A/N: I know I said I wouldn't do these but I feel like I should at least update you guys. I've actually written 37 chapters so far, I'm up to the point where they are studying medicine. I completely forgot that I published some on here to be honest as I've been writing this mainly for my own enjoyment. I'm gonna try and publish the rest but I need to edit them before I do so I'll likely post a few a week as I'm also continuously writing at the same time. I get bursts of motivation to write these chapters and then lose interest for a while but I'm quite proud of how much I've gotten through.
Chapter 21
As the evening grew late, Harper and Finley remained motionless, their worry permeating the atmosphere of the house. Finley's tears fell freely as he sought answers about his father's condition, questions that Harper could not yet answer. Ian arrived home later, having rushed back after Harper's call, but not before ensuring coverage at the restaurant.
"Any news?" Ian inquired with concern as he entered the living room. Harper, clutching her phone tightly, shook her head, her eyes fixated on the screen, waiting anxiously for an update from Oliver. Ian approached Finley, gently running his fingers through the boy's hair, reassuring him that his father was strong. "Let me prepare some food for you guys," he offered kindly, disappearing into the kitchen to cook. He returned with bowls of pasta, generously coated in a comforting cheese and broccoli sauce, and placed them on the table. However, the weight of the situation stifled their appetites, and the food remained untouched.
"Come on, you two," Ian urged gently, understanding their worry. "I know it's difficult, but you need to eat." He set their cutlery down and took a seat himself, hoping to encourage them. Reluctantly, they rose from their seats and joined him at the table, picking at their food. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as they anxiously awaited news of Aaron's condition.
Finally, Harper's phone rang, and her heart leaped as she answered, hearing Oliver's voice on the other end. "How is he?" she cried, her voice filled with relief.
"He's okay," Oliver replied, a wave of relief washed over her. "And how is Finley?"
"He cried himself to sleep, but my dad checked on him, and he's finally drifted off," she responded, a mix of exhaustion and relief evident in her voice.
"That's good. It seems to have been a heart attack. He was recently diagnosed with heart disease, but he didn't tell us," Oliver explained, his tone tinged with defeat. She could sense his remorse for the argument they had earlier, especially now understanding his father's silent struggles. "He's stable for now, but they want him to stay in the hospital."
"Is there anything I can bring to the hospital? A change of clothes, maybe?" Harper offered, grateful for her recent driver's licence acquisition as she could use her dad's car to run errands.
"That would be really helpful," Eleanor's voice came through in the background. "If she's coming, it would be best if you head home as well. I'll stay here for now and take care of him." Oliver nodded, relaying the message to Harper, who assured them she would arrive within the hour.
Harper's visit to the hospital was brief, as she handed Eleanor an overnight bag. "You go and take care of yourself now," she told Oliver, planting a light kiss on his cheek. He embraced her tightly, urging her to call as soon as Aaron woke up, before reluctantly parting ways and heading back to the car with Harper.
Oliver sat silently, his gaze fixed upon the passing scenery outside the car window. Sensing his inner turmoil, Harper broke the silence, her voice filled with genuine concern. "So, your dad has to stay at the hospital for tests?" she inquired softly.
"Yeah," Oliver replied, his thoughts consumed by the weight of the situation. He couldn't shake off the guilt that clung to him, blaming himself for his father's heart attack and torn between pursuing his dream career and shouldering the responsibility of managing his father's affairs. "I'll have to take a break from college and help him until he recovers," Oliver sighed, the weight of his self-perceived selfishness pressing upon him. He felt compelled to make amends and be selfless in repairing the situation.
Harper reached out to him, offering reassurance and support. "Oliver, you're not alone in this. We're all here for you, ready to help in any way we can." In that moment, a flicker of a smile crossed Oliver's face, appreciative of Harper's comfort. The remainder of the journey back home was spent in contemplative silence, their thoughts swirling, until they finally arrived at the house and retired for the night. Sleep evaded them both, as their minds were consumed by worry and uncertainty.
