Glass Hearts [BL]-Chapter 238: The Last Good Moments

Ash’s POV

I kept staring at my phone.

That message.

I love you so much, Ash. I’m sorry. Please don’t ask why.

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

Why would he apologize for loving me?

Why isn’t he answering my calls?

My chest had been tight since I read it. Like my heart already knew something was wrong before my brain caught up.

"Ash!" Alia’s voice snapped me back.

She let go of my hoodie and ran into Granny Jennings’ arms the second she spotted her.

"Aww, my baby," Granny laughed, hugging her so tight it made my chest ache. "I’m going to miss you, sweetheart."

Their bags were already packed by the door.

Even the hospital blanket was folded neatly, like they didn’t want to leave a mess behind.

"I made this for you."

She handed Alia a little pink knitted sweater, crooked stitches, but adorable.

"Yayy!" Alia cheered, hugging her again before rushing off to show Henry.

Granny turned to me with that soft smile that always felt like home.

"I’m going to miss you too," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

She cupped my cheek like I was a kid like Alia.

"Be a good boy, okay? Your mother would be so proud of you."

I smiled softly.

"You’re such a lovely young man," she continued. "With a tender heart. You care so deeply. You love so sincerely. That’s rare. And beautiful. Don’t lose that."

I didn’t know where to look.

Compliments always made me feel nervous.

"And your boyfriend..." she paused, just smiling now. "He’s a wonderful boy too."

My chest tightened.

Granny stepped a little closer, lowering her voice so only I could hear:

"Love like yours isn’t easy. Some days it will feel too heavy to carry. Some days the world will make you think you’re wrong for holding it."

I blinked too fast... but one tear still escaped anyways.

"But if you fight for it... if you choose each other even on the hard days? Oh, Ash... it will be worth everything."

I looked down so she wouldn’t see my face crumple.

She gently lifted my chin gently.

"Don’t run when it gets scary. Stay. Hold on. Love like that only comes once in a lifetime. Keep him."

I just nodded, terrified that opening my mouth would break me.

She didn’t know anything about Dominic’s text.

About the panic twisting inside me. But her words..God, they hit too close.

Her husband walked in then, leaning on his cane.

"Ash!" he grinned. "My wife won’t stop talking about you."

He tapped his cane lightly against my shoe. "You’re family now, okay? Anytime you need a home... come to us. We’ll set a plate for you at dinner. You and your whole little chaos crew."

If only people people like them existed in the real world.

The world would be a better place, and there would be world peace.

That did it. Tears stung my eyes, and I blinked fast.

"Thank you... Grandpa Jennings," I whispered.

He smiled like he’d been waiting to hear me say that.

He took Granny’s hand, and they walked away together, slowly. Like love didn’t even know how to break them.

Down the hallway, all the Jennings’ kids and grandkids had gathered, wrapping Grandpa Jennings in this giant hug.

Smiling through tears.

Loving him like they knew time was running out.

He chose home.

He chose love over more pain.

To spend whatever time he had left with his family.

I respected it.

But God... it hurt to watch.

My heart squeezed painfully just watching.

I spotted Alia crying in the corner, with her trembling shoulders. Henry stood with her, trying so hard to be strong.

He placed a bag of chips in her hands, then held out a bracelet that looked way too important to give away.

"It says You’re my little magician," he told her, softly. "My mom got it for me when I was nine. Consider it... an early birthday gift."

Alia nodded, though the tears kept falling. "I’m going to miss you."

Henry smiled, placed a hand on her cheek...way too tender for kids their age.

"When we’re older, I’m going to come back for you," he whispered.

My breath caught.

Why did that sound like a promise adults aren’t brave enough to make? 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Kids shouldn’t be this soft and brave at the same time.

Tears blurred my vision and I wiped them quickly, hoping no one noticed.

Henry pulled her into a hug, one of those clinging ones that says don’t forget me.

Then he turned to me. "Take care of Alia, okay?"

"I will," I said. "And you... don’t stop being you. We still need our Chip Guy."

He let out a small, broken laugh.

"Henry!" his mom called. "It’s time to go!"

He nodded, took a breath...

walked a few steps...

Then spun around and ran right back.

"I forgot to tell you something." He choked out.

He really didn’t want to leave Alia behind.

He dropped to Alia’s height again.

"Your mom’s going to wake up soon," he whispered. "And you’ll be okay. Because you’re the best girl I know."

She nodded and held his hand.

He leaned in close.

"You’ll always be my best friend."

Then he ran toward his mom, wiping his face with his sleeve.

We stood there watching them disappear down the hall.

And all Alia and I could do was watch them leave us behind.

Alia turned to me, and threw her arms around me. Crying so hard it shook her whole body.

I held her close. "Awww baby..."

"Promise me we’ll visit them," she hiccupped.

"We will," I said immediately. "When Mom wakes up, we’ll make apple pie and go see them. Pinky swear."

She nodded into my shirt, still sobbing. Trusting me like I was someone who never broke promises.

I squeezed her hand gently. "Let’s go back inside, yeah?"

We walked in together...just the two of us in a room that suddenly felt too empty.

I sat on the bed, trying to breathe, trying not to fall apart.

Then my phone buzzed.

June

"Ash!" she yelled my name on phone. "Hey...are you okay? How are you?"

"June..." I exhaled, already feeling tired. "I was literally about to call you. Dominic sent me something really weird and I..I can’t stop thinking about it. I’ll forward it now."

My thumb felt too heavy as I sent the message.

I love you so much, Ash. I’m sorry. Please don’t ask why.

June read the words out loud, and somehow it sounded worse when she said it.

"What... what does that mean?" Her voice started breaking.

"I don’t know. I thought maybe you’d understand. Or help me make sense of it."

"It sounds like..." she started, but her voice faded.

"June? June, I can’t hear you....hello?"

Then suddenly her voice cut back in..

"Ash... stay where you are. Don’t move. Don’t go anywhere. I’m coming to get you."

"What? June, what’s going on?"

"I’ll explain everything later. Please just...stay safe. Please."

The call ended.

Just like that.

What’s that suppose to mean again?

Why’s everyone acting weird today?

I stared down at my phone like it could bring her voice back.

Across the room, Alia sat on the bed, clutching that bracelet Henry gave her. Her thumb kept rubbing the engraving over and over as she wiped tears with her sleeve.

We were both pretending not to shake.

She looked like she was trying not to lose the last piece of someone.

God... I knew that feeling too well.

What if I was about to lose my someone?

My chest tightened. My breath stuttered.

Dominic’s text.

June’s panic.

"Stay safe."

"Don’t go anywhere."

The kind of warnings you only give when the world is already tipping.

I lowered myself beside Alia, forcing my hand steady enough to touch hers.

She leaned into me without a word.

And I realized...

I was terrified.

Terrified I might be holding onto the last good moments before everything changed.

Terrified of loving someone I might not get to keep.

Terrified of being left with nothing again.

Terrified of what Granny Jennings told me.

So I held Alia closer...because she was here...

And because I needed something to hold onto too.