"Grams, gramps?" I was taken aback seeing the two of them suddenly as George and I had been sat outside for a moment of fresh air.
I hadn't seen my grandparents in what seemed like forever, we were never as close as I would've liked to be, but in more ways than one it may have been better. They never really wanted to accept the death of my mother, and seeing me only reminded of the daughter they'd lost. I never said it was fair, but it kept everyone sane.
"Hello Penelope." My grandfather's smile grew warm although there was an undertone of sadness in his features.
"Paul called and told us Brian overdosed?" My grandmother questioned abruptly, horrified by the thought of it.
I nodded, my eyes brimming with tears.
"He's on the third floor, let's bring them up yeah?" George looked over at me to see if I was okay to go back up anxiously.
I agreed meekly grabbing onto his hand to follow him inside. My grandparents took interest in this, but I didn't have the strength to deal with their inquiries about the subject just yet.
As we went up in the elevator a voice began to nag in the back of my mind, what my father had told me. If my father had told the truth, they were partly responsible for casting out my father from my life.
When we arrived to the floor, George and I lead them to Brian's hospital room. Brian was woken up groggily, getting scolded by the boys for his recklessness.
"Poppy." Brian's eyes landed on me first with a sorrowful frown.
"Never be so stupid again." I grinned sadly, going over to his bedside and giving him a gentle hug, hearing him apologizing over and over again in my ear.
As I let him go his face contorted into a deeper sadness seeing his parents.
"Mum, Dad, I-" He looked unsure of what to say.
"We're just glad you're okay son." My grandfather looked on the verge of tears seeing him in the hospital bed.
Brian's eyes glazed over slightly as he looked down to his hands.
Brian cared a great deal about how he was viewed in the eyes of his parents, which was why he seemed so upset they there were seeing him in this way.
______________________
Brian had taken a small recovery break from work to recover in the following week, while my grandparents stayed with us.
All I could think about when I saw them was if they'd done what I thought they'd done. It was almost unimaginable, they were so sweet and protective over Brian and I.
During the week I didn't get to see the boys much, but George had had begun to ask if he could take me to his trip to Tahiti with John and Cynthia although he told me understood that I might've not been ready to leave.
I wasn't sure if I had the heart to leave Brian, I felt I had been neglecting him ever since I'd come to London in the first place.
George, Brian, my Grandparents and I were all sat at the table for tea only a few days away from the vacation when George had asked about it again.
"What are you planning on your time off from work George?" My grandmother asked him curiously with a joyous grin.
"Well, John, his wife and I were going to go to Tahiti. I wanted to bring Poppy too, but I'm not sure if it's appropriate anymore." George spoke politely in attempt to wow my grandparents with his etiquette.
