Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

At dusk, a faint red light shone on the courtyard of the Wilson's residence, adding a hint of warmth to the villa.

Trevon and Natalie arrived at the residence by car. Upon switching off the engine, the rear seat door swung open. Jasper, who was dressed in a navy blue kindergarten uniform, swiftly walked indoors.

As soon as he walked into the living room, he threw his school bag on the couch. Disregarding his sister, who was immersed in playing with toys nearby, he swiftly raced to the second floor, heading toward Theo's room as if he was worried that his great- grandfather might vanish from sight a mere second later.

Trevon walked into the living room with a gloomy expression. The moment he entered, he met Mary's red eyes, which gave him a bad feeling. Subconsciously, he tightened his fists concealed in his pockets. Nevertheless, he inquired, "How is Grandpa doing today?" Natalie, who was beside him, noticed that his expression had darkened a little. She reached for his wrist, offering a gentle pat to comfort him as they awaited the response.

Upon spotting Trevon's return, the twin girls exclaimed joyfully, "Daddy, Mommy!" Natalie said, "Be good, okay? You can play with your toys while Daddy and Mommy visit Great-Grandpa. Try not to be too loud, alright?" Rachel sighed helplessly, then said, "He only took a few bites of food, and | had to persuade him to eat.” Upon hearing this, the couple frowned. Without saying anything, they went upstairs. Natalie entered Theo's room, while Trevon chose to return to his own bedroom.

As the door swung open, Natalie was moved by the heartwarming sight before her. The hidden sadness in her heart swelled in her chest as she found her son holding Theo's hand and engaging in a lively conversation. After a brief moment of surprise, she smiled and called out, "Grandpa." "You're home. Go eat something already. I'll chat with Jasper.” "Alright, Jasper. Enjoy your chat with Great-Grandpa, okay?" Recognizing Theo's desire for a private moment with Jasper, Natalie chose not to disrupt their heartwarming connection and left the room.

Jasper replied, "Okay." Upon returning to the bedroom, Natalie found Trevon standing on the balcony with a somber expression as his gaze fixed on an unknown point. With an aching heart, she walked over, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. Without uttering a word, she rested her face on his back, pursing her lips. In silence, she clung to him, offering her embrace in the hope of easing his Sorrow.

He did not turn around. Instead, he allowed her to embrace him. He held her hands that were in front of his abdomen, causing her to realize that his hands were trembling slightly. After a while, he said in a low voice, "Maybe there's not much time left." Natalie understood the significance behind Trevon's words and empathized with the emotions he conveyed. She said gloomily, "I know." Actually, there was a reason why Theo's physical condition had suddenly declined. He had contracted a severe cold once, and he never fully recovered. Following his recuperation from the cold, issues with various bodily functions emerged. After a CT scan, it became evident that polyps and cysts appeared on every small part of his body. Just as Theo had mentioned, it was beyond remedy; he could not possibly have every part of his body replaced.

Natalie had anticipated this outcome, but the rapidity of its occurrence took her by surprise.

Trevon said, "Natalie, tonight, | will..." He intended to express his desire to sleep in Theo's room at night, but before he could complete his sentence, Natalie embraced him, offering comfort. "I'm not like Sophia and Olivia. Do what you need to do. Don't worry." "Thank you, honey." Trevon found her response heartwarming. He turned around and hugged her tightly, holding her close in his arms.

night, darkness enveloped the courtyard. Once more, the door to Theo's room

you asleep yet? You were waiting for me, huh?" Theo turned around slightly and Trevon helped him get into a comfortable position. The old man opened his mouth, coughing a few times. After catching his breath, he said, "To catch you. Why do you sneak into my room when you have a wife and children? Go back to sleep already. Don't worry, | can live to see tomorrow's sunrise. And if fate decides otherwise, the Wilson family's cemetery is bathed in abundant sunlight anyway. You don't have to worry about me not being able to

not turn on the lights. Instead, he lay down on the couch and chatted with Theo from afar. In other words, he did not intend to leave at all. "I was afraid that you would be bored, so | came to chat with you." Observing that his grandson had no plans to depart, Theo refrained from pressuring him further. He said, "What's there to talk about? | am not very chatty anyway. Well, if you're so keen on chatting, I'll share my thoughts. If

without concern for Trevon's acknowledgment. He persisted in

tired, he would rest for a few minutes. During these intervals, Trevon did not rush him; he simply listened in silence. As Theo's breathing steadied, he resumed, "In this world, the meeting of

want me to remind you constantly? No way. You are not like Jasper or Sophia anyway, so you don't get the same treatment.” Trevon expressed, "It's not completely impossible. If you have the patience to nag me every day, | can willingly listen to you every day without finding it annoying." In the darkness, a teardrop fell from the corner of Theo's eye. Certainly, he grasped the intent behind his grandson's words; he understood that Trevon desired his constant presence by his side. As his teardrop fell onto his pillow, he took a deep breath and shifted the conversation. "You see, Sophia and Olivia are intelligent and brave. It's okay to indulge them a bit now. However, when it's time to set boundaries, you must not be lenient. They shouldn't become too unruly, okay? You are not as adept as Natalie in educating them, so it's essential to pay closer attention to her perspective.” "Yes, |

she's still a well-behaved girl." What Trevon said was true. The two children did not exhibit typical ladylike qualities; they were

regard, so it's important not to indulge them all the

restrain them when they're a little older. Do you want me to nurture them into ladies or strong women?" Beneath the blanket, Theo chuckled. The journey for the two young ones to grow into refined ladies might pose a challenge, but there was ample time

topic of ladies, Theo recalled Hackett's daughter, who exuded

that his two great-granddaughters did not conform to the traditional standards

at the

was gently pushed open, a more frequent occurrence of late. Natalie, dressed in pajamas, entered quietly. When she saw Trevon holding his grandfather's hand with unwavering stillness, her

grandson grappling with the impending departure of his grandfather, desperately attempting to

leaned in, she could see the darkness under his eyes, which indicated that he had not slept well recently. "They fell asleep. Before they settled down, they insisted that you coax them to sleep. | had to give them a few spankings before they eventually lay down." Trevon remembered what his grandfather had told him before he went to bed. He pursed his lips, noting that the open door allowed the corridor’s light to spill in. "Natalie, go to bed." Her