A few days had passed, and Oliver found himself once again at the hospital. Harper had been diligently tending to the household, ensuring everything remained in order while Eleanor spent most of her time by Aaron's side, eager to provide support to the family during this challenging period. As they entered the hospital room, a sight greeted them—flowers and gifts scattered throughout the space, tokens of goodwill from Aaron's business associates and colleagues.
The overwhelming scent of pollen wafted in the air, prompting Oliver to jest, "Good thing you don't have hay fever." He couldn't help but be slightly amused by the abundance of floral arrangements surrounding them.
Two familiar faces entered the room, Aaron's CFO and a member of the board of directors. "Aaron, how are you doing?" one of the gentlemen inquired with genuine concern. "We heard about what happened, and we were extremely worried!"
Aaron responded with a self-effacing laugh, dismissing the severity of his condition. "I'm fine, you know how doctors are, always exaggerating things just in case." Eleanor set down a gift basket brought by the visitors, placing it amidst the sea of flowers. Aaron then turned his attention to the business matter at hand. "If you wouldn't mind, I'll take a quick look at this document regarding the investment."
Sensing the need for a private conversation, Oliver gestured for Eleanor to step outside the hospital room. "Why is he accepting work visitors? He's been instructed to take a break," he voiced his concern once they were safely away from prying ears.
"He was supposed to, but he insisted that his upper management team be allowed to visit, considering the pressing matters at the company," Eleanor explained, a tinge of worry in her voice. Oliver glanced back at his father, engrossed in reading multiple files and engaging in discussions with his colleagues. Shaking his head, he made a decision.
Suddenly, two more men from Aaron's company entered, bearing another bouquet of flowers and a wallet full of files. "Hi, Aaron, we apologise for bothering you while you're ill, but..." They trailed off, their nervous laughter indicating their discomfort.
"STOP!" Oliver's voice echoed through the room as he stormed back in. "For now, while my Dad is sick, I will take care of things."
Aaron looked up, surprised. "Really, Oliver? You don't have to do that. You have to go to college and pursue your dream of becoming a doctor."
"As I said, while you're unwell, I'll handle things for you," Oliver explained earnestly. "So, don't worry about unnecessary matters and focus on getting better." Aaron's eyes welled up with gratitude as he thanked his son, while the other men present praised Oliver's talents and dedication.
Discussions ensued regarding the logistics of managing the company, and Oliver made a decision. Starting the next day, he would begin going into the office, shouldering the responsibility that had temporarily fallen upon him.
Harper repeated the news to Eleanor as they arrived home, her voice filled with surprise. "Oliver is working at the company?"
Eleanor's face lit up with pride. "Yes! He wants to give Aaron some much-needed time to rest. It's long overdue, to be honest."
A warm smile spread across Harper's face as she continued cleaning the dishes. "That's wonderful. Are you heading back to the hospital today?"
Eleanor nodded. "Yes, I'll probably go in a moment. I just need to do some laundry."
Harper quickly interjected, "Oh, no need! I took care of the laundry over the weekend." Eleanor hadn't noticed before, but every laundry basket in the house was empty, and clean clothes had been folded and placed on everyone's beds.
Eleanor giggled with gratitude. "Harper, that's incredibly sweet of you. Thank you! And I heard you've been helping with dinner and everything." Harper nodded, thankful that her contributions were actually having an impact.
The next morning, Oliver entered the office, placing a stack of paperwork on his father's desk. He began explaining to the directors who had come to meet him on his first day, "From what I understand, we're currently in the early stages of securing a £4 million investment. However, the details regarding how that £4 million will be utilised and the expected return on investment are not adequately fleshed out in these documents." He tapped the file labelled for the investment. "I've also gone through the financial files, and it appears that if we don't secure this investment, we could face bankruptcy within the year."
Oliver couldn't help but empathise with his father's stress. Aaron was on the brink of losing his company while simultaneously grappling with the risk of a life-threatening heart attack. For the time being, Oliver set aside his guilt and resolved to channel all his energy into revitalising the company.
