Penelope chucked and tapped Madeline on the forehead.
“Your brother loves you so much. He made sure you got into the best middle school. I’m sure he won’t let you turn into an old spinster and stay with him forever.”
Madeline giggled, her smile wide.
Just then, Halsey entered the room.
Madeline brightened at the sight of her. “Halsey!”
Penelope stood up. “Did you get the test results?!!
Halsey’s fair eyes were red around the edges, and she nodded. “Yes, I have them.”
Madeline’s expression shifted to concern. “What’s wrong with Mom? Is she really sick?”
Halsey looked over at Tina, still lying on the bed, but she didn’t say anything.
Penelope sensed the tension and immediately said, “Maddy why don’t you come outside with me for a minute? 1 need to talk to you.”
Madeline, trusting her, agreed without hesitation. “Okay.”
Penelope guided Madeline out of the room.
Now, the room was quiet, with only Halsey and Tina remaining. Halsey took a seat beside the bed, her eyes focused on Tina.
Tina was dressed neatly; her clothes had seen better days and had faded from frequent washing, but they were clean and well–kept. Her half–silver hair was pinned up neatly, and her face held a serene, kind expression
Halsey thought of her own mother, who was about the same age as Tina but was on vacation overseas. Her mother would always buy beautiful dresses and make sure she looked stunning. She had always said that women were born with a love for beauty.
Tina was surely interested in looking beautiful, but life had taken a different path for her.
“Did you see my test results?” Tina asked quietly.
Halsey nodded. “Yes, Mrs. Garner. You’re in the late stages of cancer.”
Tina smiled softly. “I know. Actually, about four years ago, I fainted at home and went to the hospital for tests. That was when I found out something was wrong.”
“Why didn’t you get treatment? If you had, maybe it wouldn’t have come to this.”
“Maybe,” Tina said with a sigh. “The doctors said if I had over 150 thousand for treatment, maybe I could’ve lived
little longer. But back then, Maddy was still so young, and Dwight wasn’t even an adult yet.
“Dwight had it really hard. Before his father passed, that man left behind 300 thousand in debt. I couldn’t help. because I had lost my sight. Dwight started skipping school and secretly working. He was so young; afraid he wouldn’t be taken seriously, he got a tattoo, shaved his head, and put on a tough exterior. He had to look like someone you wouldn’t want to mess with.”
Tina raised her hand, and Halsey instinctively reached out and took it. Tina’s hand was rough and calloused, the thick skin almost prickly to the touch.
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Chapter 362
She chuckled. “Is Dwight always cold toward you?”
Halsey nodded. “He’s like that with everyone. He doesn’t smile.”
Tina’s voice softened. “Dwight wasn’t always like this. He used to laugh a lot. He had the most beautiful smile. But after his father died, leaving us three alone, he became tough. His father was a drug dealer, and people loved talking about us behind our backs. Dwight was afraid of us being mistreated, so he stopped smiling altogether.” Halsey’s heart ached. She had grown up surrounded by love and care, and her greatest hardship had probably been dealing with Gilbert.
But since meeting Dwight and his family, she felt like she was seeing a whole new side of life.
“Even if we didn’t have any debt and I had a million, I wouldn’t have spent it on something uncertain. For the past four years, I’ve prayed every day, hoping I could live a little longer at least long enough to see Dwight grow up. At least… I could spend a little more time with him.”
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Chapter 383
