.
“Hi sweetie! How are you today? Have you eaten enough? Next time you visit, I’m making your favourite, okay?”

Smiling at the sound of her sweet voice, I noticed noise in the background.
“Are you out shopping, Mum?”

There was a bit more rustling on her end.
“Yep! Just getting groceries for Mrs Felps. She needed a few things, so I thought I’d help out before wrapping up for the day.”

One of her side jobs was helping an elderly widow with shopping, cooking and cleaning. She never stopped working.

Feeling a little chilly, I pulled one of the nearby blankets over me and curled up on the couch, gazing out at the beautiful forest beyond the glass. It hit me, suddenly and sharply, how much I wished my family were here. If this could be our life instead of the one we had... If Melly were healthy, and we could all be together in a place like this—it would be a dream come true.

I tried to keep my voice light and cheerful. No need for her to worry.
“That’s really nice of you. But don’t work too late, okay? Oh, and I’ve got some good news—really good news. Work had a few openings with better pay, and I got one! They were impressed with how I’ve been doing, so I got promoted!”

She gasped with joy on the other end.
“Oh, my little boy! I’m so proud of you! You’ve always worked so hard—they’d be foolish not to notice! Is it a management role? I hope you don’t have to do anything too physically demanding anymore. I hate thinking of you getting hurt.”

My heart clenched a little at her words, but I forced my voice to stay upbeat.
“No, no, nothing like that. I’m not on a building site or anything. It’s more like… keeping things running, dealing with people, making sure everything’s smooth. Less heavy lifting.”

She sounded relieved, but still excited.
“Oh, you know what I mean. Working with your hands is always hard work. But this sounds amazing! I bet they’ve never had someone as dedicated as you. I’m sure they’re thrilled to have found you.”

I nearly laughed. The comment struck a little too close. Elliot and Gabriel really had “found” me—and now I was helping them, in ways Mum could never imagine. I was definitely stretching the truth, but she didn’t need all the details. She’d only worry.

“And guess what,” I added. “The pay’s gone up too. I’ll be earning $10,000 a month. We might need a little loan to bridge the gap, but we’ll be able to pay for Melly’s treatment.”

There was a sharp gasp on her end.
“Oh my God, hun… that’s a lot of money. You’re not doing anything dangerous, are you?”

I softened my tone and tried to sound carefree.
“Of course not, Mum. It’s perfectly safe here. A spot opened up and someone gave me a great recommendation. I think our luck’s finally turning around.”

There was a long exhale, the kind that held back tears.
“That’s good, sweetie. I’m so sorry you’ve had to carry so much. But this will help Melly get her treatment. I really hope it works.”

“Mum, it’s going to be okay. If this treatment works, we’ll all be together again—healthy, safe. We’ll get a place of our own and finally relax a bit. Like a proper family again.”

She gave a sigh—tired, but full of love. I knew she hated that this burden had fallen on me. But I’d do so much more if it meant Melly could get better.

Trying to stay optimistic, I said,
“It will work. I believe it will. And one day, we’ll look back on this like it was just another chapter. Nothing more.”

I could still hear the noise of the supermarket in the background and decided to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“I tried calling Dad, but he didn’t pick up. Could you let him know not to worry too much? I don’t want him going to his parents. He always gets so quiet after that.”

Her reply came with a heavy sigh.
“You’re right. He promised he wouldn’t, but… they always react the same, and it destroys him a little more every time.”

There was a beat of silence before her voice turned bright again.

“But now I’ve got great news to tell him! My son—promoted so quickly! You’re amazing, and I’m beyond proud. When you next come visit, I’m going to make a feast. You just tell me when, and I’ll marinate your favourite meat the night before!”

Smiling at her energy, I said,
“I will. It might take a few weeks to get back, but once things settle down a bit, I’ll definitely visit.”

“Good! And don’t forget to thank your boss for giving you this opportunity!”

I laughed softly, amused at the idea of thanking Elliot and Gabriel for “the job”—which at the moment included being kissed senseless and living in a mansion.
Still smiling, I said goodbye and hung up the phone.

Leaning back into the couch, I felt the weight of the day catch up to me. Everything had happened so fast. Remembering Elliot’s comment about the chocolate stash, I perked up and padded over to the kitchen. I rummaged through the bottom drawer near the fridge and found it—a whole stash of rich, dark chocolate bars.

Returning to the couch with a couple in hand, I wrapped myself tightly in the blanket, making sure not to get crumbs on the furniture as I munched and scrolled through my phone. I double-checked our finances, worked through some numbers, tried to see exactly how much we’d need for Melly’s treatment after my new “salary.”

As the sky darkened and the house remained quiet, the absence of Elliot and Gabriel started to weigh on me. They still weren’t back. I told myself not to worry, but my body was already giving in to exhaustion.

Curling onto my side under the blanket, phone slipping from my hand, I let my eyes close… and soon, I was fast asleep.