Chapter 5

After breakfast, Willow and I packed their bags and returned to Southvale. The days that followed continued to pass peacefully and uneventfully, just like before.

Being a teacher was indeed a great job. I had plenty of personal time to do things I enjoyed. In my spare time, apart from preparing lessons, I would go to the library, pick out a book that interested me, and sit in the sunshine for an entire afternoon.

I felt calm and in my element with my current lifestyle.

In early June, Willow received a phone call from her family. Her father, Fred Mayfair, had been feeling pain under his ribs.

He had been receiving IV drips at the local hospital in his hometown for over half a month, but his condition hadn't improved. His complexion was worsening, and his skin was taking on a visible yellow-green sheen.

After the phone call, Willow and I hurriedly requested leave from work. I accompanied Willow back to her hometown to take her parents to Southvale for a check-up.

Fred's skin was a frightening yellow with a tinge of green. I had a bad feeling about his condition when I saw it.

However, Fred laughed it off, saying that the young ones and his wife, Greta Crocker, were making a big fuss.

"Everyone gets sick from time to time. If there weren't anything going on recently, I would apply some medicinal cream, and I'd be on my way to farming. You've taken time off to come all this way. How much is this going to cost us?" Fred said.

My pessimistic feeling about Fred's condition was subsequently confirmed. After a week of waiting, the hospital check-up results came back—Fred had end-stage liver cancer.

Willow and I had intended to keep the truth from Fred, but he still found out.

After seeing the results, Fred scratched his head and said, "Why bother treating end-stage cancer? It's a waste of money, and I won't be cured. I'll suffer from the treatments, and it'll drain all our money. No, I'm not going through with treatments. I'll head back with your mom tomorrow."

Fred insisted on returning to his hometown the next day. Although Greta was upset, she supported his decision. There was a famous alternative medicine practitioner in their hometown who had unique insights into treating liver cancer. After returning home, they would take Fred there to try it out.

Greta comforted a crying Willow, saying, "Bob Leed from the neighboring village was also diagnosed with liver cancer two years ago. He's been taking alternative medicine from that practitioner and has managed to stay alive for almost two years. I'll take your father there as soon as we get back. Don't worry."

Fred agreed and said, "Yes, I'll go see him as soon as I get back. It's not that I'm not getting any treatment. I'm just not doing it here in the big city, where it costs too much. Money doesn't come by easily."

This was the first time I saw Willow cry so heart-wrenchingly. They all understood that it came down to one crucial word—money.

Willow's family came from the countryside, and they had been farmers for generations. They made enough money just to get by. They all understood that Fred didn't want to drain their savings because of his illness.

Sometimes, some events in life would make one feel powerless. Willow and I couldn't change Fred's mind, nor could we think of a better solution. So, we had no choice but to let Fred and Greta return to their hometown.

This time, Willow went alone. I thought they would have much to discuss as a family, so my presence there might not be entirely appropriate.

Three days later, Willow returned. She asked to meet me at her rented unit, saying she had something important to discuss. I had a hunch it would be about our marriage—my hunches often turned out to be spot-on.

"Nathan, let's get married," Willow said, going straight to the point.

"Is this because of Fred?" I thought that if it weren't for him, Willow wouldn't want to get married so soon.

"Yes, Dad wants to see me settled before he..." Willow choked up as she spoke. "He doesn't know the specifics of our situation. He just thinks we've known each other for almost two years. Many people get married after dating for a year or two. They like you a lot, so... I know it's a lot to ask, but please..."

"Okay."

"What did you say? Are you really willing to go along with this?"

"Yes, I'm willing. Don't worry. After we get married, I'll take on the family responsibilities and take care of you and your parents."

"I… I'm so sorry! If you're not comfortable with this, we don't have to get the marriage license right away. We can keep it from our families first..."

Willow cried and cried for a long time. I could feel how much sadness she was holding within her.

She cried for her father, who was about to leave her. At the same time, she was also crying for us. We couldn't bear disappointing their parents and were powerless against society's expectations.

Compromises were part and parcel of life. Fred had to compromise with illness and money. Willow and I, on the other hand, had to compromise with reality and societal norms.

I communicated my decision to my parents swiftly. My mom and dad knew about Fred's condition. They didn't object to the marriage since they liked Willow a lot.

Their plan was to have the wedding as soon as possible.

"If you're going to get married anyway, why not do it during Independence Day? Everyone who works or goes to school will be on break, so they can all attend your wedding." My dad had thought everything through.

"Exactly. There will be a lot of attendees, and it'll be lively! Oh, you'll need to find time to take the wedding photos soon. Leave everything else to me and just focus on your work." My mom's joyful voice came through the phone.

With no objections from my parents and their enthusiastic help, everything seemed to be falling into place. But then, Willow's parents had other concerns. They objected to the marriage being held in July.

The reason was that Greta had taken Willow's and my birthdates and consulted a fortune teller. He said the best date for our wedding was toward the end of the year. Only then would we have a smooth life together.

Willow and I tried to persuade her parents to have the wedding sooner because we were both worried about Fred. The chosen date was still over five months away, and Fred's condition didn't look promising.

"Do you think I can't even hold on for a few more months? Others with liver cancer go on to live for a year or two," Fred snapped after one too many discussions to persuade him.

"You must hold your wedding on the most optimal date. That way, your life together will go smoothly. Getting married in November is better because it's close to the New Year. It's also the soonest of the three suggested dates. You'll get more time to prepare without rushing things." Greta supported Fred's old-fashioned belief.

As Fred and Greta were determined, Willow and I had no choice but to compromise once again.

Greta said that since Fred had started taking alternative medicine, his condition had improved a lot. Everyone thought he would be able to hold out until then.

