My Brother, The Devil ✔

23

Blair POV.

It is already deep autumn, and it rained last night, making the road slippery. When I arrive at the door of a room on the second floor of the nursing home, I hear an elderly voice inside saying, "I want to go out for some fresh air."

A young woman replies, "It's very cold outside. You should wait until the sun comes out."

"I haven't been outside for two days!"

"I can help you to the garden downstairs."

"The garden is too small!"

"But the road outside is very slippery, and there are many cars. You are still using a cane. If you fall..."

"I might as well be dead. What kind of life is this? When Amelia was here, she watched over me every day. I finally get a day without her, and I still can't..."

I push the door open. Grandma is wearing a white sweater and a pair of faded jeans. Her hair is completely white now, and there are many more wrinkles on her face. But the kind and loving look in her eyes is just the same as before.

"Grandma," I say softly.

Grandma stares at me in a daze and murmurs as if in a dream, "Blair?"

"Grandma," I call again.

Her face shows a mixture of surprise and confusion.

I run over and hug her. "Grandma, I finally see you."

On the way here, I told myself I wouldn't cry, but when Grandma hugs me tightly like she used to, I can't hold back my tears.

Half an hour later, we finally calm down.

We sit on the sofa, and Amelia, who came with me, pours us water.

"Who brought you here?" I ask Grandma.

Grandma takes a sip of water and points to Amelia.

"I went back home looking for you before, but you weren't there."

"The old house is too big, and as I get older, I don't have the energy to take care of it, so I moved to the town nearby."

"And then?"

"Then one day, I went downstairs to get a food delivery and accidentally fell."

I look at her skeptically. "Really? Don't lie to me."

Grandma blinks. "Why would I lie to you?"

"Didn't someone try to hurt you?"

"No." Grandma drags out the word. "Amelia came to visit me when I was in hospital, then she brought me here. She said you couldn't come to see me for some reasons. I understand. But every time she visits me, she brings me your photos."

I grit my teeth, hoping she didn't bring the ones of me in a bikini at the beach, like what she did for George.

Grandma gets up, finds a box from the cabinet, and opens it.

"Look, these are pictures from your fifteenth birthday. So many people gave you presents."

She eagerly shows me a stack of photos. "You participated in a speech contest in high school and won first place, right? And these are photos of you studying in Country B. These are your friends, right? You all seem very close. I noticed that in your graduation photo, you were the prettiest one! You were always so cute as a child, but you grew up even cuter and more beautiful. No wonder many people pursue you. You are living such a good life, I'm happy too. Amelia says you are rich now, and in the future... Ah! Hey! Why are you crying again?"