Whispers Turn to Whimpers: Could He Ever Change?

Gilbert frowned deeply, his face a picture of somber silence.

Sylvia was beside herself with worry. "Come on, speak up! Did you two have a fight? Did you upset Sherilyn? She's pregnant, for heaven's sake, can't you just cut her some slack?" Gilbert managed a half-hearted smile, thinking to himself how he'd love to do just that-if only she gave him the chance.

"Why the silent treatment, huh?"

Sylvia was getting frantic, but Gilbert remained mute.

"Not talking, huh? Fine, I'll just go find Sherilyn myself!"

"Grandma!" Gilbert caught her arm in a swift move, "Please, don't!"

"Then talk to me!"

"Grandma..." Gilbert was at his wit's end, knowing full well that keeping secrets was futile, especially now that Sylvia was here. There was no avoiding the confrontation.

He closed his eyes briefly, then said softly, "Sherilyn and I... we broke up."

"What?" Sylvia was taken aback, her irritation turning into a mix of laughter and disbelief. "Are you joking? Sherilyn is carrying your child... How can you even think of breaking up?"

"The child..."

At the mention of the child, a wave of bitterness surged through Gilbert, leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

"What about the child?"

Gilbert averted his gaze, unable to meet Sylvia's eyes. "The child is gone..."

shock. "What do you mean gone? Explain

find the words. How could he possibly tell Grandma that Sherilyn,

it!" Sylvia was close to losing her patience.

Johnson family's lineage,

into calmness. "The first three months are

being a woman herself, understood

Sylvia couldn't accept

survive? How could

blood pressure spiked, vision blurring

Gilbert exclaimed, rushing to steady

"Mr. Gilbert, the medicine!"

from the

fetching the emergedicatie

Then Gilbert lifted Sylvia,

...

news, Sherilyn rushed

clouded eyes, Sylvia grasped her hand.

"What?" Sherilyn was confused.

Sylvia glanced at her belly. "It's Gilbert's fault, he didn't take good care of you, didn't save the baby."

here, she had guessed that Sylvia might know about

did Gilbert explain it to Sylvia? Claiming

Outside the room.

the phone with

Gilbert was serious, just

Francis,