Taming the Author

31: Leave Yourself Behind

The following day was like a family reunion.

Matthew and Helena brought all their sons with them - Harold, Michael, Elias and Roan - in the hospital to see Rupert. Harold's brothers barely looked like him. They resembled Matthew more than Harold did, and their skin weren't as tanned as Harold's. But they all inherited their mother's eyes.

The workers of the ranch came with their families. Jimmy and Murph brought other senior editors when they dropped by to see Rupert.

Only Loramina and I brought ourselves.

I couldn't help but laugh at every funny story each one of them told in the hospital room. Seven-year-old Rupert and Matthew causing a ruckus in a harvest festival by trying to ride a bull; Rupert dressing up as Gandelf in a company Halloween party; Rupert participating in a drinking game with the ranch workers; Rupert babysitting Harold and his brothers...

Rupert smiled and laughed for hours like his clock wasn't close to stopping.

We all enjoyed each others' company so much that the nurses had to visit the room and ask us to keep our voices down; more often than they dropped by to check on Rupert's vitals.

Harold and his brothers smiled and nudged me like I grew up sharing toys with them. They included me in their banters, even shared embarrassing stories of their each other to show who of them was crazier.

But what surprised me more was how they all patted Loramina's head like she was their little sister. They wrapped their arm around her shoulders and hugged her but not in a way that a man might do to a woman.

So it really wasn't just Harold who saw her as a sister. The four of them even teased Loramina about growing up - how she ought to get more sleep and drink more milk.

In the midst of banters and laughter, I felt like all of us in the room were part of one big family. The last time I felt like this was when my grandfather fell ill. The whole town came to see him, not just what remained of the clan, and it was like a huge and long-awaited reunion.

Funny how much happiness death could bring.

Then we heard a knock on the door. A nurse just finished checking Rupert's vitals so I couldn't help but hope it was Harriet, George or Errol who was knocking.

"I'll get it," Loramina said, sprinting to the door before anyone else offered to open it. Everyone in the room stiffened as the door creaked. I guessed we all hoped it was Rupert's children.

But a man in a sleek suit walked in.

It surprised Loramina. She stared blankly at him for a moment while he smiled knowingly at her, and I had a nasty feeling that they shared a romantic past.

"Mr. Dane," she greeted out of courtesy.

"Please," he said, in a voice so smooth it rivaled Calum's. "Will is fine."

I frowned. I sure hoped he was gay. He seemed like a womanizer though. A well-chiseled face, dark hair swept neatly away from his face, stunning hazel eyes...

"Will-burn," Michael whispered, snickering beside me.

I raised a brow at him, in time to see Roan nudging his brother's side with his elbow.

"Ow!"

"Shut up," Roan hissed.

"Will what..?" I asked.

Harold smiled at me, partly because he was trying not to laugh. "Wilburn Dane," he told me. "He's Rupert's lawyer."

"Wilburn?" In what century was the guy born?