The date was thus set, and we began preparing for the wedding. Willow and I left the major tasks to my parents while we focused on the smaller details.

During the week when Independence Day was celebrated, Willow and I took leave from work and returned to her hometown once more. We stayed with Fred and Greta for a few days.

In the last two days of their holiday, they visited my family. Grandma said that since most of the family was back that weekend, she would celebrate her birthday early so we wouldn't need to travel back again in another few weeks.

I soon understood what she meant by "everyone was back". Indeed, everyone was there, including Blake, who had returned from working in Fioreca.

Willow and I arrived home sometime in the afternoon. As soon as we entered, we saw everyone busying themselves in the kitchen. Some were washing dishes, while others were preparing food.

After greeting everyone, Willow and I decided to help out in the kitchen.

In the kitchen, besides Grandma and Mom, there was a man who looked both unfamiliar and familiar to me. He was chopping up vegetables in one corner quietly.

It was Blake!

He had much shorter hair compared to before. His skin had changed from its previous fair tone to a healthy tan. His features had become more mature and defined, yet he still had that charming, slightly dangerous fox-like look.

A tremor ran through my heart as we made eye contact and looked at each other from across the kitchen.

Blake's gaze was sharp and filled with danger, like a wolf eyeing its prey. At that moment, I suddenly felt like a little rabbit pinned under the wolf's paw. I was unable to move as the wolf's fangs inched closer to my vulnerable neck.

A chill then ran down my spine, and goosebumps spread across my entire body. Even the hairs on my back stood on end. It felt like I was a fish out of water, struggling to breathe. My whole body started to tremble uncontrollably.

"Why are you standing there like a dummy? Don't you recognize your cousin, Blake?" My mom's words broke the tension and saved me.

"Cousin?" Willow was the first to respond.

"Yes," Blake answered nonchalantly, but his eyes remained fixed on me.

"B-Blake… When did you come back? Didn't Grand-Uncle Gregory say you were working in Fioreca? H-How... How's work going?" I stuttered.

Blake chuckled and replied, "Long time no see. When did you develop a stutter, Nate? This must be your girlfriend. Her name's Willow, right? You two look like a good match for each other."

"Yes. Like I told you, Willow's a really nice young lady," Grandma chimed in.

"You always have a good eye, Aunt Mabel," Blake agreed.

I felt unsettled watching Grandma and Blake chat so freely in the kitchen.

Just as I was about to leave with Willow, my mom suddenly spoke up. "You couldn't recognize Blake at first, right? It was the same for me too. Good thing he came with your Grand-Uncle Gregory. If he had come alone, I wouldn't have known it was him. He looks much stronger and taller than before, don't you think?"

"Indeed, Blake has changed a lot…" I said, my voice trailing off.

"Look at how skinny you are. Now, look at Blake—"

"Mom, I have a few things to sort out first. I'll come back to help later. I'm taking Willow out for a bit!" I felt that if I stayed any longer, I'd have to endure another lecture on how to be more like the golden child Blake used to be.

Indeed, Blake had grown stronger and taller. He must be close to six feet and three inches now. He had long legs, broad shoulders, and a strong but slim waist. Blake radiated a raw sense of strength. After all, his biceps that were bulging out of his t-shirt were intimidating.

If he were a wolf, he'd definitely be the alpha.

With the joint effort of so many people, the dishes needed for the banquet the next day were prepared in no time.

Dinner was ready too. With how huge my family was, we filled two big tables. As expected, Blake once again became the center of everyone's attention. He was even more sociable than before as he toasted my relatives in turn.

Blake spoke charmingly and drank heartily. I observed how he gulped down glass after glass of liquor, feeling a little tipsy just looking at him.

The more carefree one drank, the more embarrassing it was when they got wasted. By the time everyone was done cleaning up, Blake was still slumped on the couch, unable to move.

Great-Uncle Gregory tried to pull Blake to his feet and take him home, but he wouldn't cooperate. He was so tall and strong that Great-Uncle Gregory couldn't handle him alone. For some reason, Great-Uncle Gregory insisted on getting him home that night.

"He can sleep with Nate tonight. They used to sleep together all the time when they were little. What's wrong with him staying here? It's not like I'm going to steal your son from you," Dad said jokingly.

Upon hearing that, Great-Uncle Gregory tugged on Blake's arm desperately and became even more determined to drag him away.

"Seriously, do you think I'd steal your son? Come on. Let's take him to Nate's room to rest. There's a lot to do tomorrow morning. He can crash here tonight," Dad offered again.

Great-Uncle Gregory couldn't hold Blake up himself, so he and Dad lifted Blake and took him to my room together. This time, Blake seemed more cooperative.

As Great-Uncle Gregory left, I thought I saw him let out a long sigh. His back looked more hunched and weary than before. But in the next second, I dismissed it as my imagination.

"Nate, help Blake get changed and get a towel to clean his face. You should go to bed early. Don't stay up late reading—it's bad for your eyes. You need to get up early to help tomorrow," Dad reminded me.

"Got it, Dad!"

I glanced at Blake, who was passed out on my bed and sighed in resignation. I then got a warm towel to wipe Blake's face.

Now that I looked at Blake up close, I had to admit that Blake had quite an impressive physique. One wouldn't notice how defined his muscles were when he was fully clothed. Even as a fellow man, I felt a bit envious.

Could those be the legendary eight-pack abs? What well-defined lines...

After changing Blake's clothes, I put on my pajamas and lay down beside him.

It had been years since I'd slept with someone else, so I wasn't used to it. I couldn't fall asleep. The presence beside me was too overwhelming to ignore.

No matter how I changed my sleeping position, sleep refused to come to me.

After a while, I decided that maybe I should try facing away from Blake. Like the age-old saying, I thought, "Out of sight, out of mind."