38: It Doesn't Matter At All

"Yes, a truce," Lillian nodded gently, "Can we go back to the way things were before?"

The way things were before? Oliver felt his heart leap at her words, not even realizing his own stuttering response. "You mean..."

Lillian glanced at him then lowered her gaze, speaking earnestly, "I've given it some thought on the way back. Grandma seems stable now, and those minor changes don't seem to pose a problem. But with the surgery only half a month away, we don't need to be fighting. It would only upset Grandma if she senses something is off."

As Oliver digested her words, he felt he grasped her intent. "You mean..."

"Don't you understand yet? It's a critical time, so we need to cooperate. After this half a month, you can do as you please. No one, and nothing, will hold you back."

Lillian thought she had made herself crystal clear. "You're a smart man, you should get what I'm saying."

Oliver tugged at the corner of his lips; how could he not understand? Essentially, she didn't want to reco