As Oliver returned home in the evening, he could hear Harper and Finley engaged in a heated argument in the kitchen. Finley was complaining about his hunger, while Harper explained that she was cooking as quickly as she could. When Oliver closed the door behind him, Harper hurriedly emerged from the kitchen and greeted him in the foyer with a warm smile. She took his bag and coat, hanging them up on the coat rack—a gesture that struck him as unusual, but he was too exhausted to ponder her intentions.
"Harper, the water is overflowing!" Finley's voice echoed from the kitchen, causing Harper to rush back in and adjust the stove heat.
"Alright, I think the spaghetti is ready," she commented, pulling the pan off the stove. It was her first time making spaghetti bolognese, so she was uncertain about how it would turn out, but it looked presentable for the time being.
She plated their meals and set them down on the table before grabbing their cutlery and a couple of drinks. "This is my first attempt at making this, so hopefully it's alright," Harper admitted, picking up her fork in anticipation. Finley took the first bite, but he promptly spat it out, exclaiming, "This isn't cooked properly! It's chewy!"
Harper quickly sampled the pasta herself and reluctantly admitted that it was slightly undercooked. However, the sauce still tasted delicious. Oliver scooped up some spaghetti with his fork and took a bite, causing Finley to panic and warn him that he might get sick.
"There's nothing wrong with slightly undercooked spaghetti. Stop complaining and eat your food," Oliver calmly responded. "Harper worked hard to cook this for you"
Harper blushed, continuing to eat her meal, and the room fell into silence for a while. Eventually, they finished their food and bid each other goodnight, retreating to their respective rooms.
In the middle of the night, Harper awoke feeling incredibly thirsty. She quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb anyone, and made her way to the kitchen. She avoided turning on any lights to avoid waking anyone up, resulting in a series of unfortunate stumbling incidents over various objects. She quickly drank a glass of water, unintentionally spilling some on herself, and started heading back.
As Harper reached the living room, Oliver suddenly turned on the light, revealing himself sitting in an armchair he had positioned near the window. Startled, she asked, "Why are you down here?"
"I was thinking about something," Oliver replied, his expression filled with worry.
"Do you want to talk?" Harper approached him, tilting her head inquisitively. However, he remained silent. Sensing that he might prefer to be alone, she started making her way back toward the door. "Well, I'm going to try and get some rest before tomorrow. If there's anything I can do to help, you know I'm here."
"Harper," Oliver called out, causing her to pause and turn around. "My dad isn't doing well," he confessed, his head buried in his hands. "He'll likely need to undergo surgery."
Harper hurried back to his side, her voice filled with concern. "Surgery on his heart?!" she exclaimed frantically. As she approached him, she tripped and almost fell, but Oliver caught her, preventing her from tumbling onto him. "Sorry!" she cried, quickly regaining her balance.
"It's fine," he assured her, shaking his head. "I believe my dad's illness was worsened by stress and worries. The company is struggling, and then I told him that I didn't want any involvement with it, that I wanted to pursue a career as a doctor. I think the shock is what triggered the heart attack."
"But Oliver, you can't..." Harper began, her voice filled with concern.
"If he's going to recover, I think I need to take over his company," Oliver interjected.
"No, your dream is to become a doctor! You were only planning to step in until he recovered!" Despite his efforts to hide his true emotions, Harper saw right through him.
"It was just a passing thought," Oliver explained. "I won't go to university to study medicine. Instead, I'll continue working at my father's company after finishing college."
Tears welled up in Harper's eyes as she listened. She had never heard him sound so defeated before. "I might find that I enjoy it. There's a lot happening right now, with a significant..." Oliver's words were cut off as Harper suddenly wrapped her arms around him from behind, embracing him tightly. She rested her arms over his shoulders, offering a comforting hug.
He appeared lonely and lost, and Harper's heart ached seeing him in such a state. She expected him to remove her arms and push her away, anticipating him telling her to let go. But he didn't. He allowed her to hold him for a little while, providing solace to them both in their own way.