Chapter One Hundred and Seventy Nine - Jerry's Surgery

Before Jerry could add anything else to the conversation we were having, Ryan's voiced echoed from the entrance of the room.

"Hey, two of my most favorite people are here" he laughs loudly, walking towards us with four Starbucks cups in a tray, while aunty holds a single cup in a her hand.

"Dad" Adian walks up to meet his dad midway, while I stood where I was, still wondering about Jerry's words and Adian keeping me safe.

Stretching the tray out to Adian, "take two, for you and Hailey" dad instructs him and with a sly smirk, Adian turned back to mock me.

Ignoring him, I walked over to Ryan and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Morning" I greeted him, with a bright smile, which would have been brighter, if I could have had coffee.

"Coffee sweetheart?" Dad offers and as hungry as I felt, I resigned myself to inhale the coffee instead of drinking it. I shock my head with a sad wistful smile.

Ryan frowned at Adian, who was already sipping his coffee and taking the other one in his hand to Jerry.

Aunty realizing what Adian's intention was, stopped him immediately.

"Oh no you don't minster." She chided Adian, who shrugged at Jerry with a light chuckle, not bothered at his aunt's rebuke.

Nodding to me, Adian walks across to the sofa set against the wall at the far end of the room.

Ryan joins us, but drags an armchair to sit closer, while aunty attend to a irritated looking Jerry.

Leaning forward, "So what aren't you telling me?" Ryan asks Adian, with his eyes on me.

Adain and I looked at each other, feigning ignorance at his father's question.

"I have some rounds to make and I decided to bring Hailey on the road with me," Adain explains, taking large gulps of his coffee.

Nodding with a confused expression, "your mother had a houseguest last night," Ryan informed Adian, as if he's anticipating a reaction from him, but by his frown, I realized he was surprise, that Adian didn't take his bait.

Continuing his conversation, "so I take it you do know." Ryan says, leaning back on the chair and again Adian remained silent.

Titling his head, with a shrug, "I guess, I'm the only one having this conversation," Ryan says to himself and starts drinking his coffee in silence, his eyes resting on his brooding son.

I finally lifted my eyes to Adian's and he had this lost look in his eyes, like he does, whenever he is in deep thoughts.

Finally Adian empties his cup of coffee and places it in my hand, before he starts drinking the second cup.

"This surgery of Jerry's" Adian started, "are you going to fill me in, or do I have to wait until the doctor comes to speak to us?" Adian asks his father and I realize his mind is on his uncle and his uncle only, right now.

Ryan looks back at Aunty, then back at us, "the doctor will explain, but even it's a major surgery, it's common, so it's safe." Ryan was explaining to a worried Adian.

Is any surgery safe? I wondered frowning at the thought.

When Adian and his father was silent, I raised my eyes to see them both staring at me, without smiling.

What now?

Shaking my head slightly, I turn to Adian, "what?" I asked curiously.

Ryan and Adian looked at each other.

"I think your thought our loud again." Adian smiled, ruefully.

I instintively clamped my mouth in shock.

"I'm sorry," I give them both an apologetic smile. "I haven't done that in so long, I figured I out grew this trait." I said as I fiddle with the empty Starbucks cup.

Chuckling softly, " it's okay, but it is a question at the back of our heads, but you're brave enough to ask the question." Ryan agrees, turning his head to the sound of someone entering the room.

A young male doctor, apparently in his early twenties, black wavy hair, and a thick frame glasses, which is the only thing that gives him a mature look, walked into the room and with a small nod in our direction, he walks towards Jerry's bed.

After a brief conversation with Jerry and aunty, he left and aunty spun around to Ryan.

"The doctor is waiting to meet with us," she says nervously.

Adian, hands the other coffee cup to me and instantly walks across to embrace her.

Chuckling softly, "you know that he's a whole lot stronger than he looks, right?" Adian asks, but his tone lacks confidence.

Aunty just nods and turns to give Jerry a kiss as dad gets up to go for the meeting.

I don't belong there, I thought to myself.

"I can remain here with Jerry," I offered softly and Adian was the first to respond.

Releasing his aunty he comes over and gives me a hug, "thank you," he says giving me light peck on the lips, because he knows how uncomfortable I am with PDA, especially in front of the parents.

"It's the least that I can do" I smiled at Adian's aunty, with whom I am still not accustom, but she has been pleasant to me during the few times we met.

"I don't need a babysitter," Jerry growled.

Laughing I walked closer to this bed, as Ryan brought the chair he was just using, closer to me.

"Well too bad, you're stuck with me" I chuckle as his wife came and wrapped her arms around me from the side.

"Thank you," Aunty repeated Adian's sentiments, but I just hugged her in return.

Adian looked back at us before he joined his father and his aunty in the hallway, with the same concerned expression in his eyes.

"Should my husband be worried?" I asked Jerry.

Chuckling, Jerry shook his head, but he was just a nervous.

"You know that everything will turn out fine, right?" I gently reminded him.