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.

the courtyard. Once more,

some emotions, and shifted into a more relaxed tone, "I was afraid of angering you. Why aren't 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

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

particularly talkative, going on and on without concern for Trevon's acknowledgment. He persisted in patiently reminding

in silence. As Theo's breathing steadied, he resumed, "In this world, the meeting of one person with another is fate. Encountering someone like Natalie, who is not only forgiving but also committed to a lifetime

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

might be a tad bolder than Sophia, but she's still a well-behaved girl." What Trevon said was true. The two children did not exhibit

adept as them in this regard, so it's important not to indulge them all the time." Due to their high intelligence, they could occasionally

them into ladies or strong women?" Beneath the blanket, Theo chuckled. The journey for the two young ones to grow

recalled Hackett's daughter, who exuded grace and gentleness, especially

quite evident that his two great-granddaughters did not

errors accordingly. | am confident that both you and Natalie can provide excellent guidance and nurture well-behaved children.” Theo appeared to have grown tired, starting to snore. Trevon withdrew his hands from the back of his head and approached his grandfather's bed. Taking a seat at the edge, he carefully readjusted the blanket for Theo. With a gentle touch, he

of late. Natalie, dressed in pajamas, entered quietly. When she saw Trevon holding his grandfather's hand with unwavering stillness, her expression tightened, and she pursed her lips, choosing

his grandfather, desperately attempting to prolong their time together. Witnessing this, Natalie felt a pang in her heart. She approached and enveloped

There were so many things she wanted to say, yet she found herself unable to articulate any of them. She did not know how to console him, after all, the cycle of life and death was something that one must accept. She rubbed the ends of his hair and helped him tidy it up. When she 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 gentle hand brushed the tips of his