Take Me Away

At the M City Hospital

After hanging up on Fiona, Spencer walked into the ward and called, "Grandpa!"

"Spencer!" Wayne turned his head and watched as Spencer approached. Noting the absence of Fiona, he asked curiously, "Didn't Fiona come with you?" "She's busy preparing lunch for you, but she will definitely follow soon." Spencer sat on the chair beside the bed. Exhaustion was written all over his face.

Wayne looked at him and asked, "Did you stay with Fiona last night?"

"Of course not." Spencer shook his head. "Why do you ask?"

"You look tired."

The young man smiled as he remarked, "Grandpa, you're thinking too much."

"Why keep it from me, Spencer? I know everything," the old man said with a mischievous grin. "Although you two haven't gotten your marriage license yet, there's nothing wrong with living together. You don't have to hide it from me. In fact, I'm looking forward to having a great-grandson soon!"

"I'm not hiding anything from you, Grandpa. I was at Terence's company last night and I was helping him with his program. I was working all night."

With a trace of impatience in his tone, Wayne asked, "So when am I going to have a great-grandson? I can't wait for you forever. Even if you get Fiona pregnant now, the baby won't be born until next year. Alas! If you don't hurry up, I'm afraid I won't even get to meet him."

"Don't say such things, Grandpa! You'll live a long and happy life," Spencer said. "Don't worry. Soon enough, you'll be surrounded with not just one, but a whole bunch of great-grandchildren, who will badger you to tell them stories about your heroic deeds."

Wayne was amused by the prospect. He laughed as he said, "They're going to be just like you when you were a child. I never expected that you're going to marry so soon."

To this, Spencer only smiled and said nothing.

"Ahem!" Wayne looked at his grandson and asked in a low voice, "Do you blame me for sending Celine abroad?"

The smile on Spencer's lips turned into a straight line. With bitterness, he replied, "No, I don't blame you."

"I had no choice. You have to trust me. I did it for your own good." The old man's expression softened as he spoke. "Even if I didn't send her abroad, you'd still have to marry Fiona."

His words stirred old feelings of resentment in Spencer. Old memories of powerlessness and hate resurfaced and were trying to take over his head. The past felt like smoke that might have dissipated, but wouldn't completely leave the room. These memories had left a permanent mark in his heart. He disliked Fiona, but he was destined to marry her. And even though she regarded him with equal displeasure, she also had to marry him. Was it fate that entangled the two of them together? Spencer wondered who was going to suffer more.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Someone knocked at the door just as he was struggling with his thoughts.

"Come in!" Spencer shouted.

"It's time to take medicine." A nurse walked into the room, pushing a cart with a tray of pills.

"Okay." After acknowledging the nurse, Spencer turned to his grandfather and said, "Well, Grandpa, I'll just make a quick trip to the restroom while the nurse checks up on you."

"Okay, you may go."

But Spencer didn't go to the restroom. Instead, he walked out of the hospital building and went straight to the garden, where he found a bench to sit down on.

Before his grandfather fell ill, Spencer's life was carefree and he didn't feel pressured about his future. He didn't entertain any fantasies about his future wife. He cared much less about love because except for that person, he had never felt it towards anyone.

But suddenly Wayne told him that he was going to get married, and that person must be Fiona.

The whole idea was upsetting.

He reached into his pocket for the pack of cigarettes Terence gave him last night.

He lit one up with his lighter and took a long, deep drag.

After finishing two sticks, Spencer felt bored. He stood up and was about to go back to the ward when he saw a person rushing into the building, carrying two lunchboxes.

"Fiona..."

Spencer quickly followed her inside. 'Fiona, Grandpa wants me to have a baby with you. What should I do? Will you agree?' he thought.

Fiona entered the ward carrying the lunchboxes. She was surprised to see that Spencer wasn't there, but she didn't let it show in her expression. "Hello, Fiona!"

"I'm here, Grandpa!" Fiona approached his bedside with a smile. "I hope you're hungry. I brought you lunch."

Smiling, the old man said to his nurse, "I'm so lucky my granddaughter-in-law brought me food. I'm sure it tastes better than any hospital food."

"For sure, Mr. Cheng," the nurse replied with a smile. "I'm certain your granddaughter-in-law prepared your meal with love and care. Our hospital cook can't compete with that." "Ha-ha..." Wayne chuckled at the nurse's reply.

Fiona handed one of the lunchboxes to the nurse to serve and put the other on the cupboard beside the bed.

"Why did you bring two?" Wayne asked.

"Oh, this one..."

"That's for me!" It was then that Spencer opened the door and came in. "Grandpa, I'm hungry. I came so early in the morning to take care of you that I didn't have time to eat." With a meaningful look, Wayne responded, "Oh, I promise you'll feel better once you've tasted Fiona's cooking."

"Don't compliment her too much, Grandpa! It'll go straight to her head!" Spencer snorted and strode into the ward. He took a seat on the bench and casually ordered Fiona, "Open the lunchbox!" Fiona could only sigh. 'Since Grandpa's here, I might as well play along.'

A delicious smell filled the room when Fiona opened the lunchbox. It wasn't like any food Spencer had had at the canteen; it smelled like home.

Spencer found no other way to describe it. He had always thought that the phrase "the taste of home" was nothing but sentimental gibberish. But now, he too felt a bit strangely sentimental.☐☐☐