Chapter 38: A Day of Joy and Fear

The weekend arrived with a clear blue sky, and the family decided to take a break from their usual routine. Lani, Elias, Lily, and Luca piled into the car and headed to an amusement park—a promise Elias had made to the kids weeks ago.

Lily was beyond excited, practically bouncing in her seat as they drove. "Daddy, can we go on the Ferris wheel first?"

Luca, arms crossed, rolled his eyes. "That's boring. We should do the roller coaster."

Elias chuckled as he glanced at them through the rearview mirror. "How about both?"

Lily cheered, and even Luca smirked slightly. Lani, sitting beside Elias, watched them with a warm smile. For the first time in a long time, things felt normal. Happy.

When they arrived, the kids wasted no time pulling Elias in different directions. They played games, won stuffed animals, and tried out different rides. Lily clung to Elias the entire time, beaming with joy, while Luca pretended not to care but stuck close nonetheless.

Lani, walking beside them, couldn't help but admire the sight. Elias had truly stepped into the role of a father, and seeing how much the kids adored him made her heart swell.

But just when everything seemed perfect, Elias suddenly excused himself.

"I'll be back in a minute," he told them, forcing a smile.

Lani nodded, assuming he just needed a moment. But Lily, always curious, decided to follow him quietly.

She trailed behind as he walked towards a secluded area near the park's exit, and then she saw it—

Elias hunched over, gripping the wall for support as he coughed violently. His body trembled, and then—

Blood.

Lily's breath hitched. Thick drops of red splattered onto the pavement as Elias struggled to breathe. She could see the pain in his face, the way his chest heaved, and she froze.

"D-Daddy?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Elias's head snapped up, eyes wide with panic. He quickly wiped his mouth, trying to compose himself, but the damage was done.

Lily was shaking, her eyes filled with tears. "Why… why are you coughing blood?"

Elias forced a weak smile. "Princess, it's nothing. I'm okay—"

"No, you're not!" she cried, running up to him. "You're sick, aren't you? You're really sick!"

Elias knelt down, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Lily, listen to me. I'm going to be okay."

But Lily wasn't convinced. Her little hands clutched at his shirt as fresh tears ran down her cheeks. "I don't want you to leave," she whispered. "You just got here… I don't want you to go away."

Elias felt his heart shatter.

He had kept his illness hidden as best as he could, not wanting to burden them. But now, seeing the fear in his daughter's eyes, he realized he had been wrong.

He pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm not leaving, baby. I promise you, I will fight. For you. For Luca. For all of us."

Lily sniffled against his chest. "Promise?"

Elias kissed the top of her head. "I promise."

Lily didn't let go of him for a long time.

Back to Lani and Luca…

Lani checked her watch. Elias had been gone for too long.

"Where did he go?" she muttered.

Luca, standing beside her, suddenly frowned. "Where's Lily?"

Lani's heart skipped a beat. "Oh no."

Without hesitation, they started looking around, searching for Elias and Lily.

And when they finally found them, Lani's breath caught in her throat.

Elias was kneeling on the ground, holding Lily close, his face pale.

Luca's sharp eyes immediately noticed the red stain on Elias's sleeve—blood.

Lani rushed forward. "Elias!"

Elias quickly straightened up, forcing a smile. "Hey, it's okay—"

But Lani wasn't having it. She grabbed his arm and saw the blood on his sleeve. "You're not okay, Elias!"

Lily clung to Lani's leg, sniffling. "Mommy, Daddy's sick… I saw it."

Lani's stomach twisted.

Elias sighed. "I didn't want to ruin today."

Luca crossed his arms. "Too late for that."

Lani glared at him. "We're going to the hospital. Now."

Elias opened his mouth to protest, but one look at Lani's face told him it was pointless.

Lily grabbed his hand tightly, refusing to let go. "Please, Daddy."

Elias exhaled. "Okay."

As they left the amusement park, Lani kept a firm grip on Elias's arm, her heart pounding.

She had almost lost him before.

She wasn't going to lose him again.

The drive to the hospital was silent, tense. Lani kept glancing at Elias, her grip tight on the steering wheel. He looked exhausted, his skin paler than before. Lily sat beside him in the back seat, her small hands clutching his arm as if afraid he'd disappear if she let go. Luca, arms crossed, sat on the other side, his sharp eyes watching Elias carefully.

When they arrived at the hospital, Elias tried to protest. "Lani, I don't—"

Lani cut him off with a glare. "Move."

Elias sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing. Lani was in full protective mode now, and there was no stopping her.

The moment they stepped inside, Lani wasted no time speaking to the receptionist. "Elias Carter. He needs a check-up immediately."

The nurse nodded, leading them to a private examination room.

Lily refused to leave Elias's side, and even Luca stayed close, though he tried to act indifferent. Lani stood near the bed as the doctor came in.

Dr. Mitchell, an older man with kind eyes, looked at Elias with a knowing expression. "You again?"

Elias sighed. "Yeah."

Dr. Mitchell checked his vitals, asked him a few questions, and then turned to Lani. "Has he been overexerting himself?"

Lani crossed her arms. "He refuses to rest. He's stubborn and reckless, and now my daughter had to see him coughing up blood."

Dr. Mitchell sighed. "Elias, you know this isn't something you can ignore. You need to be careful, or you won't make it to the transplant."

Lily gasped. "Transplant?"

Elias closed his eyes. "Damn it."

Lani turned to him, fury in her voice. "You never told them?"

Lily looked at Elias, tears forming in her eyes again. "Daddy, what does he mean?"

Elias exhaled, running a hand through his hair. He had wanted to wait, to tell them when the time was right. But now there was no choice.

"I need a heart transplant, Princess," he said softly. "My heart isn't working the way it should."

Lily shook her head. "No! But… but you promised! You said you wouldn't leave!"

Elias quickly pulled her into his arms. "And I won't. I swear to you, Lily, I'm fighting. I'll get the transplant, and I'll be okay. I just need you to trust me."

Luca, who had been silent this whole time, finally spoke. "What if you don't get the transplant in time?"

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Elias didn't have an answer for that.

Lani, seeing the way fear flashed in Lily's and Luca's eyes, stepped forward. "He will get the transplant. No matter what it takes, we'll make sure of it."

Dr. Mitchell nodded. "You'll need to be extremely careful, Elias. No more stress, no overworking yourself. I'll check on the status of the transplant list, but for now, you need to rest."

Elias sighed. "I understand."

Lily tightened her arms around him. "Promise?"

Elias kissed the top of her head. "Promise."

Back Home…

By the time they returned home, it was late. Elias was exhausted, but he tried to act normal for the kids.

Lani wasn't having it.

"You're resting. Now." She practically dragged him to the couch, pushing him down.

Elias chuckled. "Bossy."

Lani shot him a look. "You haven't seen bossy yet."

Lily curled up beside Elias, holding onto his shirt. "I'm sleeping here tonight."

Elias smiled softly. "Alright, Princess."

Luca sat on the other side, pretending to focus on his tablet but clearly staying close.

Lani sat on the armrest of the couch, watching them, her heart aching.

Elias was sick. He needed a new heart. And she was terrified.

But one thing was clear—

They weren't going to lose him.

Not without a fight.

To be continued…