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Part 2/3 of triple update :) make sure to read chapter 41 before this one!!

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March 2017 - Two years and two months ago

Amelia

"Hey Amelia, why don't I show you around the rose garden while everyone's so immersed on their phones?" Robin says, laughing while he gestures to Harry, Gemma, and Anne who all have their heads buried in their devices.

"Sure, I'd like that," I respond, smiling at the man.

Harry immediately turns to look at me, silently asking if he wants me to come. I squeeze his hand as a sign I'll be alright and standing up, I follow Robin out of the room. 

The air is brisk outside and I slightly regret not bringing a heavier jacket. I wrap my arms around my torso, following Robin as he briefly shows me around the garden. 

"The flowers aren't in full bloom but come a couple of months and they'll have blossomed," Robin tells me, gesturing to the flowers round us. 

Their buds are closed right now, shielded off from the cold air but I have no doubt that they'll be stunning when they do, in fact, decide to open up. 

"I'm sure the garden in beautiful in spring and summer," I comment. 

Robin mainly smiles. 

"It is," he says. He then gestures to two Adirondack chairs and I gladly take up one while he sits in the other. He sighs. "I'll admit, showing you around the garden was just an excuse to get you alone. I didn't want the others to overhear." 

I furrow my eyebrows, unsure of where he's going with this. My palms grow a little sweaty and for a second I'm nervous he's going to tell me off or threaten me to stay away from Harry. 

"I don't have a lot of time left, Amelia," Robin starts, catching me completely off guard. All of my nerves vanish in that moment and in their place sadness and concern takes over. "My medication...it isn't working. I'm unsure of how much time I have left but my guess would be less than a year. I'm planning on stopping all medication and treatment soon, once I'm absolutely sure it's of no benefit to me."

I frown, feeling all of my breath being stolen from me as I process the horrible news. Harry hasn't told me anything of Robin's state. He said he was sick but never mentioned how sick. 

"Does - does anyone know?" I ask, feeling somewhat mortified when he immediately shakes his head. 

"No. You're the first," he tells me. I open my mouth to respond, feeling dirty that he told me and not his own family, but he quickly cuts me off. "Part of me needed to tell someone who wasn't family because I know it'll hurt them when I break the news...I needed a practice run, and selfishly I chose you to tell. I'm sorry."

I sigh and shake my head. 

"No, please don't apologize," I opt to say. 

I think I understand where he's coming from. Sometimes you just need to say certain words aloud, to give them a feel for how they sound. Robin, I'm assuming, just wanted to practice with someone who isn't particularly close to him. I can get that. 

"I don't mean to just throw this on you, but there's a reason I chose to tell you that, other than just wanting to see how it sounds to say aloud," Robin continues. My eyes avert briefly from his before I reluctantly look back at him. He seems healthy on the outside and I feel like either screaming or crying, knowing that his body is failing him on the inside to the point of no return. "When I was first diagnosed, I started writing in a journal. It was therapeutic and helped me voice some thoughts I knew I couldn't speak. It also helped keep my mind organized, subsequently keeping me rather sane during all of this...

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